Hope, Oliver Cain, New Zealand. Photo / Supplied.

Here at home and across the globe, amateur and professional designers, hobbyists and creatives of all walks are head down thinking and whipping up incredible works that will bring the stage to life at the theatrical extravaganza that is the World of WearableArt show come September.

Sarah Nathan, WOW’s head of competition, says the breathtaking array of creative fashions that hit the stage directly reflects the diversity of competitors and their backgrounds. In fact, it’s strengthened by it. 

“We certainly see lots of incredible entrants from fashion, costume and textile but we also get people from other community and career places - such as jewellers, architects, engineers, sculptors, painters, plumbers, gardeners, homemakers… Last year one of the awards was won by a boat builder. It literally can be anyone!”

Evening the playing field further is the fact that at the initial stages, entrants’ creations are judged blind. 

“When we go through the preselection process the judges only see images and a short description. They have no idea who they are or where they're from,” Nathan explains. 

While judges might have no idea who has created a garment before it shows on the runway, getting your piece selected for the WOW show is a major launchpad for creatives – the exposure you get through their wide reaching social media presence and affiliation with the iconic event offers an invaluable way to get a name out there. 

“It’s a great recognition of the quality and standard of your work and the integrity that comes with the competition. As someone who is building a portfolio, that's really important,” Nathan says. 

“Globally fashion and costume tertiary institutions recognise us as the bar in their fields and we work in partnership with a lot of internationals and New Zealand tertiaries. If a graduating student can become a finalist that's a tremendous launching point for their career.”

The flipside of that initial anonymity is that entry isn’t guaranteed, no matter your history with the competition. Essentially everyone starts from square one every year. “You'll hear a lot of experienced designers talk about not getting accepted every year. The best of the best of them don’t. Every time you enter you’ll learn from it, no matter how far you get,” Nathan says.

The wide appeal of WOW for audiences and entrants alike, is reflected in the suite of prizes up for grabs. Each year there are six section themes for designers to be inspired by. There are 33 awards with prize money totalling over $185,000.

As well as three placings in each category, a number of specific prizes value up and comers. There’s a first time entrant award, a student innovation award and the Wētā Workshop Emerging Designer Award which offers a one month internship under the tutelage of Sir Richard Taylor. The WOW Designer Development Award supports a designer through a professional development opportunity relating to their chosen field of creative practice. 

No matter the category you’re entering, Nathan says there are three principles to keep front of mind throughout the process: “An original concept, quality construction - having that phenomenal detail in the craftsmanship and construction of the garment, and thinking about how it manifests onstage and on a body.”

“When someone nails those three things, that's when you really see the magic.”

2024 will be milliner Carolyn Gibson’s seventh year entering WOW. She knows first hand the strength diversity brings to the competition. Last year Gibson entered with her daughter Joelle March, and the pair placed second in the Avant-garde section with their piece titled Sen no hida, “a fusion of folds and funky fashion”.

For Gibson getting the opportunity to work closely with her daughter has been a highlight of her WOW experience. “She’s a different artist to myself, she tries something I wouldn't. I tend to do more sewing but with her ideas, we merged and made a really beautiful garment.” 

The experience highlighted what Gibson loves about the competition - being exposed to so many facets of creativity. 

“People’s ideas are all so incredibly different, it doesn’t matter what you do, everyone will have come up with something [unique]. Everybody has a different medium when it comes to art. It's a platform for any type of artist.”

Both Nathan and Gibson refer to the community of entrants as being “like family”, and cite that as just as valuable as the prizes on offer. 

“The participation, camaraderie and community around it cannot be underestimated,” says Nathan. “That community is incredibly supportive and helpful to each other. No one should ever feel intimidated by WOW, because at the heart of it is this community of designers who just want nothing else but success for each other.” 

Gibson says she always comes away from the event ‘buzzing’ and that radiates out much further than the WOW runway, translating quantifiable value for the local economy. 

Economic evaluation commissioned by the city’s economic development agency, WellingtonNZ found that in 2023, the cultural fixture drew an audience of almost 60,000 and a total gross economic contribution to the region over over 30 million dollars.

Nathan says that “specifically for the fashion industry and retailers in Wellington, the three WOW weeks are three of the busiest retail weeks of the year. It’s a predominantly, but not exclusively, female audience who want to take the opportunity to shop in Wellington while they’re there”.

There’s still time for New Zealand creatives to enter the world’s leading wearable art competition. The intention to enter the deadline for New Zealand designers is April 24, with entries due for submission no later than May 1. Find out more here. Tickets to attend the 2024 World of WearableArt Show go on sale April 9.