By Charlotte Shipman
The World Of Wearable Art (WOW) has once again descended on Wellington and is already thrilling audiences.
It is the event which has wowed hundreds of thousands and pushed designers to embrace the concept of wearing art for more than two decades.
Sue Prescott has entered the competition nine times. She sees the show as a piece of theatre, without a script.
This year, her script involves 20 pairs of pre-loved jeans.
“I just wanted to rescue them and give them a new life, a kinder life,” she says.
Suzie Moncrieff brought WOW to life 24 years ago. It’s now a global phenomenon – 30 percent of new entrants are from overseas. While the world has come to New Zealand for the spectacle, Ms Moncrieff hopes to one day soon take her show to the world.
“It has always been part of my dream to see wearable art become a global event,” she says.
“I’ve always thought if you can celebrate beauty competitions and sport, why can’t you celebrate art and culture and I see WOW as perfect for that.”
Despite 80 percent of the audience being women, there is a special section dedicated to the blokes – it’s called Man-Unleashed.
One-hundred-and-sixty garments will grace the stage over the next two-and-a-half weeks and while it will provide entertainment for around 50,000 showgoers, this is still a competition.
It’s the platform where innovation and creativity isn’t just celebrated – it’s rewarded.
The supreme award winner will win $12,500 and a further $10,000 in travel.
3 News