Thu, 24 Sep 2009 1:28p.m.
The World Of Wearable Art celebrates its 21st birthday this week
Auckland has Fashion Week and Wellington has the World Of Wearable Art Show – this year they are both vying for audiences in the same week.
The World Of Wearable Art season starts tonight in the capital, but unlike fashion week this extravaganza has expanded this year despite the recession.
The show is turning 21 and this has called for a celebration and the party should prove to be pretty entertaining.
“I’d describe it as spectacular, creative theatre,” says Wearable Art CEO Gabrielle Hervey.
The show features 165 designers with entrants from 11 countries.
Ms Hervey says the recession has not had the effect she had worried it would have.
“I would say the recession hasn’t really affected the show in terms of ticket purchases – they track 20 percent ahead of previous years. Sponsorhip of course is tough – it is always tough.”
Unlike Fashion Week there has been no scaling back.
“Scaling back and World of Wearable Arts are two word that don’t really go together,” says Ms Hervey.
However, the Wellington show does share one key player with fashion week.
“This year we’ve got Annah Stretton who of course is juggling her schedule with Fashion Week.”
Ms Stretton is one of the judges who will help determine which designers get a share in more than $100,000 worth of prizes due to be awarded tomorrow night.
The show has been held in Wellington for the last four years and Mayor Kerry Prendergast says in terms of visitor spend it brings in about $1 million.
“The World OF Wearable Art and the Sevens we see as the bookend events – the iconic events for our city,” says Ms Prendergast.
From tonight there will be about 3500 people filling the TSB Arena for 11 sell-out shows.
Tickets went on sale in February and an extra show was added later in the year due to increased demand.
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