It’s that special time of the year again when 120 designers from 23 countries will showcase their flair for art, creativity and fashion at the 33rd World of WearableArt™ (WOW) Show to be held from September 20- October 8.
The theatre of dreams that clearly looks at pushing the style envelope, transforms Wellington into the fashion capital of the world with some of the most bizarre and quirky creations that stun and impress.
Interestingly, the futuristic 2023 World of Wearable Art Show: Beyond features the return of the WOW category, Bizarre Bra that will unleash a huge cast of spectacular performers. Watch the TSB Arena turn gold as the stageshow enchants with art, dance, aerial performance, music, stage design and effects.
“Once again we find ourselves in awe at the level of creative ingenuity, craftmanship and pure inventiveness that designers bring to the WOW Competition,” says WOW head of competition Sarah Nathan.
“In the 2023 WOW Show: Beyond, audiences will see a mind-bending array of materials ranging from potato bags, shoe rubber, bees wax, latex and bamboo, to drone waste, Barbie dolls, children’s sweets, keyboards and synthetic hair!
“This year’s finalists also provide moments of reflection and conversation as they present back to us some of the most pressing global issues of our time. Fast fashion waste, mental health, women’s empowerment, climate change and online bullying are all conveyed through the most extraordinary creations of wearable art,” Nathan says.
The finalists will go through two further stages of judging, in which they are assessed on stage, before the winners are announced at the 2023 WOW Show Awards Night on Friday, September 22 at TSB Arena.
Fashionista facts
More than $185,000 of awards and prizes are up for grabs, across three recurring sections, Aotearoa, Avant-garde and Open, and three additional sections, Mars and Beyond, Gold, and the iconic Bizarre Bra.
Designer countries represented:
Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia, Canada, China, Croatia, France, Hong Kong, China, Hungary, India, Iran, Japan, Lithuania, The Netherlands, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States and Vietnam.
Key dates:
Preview performances: Wednesday, September 20 and Thursday, September 21
World of Wearable Art Show Awards Night:
Friday, September 22
Final show: Sunday, October 8
