Launched by Dame Suzie in 1987, WOW takes art off the wall and onto the human form. Over the past three decades, WOW has attracted some of the most cutting edge creative designers from across the globe. This year entries from 44 countries and regions vied for a coveted spot onstage. A record 17 countries and regions were represented in the show, showcasing designs by professionals from the fashion, art, design, costume and theatre industries, alongside students and first-time enthusiasts. WOW provides an opportunity for these creatives to experiment, push boundaries and explore design, materials and techniques.
The 2018 World of WearableArt Awards opened for entries back in September last year and the winning garments have gone through three rounds of judging (in Nelson and Wellington) before the final 39 awards were handed out tonight.
Supreme WOW Award Winner

WAR sTOrY
Natasha English & Tatyanna Meharry, New Zealand
Supreme WOW Award Runner-up

Ernst Haeckel’s Bride
Nika Danielska, Poland
Dame Suzie Moncrieff Award

Mind the Synaptic Gap
Grace DuVal, United States
Runner Up:
Feminine Hell
Xia Tian, Yang Mengtong & He Fangyu, Donghua University, China
Open Section

Underling
Gillian Saunders, New Zealand
Second:
WOW Tools of the Trade
Shelley Scott, New Zealand
Third:
Ajaw Eamanom
David Walker, United States
Aotearoa Section

WAR sTOrY
Natasha English & Tatyanna Meharry, New Zealand
Second:
Ancient Dreamscape
Kayla Christensen, New Zealand
Third:
Tar’White
Ali Middleton, New Zealand
Under the Microscope Section

Ernst Haeckel’s Bride
Nika Danielska, Poland
Second:
Foreign Bodies
Dawn Mostow & Ben Gould, United States
Third:
Coccinelle
Svenja, Australia
Avant-garde Section

Echoplex – Goddess of Reverb
Natalie Hutton, Australia
Second:
Axminstress
Kate MacKenzie, New Zealand
Third:
Tangka
Qiongwen Zhang, London College of Fashion, United Kingdom
Reflective Surfaces Section

The Wise Athena
Lau Siu San & Cathy, Sin Wei Chow, Hong Kong, China
Second:
Hilandera
Julio Manuel Campos Lopez, Spain
Third:
Lady Ethereal
Dawn Mostow & Snow Winters, United States
Bizarre Bra Section

Uplifting
David Kirkpatrick, New Zealand
Second:
Le Spectacle!
Erna Van Der Wat & Karl Van Der Wat, New Zealand
Third:
Abreast of Time
Janice Elliott, New Zealand
First-time Entrant Award

Hide and Seek
Mingzhang Sun, London College of Fashion, United Kingdom
Runner-up:
Baroness of Vortex 6
Laura Thapthimkuna, Stephen Ions & Patrick Delorey, United States
Student Innovation Award

Shell
Zhang Qiyao, Donghua University, China
Runner-up:
Under the Skin
Louise Byford, London College of Fashion, United Kingdom
Sustainability Award

Something Fishy: A Man-Eater Double Feature
Wendy Moyer, Mexico
Runner-up:
Axminstress
Kate MacKenzie, New Zealand
Wearable Technology Award

236 Maiden Lane
Lynn Christiansen, United States
Runner-up:
Tangible Duality
Hanna Smith, University of Technology Sydney, Australia
International Award: Overall Winner

Foreign Bodies
Dawn Mostow & Ben Gould, United States
International Award: Americas

Foreign Bodies
Dawn Mostow & Ben Gould, United States
International Award: Asia

The Wise Athena
Lau Siu San & Cathy, Sin Wei Chow, Hong Kong, China
International Award: Australia & South Pacific

Absinthium
R.R. Pascoe, Australia
International Award: United Kingdom & Europe

Blue Star
Adam McAlavey, United Kingdom
New Zealand Design Award

Eye See You Fluffy Kōwhai
Tina Hutchison-Thomas, New Zealand
Cirque du Soleil Invited Artisan Award

Quantum
Annabelle Widmann, Spain
Weta Workshop Emerging Designer Award

Spirit Bone
Xiaotong Guo, China
Runner-up:
Kākāpō Queen
Stephanie Cossens, New Zealand