We are excited to announce that designers hailing from nine countries have won awards in the 2019 World of WearableArt (WOW) Awards Competition. This year 108 finalist garments by 115 designers from 22 countries and regions came to life on stage in the WOW Awards Show, all vying for the opportunity to win one of 34 awards and a share of more than NZ$180,000 in prizes.
For three weeks every year, the internationally renowned wearable art competition showcases the finalist entries in a spectacular theatrical show in New Zealand’s vibrant capital city of Wellington. An audience of around 60,000 people are expected to attend the 2019 World of WearableArt Awards Show season, with many travelling from around New Zealand and the world to attend this must-see annual event.
The 2019 judging panel comprised of WOW Founder and resident judge Dame Suzie Moncrieff, innovative Auckland-based designer James Dobson of fashion label Jimmy D and acclaimed multimedia sculptor Gregor Kregar. In addition, a number of awards were judged by Sir Richard Taylor, CEO and Creative Director of Weta Workshop, B. Åkerlund, iconic fashion activist and co-founder of The Residency Experience in Los Angeles, and Melissa Thompson, Cirque du Soleil’s Montreal-based Creative Intelligence Team Lead + Conceptrice.
“Each year we are presented with the most extraordinary garments and each year it gets harder and harder to judge as there are so many outstanding works. This year has been no exception. I have been astounded by the wide range of materials used and the intricacy and originality of the designs. It is the highlight of my year and is an exhilarating and humbling experience to view this stage full of the world’s best examples of wearable art and to appreciate the immense amount of work that goes into each one of them”. – Dame Suzie Moncrieff, WOW Founder
