KWD was invited to attend the opening of The World of Wearable Art in Wellington (NZ) earlier this year, courtesy of our good friends at Cavalier Bremworth. And what a spectacular evening it was.
The World of Wearable Art (WOW) is a renowned international design competition that attracts hundreds of entries from all over the world. The entrants came together in a parade so alive with creativity, these inspiring designers showcasing their creations in art, fashion, textile and industrial design, jewellery, architecture and more. It’s a competition where anything goes, as long as it is original, beautifully designed and well-made.
And for those us who love, love, love design, the innovation and creativity was an extraordinary sight.
Designs are brought to life in this spectacular stage performance – a world where theatre, fashion and art collide. Held each year in September in New Zealand’s capital city, Wellington, this unique event draws an audience of over 60,000. WOW gives entrants freedom of expression. It’s incredible to witness the imagination of designers who are invited to show their creativity beyond the constraints of commercialism. The platform encourages lateral, original thinking and provides the opportunity to be innovative and inventive.
Finalists compete for over $170,000 in prize money plus incredible experiences with leading creative companies like Cirque du Soleil.
Rinaldy Yunardi (from Jakarta, Indonesia) is an internationally renowned designer boasting a twenty-year career in designing millinery and fashion accessories. He has designed pieces and accessories for several celebrities including the likes of Nicki Minaj and Zoe Saldana. He submitted two garments into the 2017 WOW design competition, Encapsulate and Cosmos which won the Open and Avante-garde sections respectively. Encapsulate went on to be announced at the 2017 Supreme WOW Award winner. The judges were particularly impressed by Yunardi’s design aesthetic, for its exceptional strength in simplicity of design, and uniqueness of form.
Says Yunardi, “Both of my garments are inspired by the universe being a well-ordered whole, encapsulating a system of thought, reason and emotions. Encapsulate is a particularly striking design of a capsule in two halves, made of plastic ropes and LEDs.”
After the show’s season in Wellington, the winning garments from each year’s show are then exhibited at the iconic National WOW Museum at (WOW HQ) in Nelson. This allows visitors to see the garments up close, and truly appreciate the level of detailing and expertise needed to create an award-winning work of wearable art.
For WOW’s very special anniversary event to be held in 2018, they are once again calling on designers, artists and creators everywhere to bring to their wildest imagination to life for this unique and unrivalled design competition. Entries are now open for the 2018 WOW 30th Anniversary Show which will be held in Wellington from Sept 27 until Oct 14 (expressions of interest must be submitted by March 28th next year). Perhaps you have entered before or have entered regularly – if so the special six worlds that have been created for 2018 will provide new scope for your art. If you have never entered before, why not choose this extraordinary anniversary event to make your debut.
For further assistance with the online entry process, contact Kate Ruffell, kate@worldofwearableart.com.
And for more information on the Cavalier Bremworth range of carpets, contact the KWD team at http://www.katewalkerdesign.com.au.
https://www.worldofwearableart.com/