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They have come with their unusual luggage from around the world for decades – since the early days in Nelson before the World of WearableArt shifted to become Wellington’s biggest annual arts event. The overseas contingent of costume creators now makes up half the entrants. Many come back year after year – that is, if they received the email in July saying they’ve made the cut for the planet’s premier wearable art competition. In Part II of Countdown to WOW, returning finalists share their advice for WOW first-timers. You can read Part I here.
Samantha Anderson, Australia
Keep picturing your garment walking out on stage for the first time, how do you envision it will look and move. Be prepared to pivot and evolve with your design, learn from your mistakes (they do happen) and never give up! Have a sense of humour, creating a WOW garment is intense and can be stressful, learn to laugh during the hard times. Things don’t always go to plan but if you believe strongly in your concept, you will make it happen in the end, and trust me, it is WORTH it!
Jill Perry, Australia
I feel a first-time entrant would benefit from just being involved in the whole WOW process wherever they land in relation to the competition and can only be a wonderful, exciting and informative experience. To be able to play at the international “academy awards of wearable art”’ is such a privilege, and an asset when moving forward in this creative field.
Svenja, Australia
For the work, remember you are creating an artwork, a sculpture that just happens to be supported by a human form. For the show season, make sure you go and see it, and by golly, charge that social battery up because it is a solid party. You can recover later. You’ll have such fun with your WOW family – they are your people.
Ashish Dhaka, India
As a first-time entrant, it’s important to approach your design with a performance mindset. Your garment should perform on stage, not just exist as a static piece. Choose materials that respond beautifully to light, creating depth, drama and a dynamic quality when in motion. I’d also recommend watching previous WOW shows to understand the scale and monumentality of the platform. WOW operates at a grand level, so your silhouette and concept should reflect that scale and energy. Think of the body as a landscape or rather, a bodyscape. Consider how you can exaggerate certain elements, from head to toe, even down to the fingertips. Every part of the body is an opportunity to add length, volume and detail, amplifying the visual and performative impact of your piece. This layered approach helps create a design that captivates the audience and truly comes alive on stage.
Urvi Selarka, India
Trust your instincts and just go for it.
Grace DuVal, USA
Make the thing that you can’t stop thinking about. It’s so easy for us to get stuck in our heads, comparing ourselves to other artists, past WOW designs, what the judges will think or how social media will respond. Let that all go. The only thing that matters is making the thing that sings to you – it will show through in your design, it will carry you through when it’s 3am and nothing is going right, and in the end, we will see that passion in the finished piece.
Grandy C, Canada
Don’t be afraid to do it, of course, but I’d also say that doing lots of research and being strategic about your entry will go a long way to getting your foot in the door.
World of Wearable Art: Riseruns from Thursday, September 18 to October 5 at the TSB Arena, Wellington.
