Waikato Herald
  • Waikato Herald home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Rural
  • Lifestyle
  • Lotto results

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Lifestyle
  • Lotto results

Locations

  • Hamilton
  • Coromandel & Hauraki
  • Matamata & Piako
  • Cambridge
  • Te Awamutu
  • Tokoroa & South Waikato
  • Taupō & Tūrangi

Weather

  • Thames
  • Hamilton
  • Tokoroa
  • Taumarunui
  • Taupō

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Waikato News

Cambridge designer wins two awards at World of Wearable Art show

Bethany Rolston
By Bethany Rolston
Hamilton News·
11 Oct, 2019 02:27 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Cambridge designer Lisa Vanin. Photo / Supplied

Cambridge designer Lisa Vanin. Photo / Supplied

A Cambridge designer has soared to new heights, winning two awards at the World of Wearable Art (WOW) Awards in Wellington.

The 2019 competition and show featured 108 finalist garments by 115 designers from 22 countries and regions all vying for 34 awards and a share of more than $180,000 in prizes.

Lisa Vanin won the New Zealand Design Award and was second in the Aotearoa Section with her garment Kaitiaki.

Lisa's entry, made from bamboo, copper and more than 700 handmade feathers, was inspired by the native tūī.

"The tūī is unique in looks and sound and represents us as guardians of Aotearoa," she says.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Lisa Vanin's Kaitiaki won the New Zealand Design Award and was second in the Aotearoa Section. Photo / Stephen A'Court
Lisa Vanin's Kaitiaki won the New Zealand Design Award and was second in the Aotearoa Section. Photo / Stephen A'Court

"Kaitiaki means guardian, tiaki is to look after and kai is used for a person who does the looking after.

"We have one chance to look after our precious environment and natural resources to pass onto our future generations as their inheritance."

Lisa says the layers of feathers and garments represent New Zealand's diverse cultures and beliefs.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"The river of copper feathers cascading down the front also represents the water that surrounds us and is an essential part of our existence and ecosystem.

"The copper crosses represents our communities being pulled together and the patience and understanding required when such diversity is present.

"The Māori cloak is a solid and sturdy form, representing the warmth of our people and the community coming together as a united force to work as one."

Lisa started creating Kaitiaki last year for the 2018 show.

However, with the deadline fast approaching she decided she needed more time and entered the garment in this year's show instead.

"It's always a tough call to hold on to an entry for so long but I've learnt my designs always seem to take five times longer to create than I anticipate."

Lisa says the creation took about three to four months.

"I would usually work on it in the evenings into the wee hours, and at times throughout the night," she says.

"It was exhausting at the time, but it felt good to complete and send away. To see Kaitiaki evolve and hanging out in my garage, to coming to life on stage was incredible."

Lisa says she was blown away to receive the two awards.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"There is some seriously amazing creative talent out there. To be selected is very humbling and it's a real honour to receive both awards."

The judging panel said Kaitiaki was "a beautifully-made, elemental piece that is minimal yet strong".

"We love the way it glides across the stage and appreciated the subtle references to New Zealand design history in the work."

It's not the first time garments created by Lisa have made an impression at WOW.

In 2017 her entry The Cloak of Pīwakawaka placed second in the Aotearoa Section at WOW. The garment was made of bamboo and copper and inspired by the fantail.

Her 2015 entry She Dreams in Colours was made from coloured pencils and in 2014 her entry Belle of the Ball was made from almost 200 tennis balls.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Waikato News

Waikato HeraldUpdated

State of emergency declared for Tasman region, severe weather warnings across NZ

10 Jul 07:04 AM
Waikato Herald

‘Lock all your doors’: Neighbours recount gunman on loose after Hamilton homicide

10 Jul 07:00 AM
Waikato Herald

'Highly venomous': Deadly sea snake washes up on Coromandel beach

10 Jul 05:38 AM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Waikato News

State of emergency declared for Tasman region, severe weather warnings across NZ
Waikato HeraldUpdated

State of emergency declared for Tasman region, severe weather warnings across NZ

10 Jul 07:04 AM

Heavy rain and strong winds are expected in Auckland and Northland.

‘Lock all your doors’: Neighbours recount gunman on loose after Hamilton homicide
Waikato Herald

‘Lock all your doors’: Neighbours recount gunman on loose after Hamilton homicide

10 Jul 07:00 AM
'Highly venomous': Deadly sea snake washes up on Coromandel beach
Waikato Herald

'Highly venomous': Deadly sea snake washes up on Coromandel beach

10 Jul 05:38 AM
Man accused of fatal shooting, stealing car at gunpoint appears in court
Waikato Herald

Man accused of fatal shooting, stealing car at gunpoint appears in court

10 Jul 02:50 AM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Waikato Herald e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Waikato Herald
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP