TOP NAMES FROM DESIGN WORLD GATHER TO SELECT FIRST BRITISH ENTRY FOR UNIQUE WEARABLE ART SHOW

 

Air New Zealand has teamed up with design and architecture magazine, Blueprint, to search for the first dedicated British entry of the 2007 Montana World of Wearable Art (WOW) Show in New Zealand.”

 

This open competition is a unique opportunity for young and up and coming designers to have their entries exposed to a prestigious panel of experts including fashion designer Zandra Rhodes, Norman Rosenthal (Exhibitions Secretary, Royal Academy), Sonnet Stanfill (curator of 20th-century and contemporary fashion at the V&A) Vicky Richardson (Editor of Blueprint) and WOW founder and artistic director, Suzie Moncrieff.

 

The entry criteria request a detailed design sketch of a garment, together with details of materials to be used and methods and techniques to be considered under the theme – The Sky’s The Limit. The winning designer will win a trip for two to New Zealand to see their garment perform onstage at WOW September 2007. Full details and entry form are available at www.airnewzealand.co.uk/wow. Wearable art can be whatever you dream it to be.Previous entries have included plastic bottles, bicycle tubes, as well as a wearable Salvador Dali painting.

 

The Montana World of Wearable Art Awards Show can be difficult to describe and hard to define. It is a montage of dance, music, colour, movement and art.  It is, as founder Suzie Moncrieff describes “all about taking art off the wall and using it to adorn the body – it is art in motion. The imagination is the only limit.”

WOW started in Nelson, New Zealand in 1987 and was the result of local sculptor Moncrieff’s vision to exhibit art as live theatre to promote a rural art gallery. It now is an annual show running for over a week in the country capital city Wellington for audiences of over 30,000, attracting international acclaim. Air New Zealand has been involved as a major sponsor for the past 16 years.

 

“We see WOW as something that is uniquely New Zealand, innovative and creative.  It is very exciting to be working with Blueprint to give someone from the UK the opportunity to fly to New Zealand and take part in this year’s show in Wellington. It will be a once in a lifetime experience” says Sarah Hopkins from Air New Zealand.
 
Vicky Richardson, Editor of Blueprint, comments, "The WOW competition is a great opportunity for artists, architects and designers to experiment with an art form that crosses the boundaries.  Wearable art has the potential to explore ideas about the body, movement, structure and culture. We're looking forward to seeing some eccentric, exuberant and challenging designs."