Holiday in Hawaii #14
The World of WearableArt Awards is a design competition held in Wellington, New Zealand every September. It attracts hundreds of entries from around the world, all competing for a share of $165 000 in prize money and mentorships with renowned design companies.
We saw some of the winners from past years at a travelling exhibition at the Bishop Museum in Honolulu; weird and wonderful garments constructed from textiles, jewellery, found objects and other unusual media in a futuristic display of creativity and innovation.
My favourite was this delicate gown, fashioned from wafer thin layers of wood.
Are these the clothes of the future?
Yes, my favourite, too. The motor car is pretty spectacular, as well.
I really would have loved to see the show.
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The car was so clever. They have travelling exhibitions each year so maybe there will be one near you soon. We were lucky to see this one.
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Amazing display. 🙂
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It was, and there were many more garments besides these ones. There was also a video playing, showing the parade of garments at the awards ceremony. It was a wonderful show.
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Definitely weird and wonderful. Such amazing designs.
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And so many hours of work to create these amazing creations.
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Let’s hope not! I would hate to think of all the time it would take to make these masterpieces just to have something to throw on in the morning. Not only that, I think unhooking and getting into any of these garments might be a bit daunting. Then we get to the environmental carbon footprint of these articles of clothing. If everyone just had one ornate piece of clothing to wear, how huge would our footprint be? I think there would have to be a lot of naked people strung throughout the future in order for a few to be dressed in the splendor of the few. Hmmm, that sounds like the past. Love the post. Love the museum. Thanks for sharing, my friend. 🙂
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Well, if they were all made of recycled objects like some of these were, we would be helping the environment. And, we would be contributing to the unemployment rate because we would need someone to help us get dressed in the morning!
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Now there’s a thought. I’m not sure someone would want the job of fitting me into that wooden dress, no matter what I paid them. It would not be a pretty picture, not to mention my screams when they tried to button me up! 🙂
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Incredible!
I started blogging this month, and it is a pleasure that I came across your blog.
It has inspired me to start my third article.
Thank you:)
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I’m glad to provide inspiration. Welcome!
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I have an old friend who enters most years into this competition. She has won different categories and loves the challenge. Here’s a little potted history for any of your readers interested in WOW. The annual competition started off very small in the South Island about thirty years ago, drawing maybe 200 people. About ten years ago it had grown so big it was moved to Wellington where many thousands now view it annually every September. It is a major tourist attraction and the woman who started the whole thing [Suzie Moncrieff] was made a Dame in 2012.
The designs are really Wow! aren’t they! I doubt they are meant to be worn though.
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I’m so impressed by your clever friend. The work we saw must have taken hundreds of hours to create. Well done to her. I’ve been a stitcher for almost my whole life but I can’t even begin to imagine making one of these garments.
I would love to see the event. The parts of the recorded show we watched were spectacular and I remember thinking at the time how amazing the models must be to wear the outfits for an extended length of time. They don’t look comfortable!
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I agree with you, I think those models earn their money! My friend worked her way up over the years, starting with simple little embroidery projects [she used to make me an embroidered book mark every year and I still use them] and eventually surprised herself by being accepted into WoW ……. It’s amazing how our hobbies can lead us on!!
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Fantastic – I love how creative some people can be. I love the car – WOW! 😀
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I just loved seeing all the different techniques.
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Wow that wooden dress is incredible! Such skill involved in all of these 😮
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All made by very talented and clever people.
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I did not know this competition existed. It is fascinating to be sure. It appears to me that the number of fashion presentations at the seasonal shows in New York, Paris, Milan, and other venues are exhibiting what can only be interpreted as “wearable art” more and more each year. I enjoy the trend and the amazing creativity these designers show in using the human body as a canvas or support for their art. The examples you show here are awesome!
Galen
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I agree with you Galen. These are intended to be artistic and pushing the boundaries, while the garments at fashion shows are supposed to be presenting what we can wear in the coming season!
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Incredible! 🙂 Torn between the yellow puffball and the orange jetski…
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Why not have them both?? Such amazing work.
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I like the formal dress at the bottom. Looks heavy though
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It was hard to tell if it would be heavy. The layers were very thin. It was so beautiful.
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Never heard of this. Those creations are fabulous. My favorite is the wood dress, but the yellow puffy is also so cute. Just looks happy. Thanks for sharing and introducing me to something new. Great post.
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We didn’t know about it either, until we saw this exhibition. You would certainly get some attention if you walked down the street in that yellow dress. Glad you enjoyed this post.
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I would probably get arrested or put in an institute if I wore that. It is cute though!
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Amazing creations. Whether any of these is actually wearable is a matter of opinion. 🙂
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In the video showing the presentation the models were wearing the creations. I can’t see me going to the supermarket in one though!
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😂
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Absolutely unreal. I love the clothes, especially the Elizabethan gown of wood veneer.
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It was definitely my favourite, so romantic looking.
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Love this – what interesting pieces. The wooden dress is something unreal! Not sure that it would be the most comfortable thing to wear 🙂
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I loved the way it looked like it would move so easily, even though I knew it wouldn’t. A wonderful illusion.
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Amazing!
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The workmanship was wonderful.
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