Designers and creators worldwide are being invited to unleash their imaginations with the opening of the 2025 World of WearableArt (WOW) Competition. This prestigious event challenges entrants to craft wearable art that transcends traditional fashion, integrating creative innovation into every detail.
The 2025 competition includes special themed categories such as Air, Neon, and Myths & Legends, along with annual categories like Aotearoa, Open, and Avant-Garde. Sarah Nathan, WOW’s Head of Competition, highlighted that 2025 marks a significant year as the event celebrates 20 years in Wellington, Aotearoa, New Zealand’s creative heart.
“The WOW Competition gives designers a unique platform to explore ideas free from commercial limitations,” Nathan says. “We’re excited to see what comes from the 2025 themes, especially after such an inspiring 2024 season.” The competition is renowned not just for showcasing wearable art to an audience of 60,000 but also for the camaraderie and shared passion it fosters among global designers.
“WOW isn’t just a competition; it’s an immersive gallery and live stage experience that combines top-tier music, lighting, dance, and towering AV with world-class wearable art,” Nathan adds. “There’s nothing quite like seeing the finalist designers witness their creations on the WOW stage.”
For nearly 40 years, WOW has invited innovators from various fields – including fashion, costume design, jewellery, architecture, and engineering – to push creative boundaries through their work. Judges assess entries based on the originality of storytelling, artistic expression, and construction quality. Nathan encourages participants to present a story through their design, with entries needing to “wow” the judges by demonstrating an unexpected approach to wearable art. Finalist designs will be displayed across a three-week season, demanding both artistic and structural excellence.
Who Can Enter WOW?
The competition is open to anyone over 18 from around the world, with individual entries or teams of up to three designers allowed. Full competition guidelines are available at worldofwearableart.com
How to Enter
Entries are open now, and designers can start by creating a profile on the WOW Designer Hub. The submission deadline is 20 February 2025 at 11:59 pm NZDT for international designers and 9 April 2025 at 11:59 pm NZST for New Zealand-based designers. Key dates and deadlines can also be found on the WOW website.
For more details on the WOW Competition, visit: World of WearableArt
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