2021 World of WearableArt Awards Competition

2021 World of WearableArt Awards Competition now is over!

2021 World of WearableArt Awards Competition: The 2021 World of WearableArt Awards Competition (WOW), the most prestigious wearable art competition has been recently opened for entries and like every year accepts submission from all designers, artists and creators everywhere to bring to life the worlds that live in their mind.

➜ Short description

The World of WearableArt Awards 2021 Competition, the world’s leading wearable art competition, now is calling for entries!

World of WearableArt is about taking art and adorning the body so considerations around the human form and using the body as a foundation should be central to your design.

The competition includes six sections for 2021:

• Aotearoa - New Zealand has its own deep sense of place. Draw on that to celebrate who we are as peoples and what makes us proud. From our rich cultures and history to our landscapes, our independence to our inventions. Show us New Zealand and New Zealanders as you see us.

• Avant-garde — A world that is experimental, radical and unorthodox; a rebellion against the norm. Dare to defy the boundaries of fashion and create a work that is cutting-edge, rejecting the ordinary and nurturing originality.

• Open — A world with no thematic boundaries giving you complete freedom to explore and create your own design. The only limit is your imagination.

• Architecture - Architecture and fashion have much in common. They both incorporate form such as plane, structure and texture, and they explore specific materials and how they can drape, pleat, fold and wrap. Be inspired by visionary architects, both past and present, and use the human body as an architectural canvas to develop a work of architecture to be worn as wearable art.

• Monochromatic - Colours play an important role in our lives; they have the ability to affect our emotions and moods in a way that few other things can. Consider the various meanings colours symbolise, for example, purple can be associated with wisdom, mystery and magic; yellow can symbolise happiness, energy and enlightenment. Using your choice of one colour, create a monochromatic work of wearable art.

• Elizabethan Era - Often referred to as ’the golden age’, the era of Elizabeth I is one of the most fascinating periods in English history; a time of exploration, new ideas and new thinking. There are many different aspects to this chapter in history: poetry, music and literature, magic and superstition, science and technology, astrology, social standing and class struggles. Any of these could be the catalyst for your creation. What influences and inspiration from the Elizabethan epoch will you draw on?

Submission guidelines:

Anything that is wearable art can find a place on the stage, as long as it is original, innovative and well executed.

What to consider when creating a work of wearable art?

➜ To enter you need to create a complete garment. Drawings and sketches will not be accepted. An entry can be comprised of up to 3 garments if you wish.

➜ Your garment must be safe to wear and allow the model to see clearly, breathe and move easily while wearing

➜ You may not use perishable materials, unless properly treated

➜ Your garment must be no more than 3 metres

Evaluation criteria:

➜ Originality and Innovation
➜ Concept
➜ Quality of Construction
➜ Health and Safety
➜ Performance Potential

Finalist garments are showcased in a spectacular stage show held in Wellington, New Zealand attracting an audience of around 60,000 people.

There is no entry fee to participate!

➜ Who may enter?

The World of WearableArt Awards Competition is open to anyone over the age of 18 (as at 26 March 2021), from anywhere around the world. Designers from the worlds of fashion, textile or industrial design, jewelry, architecture, engineering, sculpture and painting or homemaking can take a part.

➜ Prize:

In 2021, there are 33 awards and prizes, including the coveted Supreme WOW Award.

As well as a total prize pool of over $185,000 (NZD), the Competition offers you the chance to experience exclusive residencies and internships with global creative companies, experiment with new techniques and technologies and build on professional portfolios of designer work.