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2011 WOW Awards

29 Aug 2011
A good mix of experienced World of WearableArt designers and first time entrants across New Zealand and the world featured at the WOW Awards Show.

A good mix of experienced  World of WearableArt (WOW) Awards Show designers and first time entrants across New Zealand and the world, took the WOW Awards, with the Brancott Estate Supreme WOW Award going to London-based designer and saddler Mary Wing To.

Thirty five awards were presented at the Brancott Estate WOW Awards Show in Wellington on Friday August 26, as well as eight honorable mentions.

WOW founder and co-judge Suzie Moncrieff announced that both top prizes went to international designers. Mary Wing To’s design Hylonome won the Brancott Estate Supreme WOW Award and Netherland’s designer Marjolein van der Wal was Supreme runner up, with her first-ever WOW garment Hide In My Bone Shadow.

Hylonome is a phenomenal representation of the beautiful mythological female centaur,” says Moncrieff.

“The garment is a labour in leather and of love, showing Mary’s multiple skills as a fashion designer turned saddler.

“She has used various leather crafting techniques; the entire garment is hand-crafted and hand-laced together, using 200 metres of leather lace,” she says.

“Even the horse’s head is hand moulded in leather. It is absolutely beautiful close up, from afar, and in performance, and deserves its Supreme win, and its First placing in the Tourism New Zealand Avant Garde Section.”

Moncrieff also commends newcomer Marjolein van der Wal for achieving such high accolades for her first time at WOW.

Hide In My Bone Shadow has a very strong stage presence and colour palate and demonstrates an amazing use of the material,” Moncrieff says. “Marjolein has created a fantastic show piece, and she should be congratulated for her success at WOW.”

Moncrieff says that Sean Purucker from California in the United States has also blown away the WOW judges, again.

“Sean has entered 12 garments to WOW since 2008, and in the past has won the prestigious Weta Workshop and WOW Factor awards,” she says. “This year all three of his entries have been successful, including a First place, two Second places and an Honourable Mention, which is an incredible achievement.”

“There were so many incredible entries this year, that it was one of the most difficult years to judge,” she says.

“The garments are of a very high standard, so we have added Honourable Mentions to some of the sections, as we felt these entries needed the recognition they deserved.

“I am also pleased that so many first time entrants have done so well in this year’s awards, showing there is a depth of new talent continually coming through WOW.”

Moncrieff says that as a region Wellington has shined on stage winning five awards and four honourable mentions.

“The Wellington region has done extremely well in tonight’s awards,” she says. “Wellington’s winners range from first time entrants, to students to professional designers and regular WOW entrants.”

As well as from Wellington, Moncrieff says there was success for designers across New Zealand, including from: Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Hastings, New Plymouth, the Kapiti Coast, Dannevirke, Nelson, Canterbury, Wanaka and Invercargill.

“Congratulations to all winners,” she says. “We are very proud that this year’s show is of such high quality, in terms of both designs and performance.”

At the 2011 WOW Awards Show, all winners and finalists are transported into a world of fantasy and surrealism, reminiscent of the work of the late Italian Film Director Fellini. The Show is two hours of wall-to-wall colour, energy and creativity, in a stunning choreographed performance featuring the full company of Royal New Zealand Ballet (RNZB) dancers, professional dancers from Wellington’s Footnote Dance and the entire first year of the New Zealand School of Dance.

Every night, show goers are also treated to cameo appearances by celebrity guests – true New Zealand icons – during the Air New Zealand Kiwi Icons section.

There are still a few coveted tickets available to see this world-renowned show for purchase.

Results summary:

  • Twenty one New Zealand garments won awards, with seven garments achieving Honorable Mentions. Fourteen winning garments came from the North Island, and even came from the South Island.
  • Five Wellington garments won section or special awards. Four garments also achieved Honorable Mentions in their sections.
  • A designer from Raumati South won top prize in the American Express Open Section, and won the Weta Award, awarded by Richard Taylor.
  • A Hamilton designer won a First in the Booker Spalding First Time Entrant Award category.
  • A New Plymouth designer who won Second prize in the Air New Zealand Kiwi Icons Section.
  • An Omokoroa (Tauranga) designer won Third place in the Tourism New Zealand Avant Garde Section.
  • Two Auckland garments won special awards: one won the prestigious WOW Factor Award, and one garment was Second in the Shell Sustainability Award.
  • One award went to Hastings; Third in the Air New Zealand Kiwi Icons category.
  • A Dannevirke garment won Second place in the Man Unleashed Section.
  • Four awards went to Canterbury including: Second and Third places in the
  • Children’s Section, Third in the CentrePort Illumination Illusion Section, and Second place in the Weta Awards.
  • The Nelson region won four awards: two placings in the Man Unleashed Section, and an Honourable Mention; and First place in the CentrePort Illumination Illusion Section.
  • A Wanaka design was given an Honourable Mention in the Air New Zealand Kiwi Icons section.
  • An Invercargill design achieved an Honourable Mention in the Tourism New Zealand Avant Garde Section.

 

Fourteen awards were given to international garments, and one Honourable Mention accolade:

  • All three placings – First, Second and Third - in the Under the Microscope section went to international designers.
  • Four garments from the United Kingdom won give awards. Awards won include the Brancott Estate WOW Supreme Award, and First prize in the Wellington International category.
  • Six USA garments won six awards. Of these, three awards and an Honourable Mention went to one designer.
  • A Netherland’s garment won Brancott Estate WOW Supreme Award runner up, and First place in the Gen-i Creative Excellence Section: Under The Microscope.
  • A Canadian garment won two prizes: Third in the Gen-i Creative Excellence Section: Under The Microscope, and Second place in the First Time Entrant award.

The World of WearableArt is a concept created in 1987 by Suzie Moncrieff, to take art off the wall and adorn the human form, then showcase each creation in a dramatic setting. A new way to experience art and fashion was born back then, and Suzie Moncrieff called it WearableArt. The world renowned annual World of WearableArt Awards Show in Wellington is proudly a New Zealand event, and now attracts over a third of its entrants internationally, giving the event a global flavour.