Artpeople Gallery
Anton Smit sculpture
Ray Collins dramatic images that capture the diversity of textures and forms that emerge from the water
Ray Collins dramatic images
The Story Behind My Horse Paintings
Fifi Colston (New Zealand), “Meine Erste Liebe”

Cultural Narratives in Motion: The World of WearableArt 2025 Competition

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The World of WearableArt (WOW) competition in Wellington, New Zealand, once again proved that costume is an act of transformation, not just tailoring. The 2025 competition culminated in the spectacular 2025 World of WearableArt Show: RISE performances, showcasing 85 extraordinary designs from 17 countries, all vying for a prize pool exceeding $200,000 NZD.

Evita Camilleri and Dan Draper (Australia), “Fractilians”

Supreme Award Winner: A Japanese Myth in Latex

The most coveted prize, the WOW Supreme Award, was claimed by US-based design duo Dawn Mostow and Ben Gould for their piece, “Tsukumogami.”

Anna Hayes-Moeau (New Zealand), “Ko Au Ko Harakeke, Ko Harakeke Ko Au”

This masterful work, crafted meticulously from latex, draws on the designers’ deep engagement with Japanese folklore—specifically the belief that everyday objects can be imbued with a spirit, or kami, after a century of use. Their design re-imagines two figures as centuries-old blue-and-white porcelain vases, complete with ikebana flower arrangements crowning their heads. The judges described the work as “radically innovative and future forward, while at the same time paying exquisite homage to centuries-old artistic and cultural traditions.” It’s a profound merger of classical ceramic form and contemporary material, turning the human body into a sacred, walking vessel.

Faris Fairusham (Victoria University of Wellington, Malaysia), “Wau Bulan.” Photos by Stephen A’Court. All images courtesy of World of WearableArt

Runner-Up: A Poetic Ode to the Ocean

The Supreme Award Runner-up went to Wellingtonian designer Fifi Colston for her piece, “Meine Erste Liebe” (My First Love). Colston, a 30-time finalist, transformed the wearer into a captivating, aquatic Medusa. The elaborate costume features a bell-like skirt and a globular headdress, both beautifully embellished with intricate jellyfish detailing. The work, also the winner of the Open Section, was inspired by a 19th-century love story, and the judges praised it as a “divinely composed ode to love, loss and art.”

Xuan Jiang, Yuxin Zhou, and Yuhan Lin (Donghua University, China), “Ember”

A Global Tapestry of Craft and Storytelling

The WOW competition is a powerful reminder that true art often lies where boundaries dissolve—between fashion and sculpture, folklore and future. With a global showcase of talent, the event solidifies wearable art’s place as a potent, moving language—where garments become essays, and silhouettes turn into poetry.

Tracey Murphy and Isabel Costley (New Zealand), “See Me in Tokyo”
Vanshika Jain (Indian Institute of Art and Design, India), “Stripy Mischief”
Fifi Colston (New Zealand), “Meine Erste Liebe”
Abhishek Chauhan (India), “Thaliora”
Katherine Bertram (New Zealand), “Drift”
Catherine Anderton (New Zealand), “Autumn King”

The 2025 World of WearableArt Show: RISE performances ran through October 5 at the TSB Arena in Wellington. You can explore more about the spectacular designs and past winners on the contest’s website.