nternational Student Numbers Soar in WOW Show

WOW International finalists

International Student Numbers Soar in Brancott Estate WOW Show

A large number of international design students have been selected as finalists for this year’s Brancott Estate World of WearableArt™ (WOW) Awards Show.

Now in its 23rd year, the Brancott Estate WOW Awards Show is renowned around the world for showcasing works of art designed to be worn on the human form.

Competition Director Heather Palmer attributes the surge in international student submissions to the work Brancott Estate WOW Awards Show has done to build relationships with top design schools and industry leaders overseas.

“Over the last couple of years we have visited India and China, to show these countries what an amazing opportunity WOW is for their design students,” Palmer says. “Our goal is to encourage universities and design colleges around the world to embrace the competition as a tangible project for arts and design students, and this strategy is clearly working.

“We have built a strong relationship with the Fashion Design Council of India and have worked with them to coordinate Wearable Art as a subject in their design schools,” she says. “This year 10 out of the 17 entries from India were from students, so Wearable Art clearly resonates with these talented designers.

“Meanwhile, after visiting Shanghai last year, entries from China have doubled this year,” she says. “Five of those new entries came from Donghua University (formally China Textile University), which was one of the universities we visited, so it’s great to see the promotional work we are doing paying off.”

Palmer says we will continue our overseas presence to help promote the WOW Awards Show, and New Zealand’s creative industries.

“We are planning to visit India every two years and after this year’s show we will look into further options abroad.”

At this year’s Brancott Estate WOW Awards Shows in August and September, ingenious designs will again be brought to life in a stunning choreographed performance featuring Royal New Zealand Ballet dancers.

Joining WOW Founder Suzie Moncrieff on the judging panel are New Zealand fashion designer Trelise Cooper and New Zealand artist Nigel Brown, who finished the first round of judging on June 12th. There will be two further judging rounds in August to decide the section winners and the overall Supreme winner. Winners will be announced at the show’s award night, Friday 26th August.

ENDS

© Scoop Media