World of WearableArt

Suzie Moncrieff started WearableArt in 1987 as a small event in a Nelson gallery, on the idea of taking art off the wall and putting it on the body. It grew to the point where it outgrew Nelson and moved to Wellington in 2005, and it now runs for several weeks each September and October as a full theatrical production - lighting, choreography, music, a cast, and garments entered from dozens of countries in sections including an Illumination category judged in the dark. Entries are made from anything: metal, wood, paper, recycled plastic, wire, bone. The rule that keeps it honest is that the piece must be wearable and must be able to move down a runway on a person. Winning garments are displayed afterwards, and the WOW Museum in Nelson, where it started, shows a rotating selection alongside a collection of classic cars, which is an odd but long-standing pairing.

What you actually see

• The staged show - a full theatrical production, not a catwalk.
• The Illumination section - garments judged in darkness.
• The materials - metal, wood, paper, bone, recycled plastic.
• The Nelson museum - winning garments on display year round.

When to go

September to October for the show in Wellington - tickets go on sale months ahead and sell strongly. The Nelson museum is open all year for the garments alone.

Honest expectations

The show is expensive and books out; Wellington accommodation rises accordingly during the season. It is a theatrical production rather than a fashion show, which some people expect and others do not.

Nearby

The show is at the TSB Arena on Wellington's waterfront; the museum is in Nelson.