Thursday, 3 October 2013

Winning Window Displays WOW® Judge

A display inspired by Austrian symbolist painter, Gustav Klimt, saw Cuba Street’s Emporium Vintage Boutique take top honours in the World of WearableArt™ Window Dressing Competition.

For the second year running, the vintage clothing store won the Best WearableArt™ Garment category, edging out stiff competition from place getters Design Cartel on Willis Street and Thorndon’s Wall St Designs.

WOW® Founder Dame Suzie Moncrieff assessed the finalists based on creativity, resourcefulness, effort and WOW factor. Emporium Vintage Boutique’s entry stood out because of the use of colour and drama the display created, she says.

“The window display read like a theatrical script. The use of colour, the decorative and ornamental feel… this is what WOW®’s all about - creating magic and celebrating innovation through design.”

Gemma Hinchey, store employee and designer of the winning display, says artist Gustav Klimt, whose primary subject was the female body, was the main inspiration for the window dressing.

“It was lots of fun putting it together – and I was stoked to hear we’d won. I honestly didn’t know if we could win two years in a row, but we were going to give it a good shot.”

Foot traffic at WOW® time is second only to the Christmas period, Hinchey says.

“Our window display definitely helps bring people into the boutique. It’s all about creating good vibes for visitors.”

Fellow Cuba Street retailer Iko Iko claimed the title of Best American Express Window for the second year in a row.

“Iko Iko’s design was simple yet effective - a garment created entirely from flowing white hair, which when projected upon gave the garment movement,” says Dame Suzie. “This design was definitely meant for the stage.”

Dame Suzie says the standard of this year’s entries was exceptional but Emporium Vintage Boutique and Iko Iko set the benchmark once again.

“They did it last year and they’ve done it again in 2013, their displays are outstanding. They reflect the vision of WOW®, and truly take art off the wall and onto the streets.”

An economic impact assessment by McDermott Miller in 2009 revealed the show brought an estimated $15.1 million in new spending into the city. Of that, just under a third is spent on retail.

Over $10,000 worth of prizes were awarded to the winners and runners-up of each category including tickets to this year’s show, programmes, vouchers, advertising packages, a bottle of Brancott Estate Limited Edition Series wine, and a signed copy of the new World of WearableArt™ book.

The window displays will be up throughout the city until 6 October.

The WOW® Insider’s Guide to Wellington map of participating retailers and garment locations can be found online at WellingtonNZ.com/WOW, or at the Wellington i-SITE Visitor Centre in Civic Square.

The competition is run by Positively Wellington Tourism in conjunction with WOW® event organisers.

:: World of WearableArt™ Window Dressing Competition Results

Best WearableArt™ Garment
First place: Emporium Vintage Boutique
Second place: Design Cartel
Third place: Wall St Designs

Best American Express Window
First place: Iko Iko
Second place: Abstract Designs
Third place: 3 Wise Men Wellington Airport

ENDS

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