Wellington Dresses Up for the WOW® Retail Comp

Wellington Dresses Up for the WOW® Retail Competition

Montana World of WearableArt™ Awards Show organizers are delighted with the welcome Wellington retailers have given their event. 40 businesses took part in the World of WearableArt™ Retail Competition, turning their shop windows into wearable art and creating artistic pieces related to what they sell.

“I am absolutely stunned at the support that the WOW® has had by all the businesses in Wellington,” said Suzie Moncrieff, World of WearableArt™ creator. “Wellington has really embraced the WOW® spirit: all of the entries were beautifully constructed. They used great colours.”

Suzie decided the winners this afternoon.

First prize was awarded to Street Outfitters on Willis Street for their creation of a flowing skirt made out of multiple pairs of jeans. The top was a corset comprised of postcards, with a security-tag bangle completing the look.

“They’ve really thought about the overall concept,” Suzie said. “Something like their design would have gotten into the WOW® show.”

Minnow on Featherston Street secured second prize with their strapless cocktail dress made of fresh pink and white flowers. “As an overall window, it really stood out strongly,” Suzie said. “I loved the colour combination.”

Third prize went to Coffee Supreme on Woodward Street. Their model was clothed in coffee-bean sacking, takeaway coffee cups, with coffee-bean detail. “They demonstrated a great innovative use of material,” Suzie said.

Highly commended: Iko Iko (Cuba Street) and Courtenay Central (Courtenay Place). Courtenay Central created a movie theatre masterpiece of candy-wrapper trousers, a film shirt, and a jacket made out of movie ticket stubs.

Prizes were donated by WOW® sponsors: Air New Zealand, Montana, Hewlett-Packard, and American Express.

“What makes Wellington such a great city for events is that the entire city embraces events like the World of WearableArt™ Awards Show,” says Tim Cossar, CEO of Positively Wellington Tourism. “It’s not just the event itself, but the city environment surrounding the event that provides the excitement. That is why Wellington has become known as the event capital of New Zealand.”

Positively Wellington Tourism is the organiser of the retail window dressing competition, which provides vibrancy in the downtown area around the WOW® event. It also increases the overall profile for the event and the stores involved, maximising retail spend.

“The entries were really fabulous – I wanted to give everyone a prize,” Suzie said. “I can’t wait to see what they come up with next year.”

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