Extraordinary optical patterns take to the WOW stage. Father-son duo Mike and Jonty Ward - from Aotearoa - entered Bedazzled in 2018. Jonty hand-draws mind-blowing optical patterns, ruling and colouring with precision. Circles vanish, diamonds align, and lines ripple as the garment moves. Credit: Bedazzled, Mike Ward & Jonty Ward, New Zealand

An incredible 400 different shapes and sizes of the female body were created using silica gel moulds to form this award-winning garment. Chinese designers Xia Tian, He Fangyu & Yang Mengtong drew inspiration from the traditional Chinese Shura hell legend. The garment symbolises the suffering of innocent women, whose souls are swallowed as food by a hell monster. This intricate garment won the the Dame Suzie Moncreiff Award Runner-up in 2018. Credit: Feminine Hell, Xia Tian, He Fangyu & Yang Mengtong, Donghua University, China.

This year we are taking you on a journey into a futuristic world. Don’t miss out on unforgettable evening at the 2023 WOW Show: BEYOND. 🚀 You can book tickets from the link in our bio! Campaign garment credit: Echoplex – Goddess of Reverb, Natalie Hutton, Australia Cube, Adam McAlavey, United Kingdom #worldofwearableart #wearableart #wow

If you know Deva Mahal, you KNOW she'll slay as one of the feature artists in 2023 WOW Show: BEYOND. Born in Kaua’i, Hawaii, she honed her talent in New Zealand, solidifying her artist vision of Indie R&B. A rare combination of masterful songwriting and breathtaking vocal talent, Deva's character will be giving retro future as we take audiences into a world beyond imagination. Recently, a guest judge and mentor on Ru Paul’s Drag Race Downunder, Deva has performed at the Hollywood Bowl and Carnegie Hall, and in the Montreal Jazz Festival, Byron Bay Blues Festival, and London Jazz Festival. See Deva like never before.

Accessories really do make an outfit. 222 Buckle Belts was created for the Open Section by designer Annina Gull from Switzerland. This belter of a garment took out the 2017 Dame Suzie Moncrieff Award. This garment embodies a young girl living in the Rococo era who dreams of seeing herself in a ball dress. Credit: 222 Buckle Belts, Annina Gull, Switzerland #worldofwearableart #wow #garment #wearableart

Party-starter DJ, AROHA will lead the famous pre-show at 2023 WOW Show: BEYOND. She is celebrated for her dynamic club sets locally and internationally, blending house, techno, breakbeat and more. With accolades such as being voted as NZ’s Best Club DJ, and having played parties supporting stars like Grace Jones, Disclosure, Ben UFO, Jazzy Jeff and Kaytranada, she's a force. Be there when she sets the scene to BEYOND - get your tickets now!

Pucker up 😘 Poland designer Edyta Jermacz’s work Big Lips was inspired by a range of romantic emotions; desire, obsession, sex, love, intensity. Edyta’s garment featured in the 2019 Avante-garde section. Credit: Big Lips, Edyta Jermacz, Poland

🔉 JUST ANNOUNCED: FEATURE ARTISTS 🔉 Five out-of-this-world performers are headlining the 2023 WOW Show: ✨ Indie R&B artist @devamahal ✨ Folk R&B artist @moon.zoe ✨ Choreographer and dancer @royaltaiaroa ✨ Actor and singer @jaxson.cook.official ✨ Melbourne-based party-starter, DJ, @arohahaha These Aotearoa artists will join 100+ dancers, aerialists and singers, to take you into the BEYOND.

Cosmos is here to defend and protect the natural order and balance. Award-winning Indonesian designer Rinaldy Yunardi won the Avant-garde Section in 2017 for his work inspired by the universe. Credit: Cosmos, Rinaldy Yunardi, Indonesia

This is more than a-peeling 🍌 @oliver__cain uses his work to examine, question and criticise the relationships between gender, sexuality and society. Oliver applied techniques used for making sculptures to create A Peeling Misconception, an award-winning work of wearable art. They are banana moulds if you had questions 🍌 Credit: A Peeling Misconception, Oliver Cain, Unitec Institute of Technology, New Zealand

Create for WOW 2024 ✨ As we build up to the 2023 Show, we’re also planning for the 2024 Competition! Start dreaming up your creations, and develop your own unique response to the 2024 section themes. The 2024 World of WearableArt Competition will officially open for entry in October. In the meantime, you can set up an online profile and register with WOW. This also gives you access to an inspiring and supportive international forum of WOW designers. #worldofwearableart #creatives #designers #garment #sectionthemes #wow

Curvaceous, flowing, and powerful. Lady Ethereal merges nineteenth-century couture with cyberpunk in an otherworldly vision. Credit: Lady Ethereal, Dawn Mostow & Snow Winters, United States