Design Tips

If you are unable to find the answer you are looking for in the sections below, pop on over to our Designer Forum where we answer questions put to us by our designers.

Judging:
Garments are judged on originality, creativity, innovation and construction.

All entries will be considered by the judges at the preliminary judging (July) when entries will be selected for inclusion in the show. Entries are modelled.

Judges retain the right to move garments to different sections and recommend accessory additions and/or deletions.

Entrants are responsible for ensuring that their entry does not infringe a third party’s intellectual property rights. WOW® reserves the right to disqualify any entry which does not, in WOW®’s opinion, conform to these guidelines, or which infringes a third party’s intellectual property. Click here for more details regarding copyright issues.

The Judge's decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

Judging is "blind" - the Judges are told the garment's name and inspiration not the designer's name.

An informal Judges' talk will be held on 25th September 2010 at The Marae - Te Papa Museum. Entrants are invited to attend at no charge.

GARMENT REQUIREMENTS

  • You must provide every item that you wish your model to wear e.g. if entering a skirt, there must also be an accompanying top. Do you need to provide specific undergarments e.g. nude boob tube, specialist pantyhose and spares, boyleg shorts?
  • No use of advertising signage or company logos in your design.
  • No perishable materials are to be used. e.g. animal or plant products (unless properly treated).
  • Your entry can not require stilts
  • Every component of your entry must be labelled with your name and the title of your garment. WOW® cannot take responsibility for unlabelled work.
  • Provide clear instructions for wearing – dressing instructions, an inventory of pieces, clear photos of the finished garment worn on a model are essential.
  • Loops on skirts / bodices make hanging and storage easier. If a particular hanger is required, please supply it.
  • Try wearing your garment and dancing around the house before finalizing construction. That way you will know if it is too heavy, unbalanced, uncomfortable or will not hold together, which may prevent it from being selected into the Show
  • Identify movement ‘stress points’ and reinforce these areas.
  • Garments must be able to withstand the rigours of transportation and choreography, being worn at least 19 times.
  • Ensure the garment and / or headpiece is not excessively heavy. Hats must be fitted and well balanced, a strap under the chin may be appropriate.
  • The garment must be safe to wear with no sharp or scratchy surfaces. Ensure any electrical wiring is safe and simple to operate in New Zealand.
  • Avoid using cardboard, paper, hot glue, staples, sticky backed velcro and tape, etc. If you are using fragile materials, think creatively about how you can reinforce them or try making some samples to test the possible finishes.
  • Avoid invisible zips as these are delicate and break easily.
  • Lacing of garment must withstand quick changes (suggest elastic or Velcro instead).
  • Enclose a small repair kit with spare materials, parts and pantyhose. Only include items specific to your garment e.g. matching paint or fabric. Please note that this may not be returned.

Judges' feedback from 2009

Below are some general judges’ comments about the garments that they have seen:

  • "There were some great concepts but some garments had problems with form and design. Try taking a photo of your garment or looking at it in the mirror – this can help you see it more objectively. Remember, less is more!
  • We loved seeing garments made of materials that have been manipulated or transformed by the designer rather than just using commercially available fabric
  • WOW® takes “art off the wall and adorns the moving body” so try to make your garment integral to the human form
  • Sometimes garments didn’t meet the entry criteria (e.g. did not fit the section brief or was outside the size restrictions for our models’ dress sizes or the maximum garment dimensions). Please check the Entry Kit for entry criteria
  • Some garments were not constructed soundly enough to withstand being worn up to 20 times. Avoid using cardboard, paper, hot glue, staples, sticky backed velcro and tape, etc. If you are using fragile materials, think creatively about how you can reinforce them or try making some samples to test the possible finishes
  • Make sure the garment is comfortable to wear so that it can be choreographed for the model to show it off to its best advantage
  • Some garments included dangerous or sharp pieces or unfinished edges that are harmful for the models to wear
    Try wearing your garment and dancing around the living room before finalizing construction. That way you will know if it is too heavy, unbalanced, uncomfortable or will fall apart etc, which may prevent it from being selected into the Show
  • Some garments were broken on arrival due to poor packing. The firmer you can pack your garment, the better. You may also be able to collapse your garment to fit in a smaller box or even pack it in more than one box

We hope these tips will be helpful."

Enter Now