World of WearableArt pumps $30m into Wellington’s economy

Wellington’s economy was $30 million better off because of last year’s World of WearableArt fashion-meets-art extravaganza, new data shows.

The annual show contributed $30,597,256 to the Wellington region last year, said Warrick Dent, events general manager at regional economic development agency WellingtonNZ.

It was “undeniably successful” for the capital’s economy, he said.

More than 64,000 people came to see last year’s show, which was the first in three years after both the 2020 and 2021 performances were cancelled due to the pandemic.

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It was the largest audience for the spectacle, which has been running since 1987 and has been in Wellington since 2005.

Of the $30m, more than $22.6m was classed as “new visitor spend” – money from the 36,151 domestic and international tourists who came to the Wellington region specifically for the show.

On average, those attendees stayed 2.24 nights each.

“Any way you look, it was super successful,” said World of WearableArt’s head of marketing Natasha Gordon, who added it was an exciting time for the company given its recent sale to Auckland-based Still.

Still is headed by Hideaki Fukutake, the son of Japanese billionaire Soichiro Fukutake, while former co-owners sisters Dame Suzie Moncrieff and Heather Palmer have stayed on as a resident judge and mentor respectively.

The pandemic had been undeniably tough, but it was a “really exciting” time for World of WearableArt, Gordon said.

This year’s revolving categories, which form various worlds within the show, have also been revealed.

Gordon said this year’s show would be themed around the idea of the future.

In addition to the mainstay sections of Aotearoa, Open and Avant-garde, the show also welcomed designs this year under the umbrellas Mars and Beyond, the Future is Female, and Gold.

The Future is Female section would see a reimagined return of the much-loved bizarre bras component of the show, which has been absent for a number of years.

Mainfreight helped sponsor shipping costs for garments and “it’s a bit like waiting for exam results to see who will enter”, Gordon said. “Our wardrobe team [liken it] to opening Christmas presents.”

But the judges have to wait until July to assess the quality and scope of entries.

Gordon said this year’s staging would be similar to last year’s but with a twist. Creative producer and Las Vegas show-maker Brian Burke and show director Malia Johnston were “quite far down the track” with production of the show.

Meanwhile, a group of hero performers would help headline the production, as musician Estère did last year.

International contestants have until March 2 to enter their garments, while New Zealanders have to get their intention to enter in by March 2 but don’t have to submit their work until May 2. This year’s show runs from September 20 to October 8.

Tickets go on sale on April 3, including for the first time behind-the-scenes VIP passes.