Creative Catwalk at Australian Wearable Art Festival
Bursting with talent, imagination and innovation, the Australian Wearable Art Festival is an experience like no other. Rebecca Jamieson Dwyer loved every moment of the 2025 show…
From the moment the lights went down on the Saturday night Gala Awards Show, it was clear this year’s Australian Wearable Art Festival was going to be something special.
A hush fell over the audience as an ethereal opening performance from acclaimed designer Cindy Vogels, projection artist Donna Maree Robinson and First Nations musical artist GLVES set the stage for a night of wonder.
From there, we travelled through space, time and into other realms, as each wearable artwork had its moment on the 27-metre long catwalk. Models inhabited their creations through theatrical choreography, turning the night into part fashion show, part stage performance.
We gasped, laughed, applauded and, more than once, asked ourselves, “How on earth did they create that?”
With every entry having passed a fiercely competitive shortlisting process, the standard was sky-high, with every artist bringing meaning and storytelling to their work.
The entrants were in expert hands with the three judges – Brisbane’s ‘Queen of Colour’, multi-disciplinary artist Rachel Burke; award-winning textile artist Svenja; and internationally acclaimed arts director and curator Natasha Smith – each bringing years of experience and a unique perspective.
Some of my personal highlights were the pieces with a darker, thought-provoking message. Stephanie Vale’s arresting Gather Community imagined a world where 90% of humanity has vanished and survival depends on deep connection to the land – and was crafted entirely without electricity, using only materials sourced within five kilometres of her home.
The Lotus Queen & The Oil Merchant by Kym Cunningham was a hauntingly intricate piece, built from recycled materials and symbolising our toxic love affair with oil. And Amphirite by Swapna Namboodiri – a swaying, sculpted coral reef resplendent in colour – revealed on closer inspection that its lush forms were upcycled plastics, a poignant reminder of an ecosystem under threat.
Playful, uplifting moments came courtesy of American artist Grace DuVal’s Digital Killed the Video Store, which transformed recycled VHS tapes into a curvaceous creation that shimmered down the runway; and Rae Saheli’s Metal Bloom – a giant aluminium flower with petals patterned from a shotgun, which gently unfolded as the model moved to the music.
This year’s Supreme Winner, returning Sunshine Coast-based artists Evita Camilleri and Dan Draper (aka DerbyCross) who were also crowned the Supreme Winner in 2022, delighted the crowd with their exuberant performance as they danced down the runway in their meticulously crafted Fractilians II (Salt) costumes – which brought glowing spirit creatures dwelling beneath the earth to life, complete with horns, spikes and textured skin, from 100% clear tubing and a whopping 56,000 cable ties.
As proud ambassadors of creativity in our region, IN Noosa and Hello Sunshine Magazines were delighted to present the Sustainability Award once again to Romanian artist Antoaneta Tica for Duality – a strange, beautiful piece made from thousands of hand-cut and rolled plastic packaging labels, exploring “the coexistence of beauty and harm, and our ongoing relationship with one of the world’s most polluting materials.”
Our VIP tickets included a backstage tour before the show, where excitement, nerves and a sense of camaraderie were palpable. Models in bold, theatrical makeup waited in the wings while artists helped them into their creations, which were the culmination of hundreds of hours of artistry.
Queensland artist Louise Gerzanics, who was presenting her shimmering, structured work Lorica (made from expired PPE suits and clear plastic), led our tour and explained the mindset in those final moments: “We’re thinking about the creation from its inception – all the hard work – and hoping the performance connects with the audience in the way we dreamed.”
Founders Helen Perry and Wendy Roe worked around the clock to bring the festival to life and are thrilled with its growing momentum.
“It’s so special to see the Australian Wearable Art Festival take on a life of its own and attract incredible talent from around the world,” Helen said. “We’re so proud of the artists, models, choreography team, hair and makeup team, volunteers and everyone who’s helped make this year so special.”
From little things big things grow – and in 2026, the festival will spread its wings, moving to the Sunshine Coast Convention Centre at Novotel Sunshine Coast for more space, more spectacle and even bigger creative heights.
We can’t wait to see it soar! Save the date for 11 July 2026.
WEARABLE WINNERS
Congratulations to the Australian Wearable Art Festival 2025 winners!
SUPREME WINNER
Evita Camilleri & Dan Draper @derbycrossart
Fractilians II (Salt)
TRASHION
Oana Rosca @oanamariarosca
Sunflare Sentinel
AVANT-GARDE
Kym Cunningham @kym.cunningham.artist
The Lotus Queen & The Oil Merchant
ELEMENTS OF NATURE
Rosamund Torr
After the Fire
ABSTRACT FORM
Rae Saheli @rae_saheli_artist
Metal Bloom
EMERGING WEARABLE ARTIST
Sophy Blake @sophyblakeart
Fly Like the Wind
INNOVATION AWARD
Vivien Eardley @catsclawcreationsaustralia
Metamorphose
YOUTH AWARD
Kayla Trisakti @ammaraproject
Tesselate
TEXTILE FIBRE AWARD
Stephanie Vale @freddy_fash013
Gather Community
SUSTAINABLE AWARD
Antoaneta Tica @antoanetatica
Duality
PEOPLE’S CHOICE
Robyn Valentine @robynvalentine.designs
Life Sentence
Visit https://australianwearableart.com.au/ for more!
