Meg Williams: World of Wearable Art Chief Executive on this year's event

Global fashion designers and local artists alike are descending on the capital as this year's World of Wearable Art kicks off. 

The show's been running for more than 35 years, displaying creativity and a bit of unique glitz and glam to Wellington with the theme 'Dream Awake'. 

World of Wearable Art Chief Executive Meg Williams told Mike Hosking it's a perfect balance of artists, with a vibrant team. 

She says there's headline talent alongside young New Zealand artists. 

Williams said they had an amazing preview show last night, and every year they set themselves a challenge to raise the bar. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
The World of Wearable Arts underwe and Wellington. I reckon
about sixty thousand going to hit the capital over the
next fortnite. Chief Executive Meg Williams with US Meg Morning,
Good morning. I haven't been for a couple of years.
Is it's still as fantastic as it always was?

Speaker 2 (00:11):
Well, I would like to say that it's even best
there because every year we set ourselves a challenge to
raise the bar. Yeah, we've got a fantastic show this
year and we had an amazing preview run last night,
so i'd encourage you to come along.

Speaker 1 (00:24):
Okay, my technical guy Glean a little bit upset. He said,
not enough local involvement versus international. Is international crowding out
the local?

Speaker 2 (00:32):
I don't believe so at all. We've got a really
strong local involvement in terms of New Zealand designers in
the competition, a really good mix, and I think, you
know whow I've always had that international dimension actually from
very early on in the early years, we had designers
visit US. Many have come over for Designer Day and

(00:53):
for the show, and our New Zealand designers love meeting
out international designers and it's all part of I think
that exchange happens when Credive people come together. In terms
of the show, We've got an amazing New Zealand the
Credive team. Our show director Malia Johnson is one of
New Zealand's best artists. So I think it's a perfect balance.

Speaker 1 (01:12):
Good is it in good heart? Not your specific event,
but the people who contribute to it. In other words,
you know, is the creativity still alive? Are the new
young people coming in looking to make great names for
themselves on the international stages? All of that vibrant absolutely so.

Speaker 2 (01:28):
First and foremost so, our executive creative director Brian Burke
is based in Las Vegas, so I don't know if
you saw the Formula one opening ceremony in Las Vegas,
so that gives you a sense of the kind of
project that Brian's normally working on. So he is working
along with Malia to make sure that the show that
we bring here in New Zealand is really well classed.

(01:50):
And alongside that we have an amazing cost of many
young practitioners. As you say, our headline talent this year
to young incredible New Zealand artists sean to Pone Nikita.
So it's not an incredibly vibrant team. I'm very proud
to be a part of it.

Speaker 1 (02:08):
Good on you, make you enjoy it, appreciate it very much,
make Williams out of the world of wearable arts. And
between that and the rugby, Wellington's going to go off.
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