Wearable World with the Australian Wearable Art Festival
Expect fashion, form and fabulousness by the handbag-full at this catwalk show with a difference! Rebecca Jamieson Dwyer discovers the weird and wonderful wearable delights that await for the Australian Wearable Art Festival 2025.
Outfits made from grass, recycled video tape, plastic bags, and even dog hair – it has to be the Australian Wearable Art Festival 2025! Hosted right here on the Sunshine Coast, this homegrown event has transformed from a small catwalk show in Eumundi to a world-class spectacle spanning two days that attracts groundbreaking entries from as far away as Bali, the USA and Romania. If you love art and fashion, then I can’t recommend the Australian Wearable Arts Festival enough – creative, surreal, fantastical and thought-provoking, it’s like nothing you’ve ever seen before!
This year’s sensational showcase will feature 37 finalists presenting boundary-pushing designs at the intersection of fashion, sculpture, innovation and performance on a specially-designed 27-metre-long catwalk at Venue 114, Bokarina. As the lights dim, models will bring the essence of the pieces to life – dancing, strutting and moving down the runway while the audience is drawn into the creative magic of the moment, mesmerised by the elements used in the creation of each outfit.
Wearable artists come from various backgrounds – firefighters, nurses, architects and teachers – all following their creative passion. Among this year’s visionary designers is American Grace DuVal, renowned for blending sculptural forms with sustainable fashion. In 2024, she was named Supreme Winner at New Zealand’s World of Wearable Art for her piece Curves Ahead, inspired by the resilience of the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake rebuild.
Australian Wearable Art Festival Co-Founder and Curator Wendy Roe said that this year’s artists and designers were set to debut pieces that combined avant-garde aesthetics with cutting-edge technology, sustainability and breathtaking craftsmanship.
“Audiences should prepare for a jaw-dropping spectacle of avant-garde designs with a strong focus this year on repurposing and recycling of materials,” she said. “The lineup is nothing short of extraordinary – think wearable pieces that move, light up, transform and tell powerful stories through material and movement.
“We have designs featuring live growing grass, intricate handwoven natural fibres, and even robotic elements that will bring garments to life on the runway. Our designers will truly push the limits of what wearable art can be.”
The festival has always had a strong focus on sustainability with its Trashion category encouraging participants to reimagine rubbish to create something beautiful.
And it’s even more prominent this year, with many artists across the other categories of Avant-Garde, Abstract Form and Elements of Nature, also choosing to embrace the art of upcycling.
“While all 11 Trashion finalists will be challenged to incorporate at least 80% reused materials, sustainability is shining across every category,” Wendy said.
“A remarkable 24 entries feature predominantly recycled materials, while another five embrace nature with elements like wool, grasses, lichen, flowers – even dog hair!”
Not only is this year’s festival the most sustainable, it’s also more epic in other ways, with an expanded prize pool, enhanced runway features (watch this space!), and a superstar judging panel including Brisbane’s ‘Queen of Colour’ Rachel Burke, and renowned textile artist and winner of six World Wearable Art Awards, Svenja. Word is spreading quickly about this absolutely incredible event, both in terms of artists and attendees as audiences prepare to be wowed!
“The festival received record-breaking applications and a 25% increase from last year’s number. More applicants came from overseas, which speaks to the calibre and reputation the Australian Wearable Art Festival has on the global stage,” Wendy said.
“Wearable artists and designers know that 2025 will be bigger, bolder and more prestigious than ever. And audiences know it too – tickets are selling fast!”
Last year was my first year attending the Australian Wearable Art Festival, and I’m converted for life. If you love fashion, creativity, thrilling performances and supporting our arts industry, then secure your seat before they sell out! I highly recommend the VIP upgrade with early access to the venue, a complimentary drink and nibbles in the VIP Lounge, an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour and premium front row seats.
“If you’ve ever considered coming to the Australian Wearable Art Festival, 2025 is the year to do it!” Wendy enthused. “We can’t wait to unveil this visual feast to audiences who will witness the future of fashion, sustainability and artistic innovation like never before.”
Catch you by the catwalk!
WEARABLE WOW!
Australian Wearable Art Festival, 8-9 August 2025.
Venue 114, 114 Sportsmans Parade, Bokarina.
Preview Performance, 8 August, 1pm-3.45pm
Evening Show, 8 August, 7pm-9.50pm
Matinee, 9 August, 12 noon- 2.45pm
Gala Award Show, 9 August, 6.30pm-9.50pm.
Secure a VIP ticket to elevate your experience with exclusive entry 90 minutes before showtime, complimentary drink and nibbles in the VIP Lounge, guided behind-the-scenes tour and front-row seats!
Visit www.australianwearableart.com.au to find out more and to get your tickets to this creative spectacular.
