The WOW factory

As the World of WearableArt gears up for its annual extravaganza in Wellington, DIONNE CHRISTIAN asks the garment wranglers, riggers, models and designers about putting it all together.

-  DIONNE CHRISTIAN

There was that time a flock of sheep ran past a TV interviewer. Or when everyone backstage was about to launch a challenging aerial number, only to be interrupted by someone who'd lost a mop. Oh, and watching a latex garment split just seconds before it was due on stage. Everyone who has worked on the World of Wearable Art has a story about the costume mishaps and the strange joys of being involved in the annual theatrical mega-production, one involving hundreds of models, dancers, aerial acrobats, wardrobe technicians, dressers, mechanists, stage managers and stagehands.

So, what's it like...

... caring for all those garments?

For four years, Tanya Jacobs was WOW's collection and wardrobe manager, overseeing its store of garments and caring for new outfits that arrive in July for judging and remain until the final curtain in October.

Jacobs says that as WOW straddles the museum sector and theatre/live performance, you need to have skills applicable to both. Museum practices - cataloguing, photographing and caring for objects - must meld seamlessly with those required for live theatre.

"Probably the most challenging thing is the diversity of materials that we work with. It's not like it's just wood or fabric; there's latex and metal and 3D printing and natural fibres so it's good to be a jack of all trades for this kind of work. But you almost have to be expert in each of those areas as well because that's the level of work required, and that's a challenge."

... repairing zips with seconds to showtime?