SAMURAI GIRL   2023

WOW-World of Wearable Art 

TSB Arena, Wellington, NZ
 

Textile, Ribbon, Fiberglass, Gold leaf

​W800 × H2000 × D800 mm

 

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World of WearableArt (WOW) is an annual stage costume competition held in Wellington, New Zealand. Finalist works are showcased in a spectacular one months theatrical event.
In 2023, I was honored to receive three awards—the Runner-Up to the Supreme Award, the Wētā Workshop Emerging Designer Award, and the Avant-Garde Section Award—the highest number of awards given to a single artist that year.

Wētā Workshop is a world-renowned special effects and prop company based in Miramar, Wellington, known for its work on The Lord of the Rings, Avatar, and the Marvel series. As part of my prize, I had the opportunity to intern at Wētā Workshop.

The costume I presented represents a modern woman who forges her own path—an Eastern Jeanne d'Arc—embodying strength, independence, and transformation. Inspired by traditional Japanese armour, the design incorporates modern techniques while honoring its cultural roots. The helmet features deer antlers, a reference to the deer as a sacred messenger of the gods in Japanese mythology. One characteristic of Japanese armour is its construction with interlaced cords, allowing for both protection and freedom of movement. This piece merges tradition and technology, symbolizing the evolution of feminine power across time and cultures.