An Indian couple have won the top award at this year’s Montana World of WearableArt awards held in New Zealand recently.
Tourism New Zealand's efforts to promote the WOW awards in India have paid dividends with Indian designers Yogesh Chaudhary and Manas Barve scooping the Supreme Award at this year's show.
Kiran Nambiar, Tourism New Zealand's regional manager for India and South East Asia, said the strong media interest in WOW made it an ideal event for Tourism New Zealand to sponsor and promote in India.
Tourism New Zealand works with the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) and WOW organisers to promote the show to Indian designer students. Regular WOW presentations are held at design schools around India and an annual event is held at the New Zealand High Commission in New Delhi to select student finalists to enter garments in the New Zealand finals of WOW.
"Tourism New Zealand has been driving the awareness of WOW in India for close to seven years now and we have seen a consistent increase in Indian entries," Mr Nambiar said.
"WOW is a cutting edge event that provides a perfect platform to market New Zealand as a modern, sophisticated and exciting destination to potential visitors from India."
Dozens of Indian media outlets attended the New Delhi finals event in April and TNZ hosted select media in New Zealand WOW 2010.
Tourism New Zealand's involvement in the show also includes sponsorship of the Avant Garde award section. UK designer Richelle Dynae Rudeen won the section with her racy entry, "The Ring Mistress", inspired by this years Avant Garde theme of "Circus".
Nelson designer Gillian Saunders' entry "Rosa (Le Freak, C'est Chic)" was awarded runner up in the Tourism New Zealand Avant Garde section while "Lady Curiousity", entered by Wellington designer Fifi Colston, was commended.
Honourable mentions in the Avant Garde section went to Auckland designers Tarja Pabbruwe and Petro van Zijl for their "Trichromatic Hula Sistars Revue" entry and Rotorua's Rachael Galuszewski for her "Epona" garment.
Of the 191 garments chosen to go on stage in this year's show, 61 were made by international designers. Overseas entries came from Australia, China, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Sri Lanka and the United States.
- Tourism New Zealand