Bay of Plenty residents have a rare chance to see previous World of WearableArt (WOW) finalist creations up close in a free, month-long exhibition.

The exhibition, Unveiled: The Digital Seam, opened at Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology in Tauranga on October 10 and runs to November 6. It is free to view on weekdays from 10am to 2pm.

Held at the institute’s Te Ara o Mauao Gallery, the exhibition features 22 wearable artworks, including pieces created for the WOW stage between 2009 and 2023, alongside never-before-seen works.

Unveiled: The Digital Seam was curated by Toi Ohomai principal academic staff member Anne-Marie Simon, a 2026 WOW finalist, and features garments by six wearable art designers.

Highlights include Tauranga-born designer Georgia Chalmers-Jones’ The Golden Age of Queens, winner of the 2023 WOW New Zealand Designer Award; Béatrice Carlson’s Marquise Rāwahi, winner of the 2012 WOW South Pacific Award; and Deb Shephard’s City Lolita, winner of WOW’s Shell Sustainable Award in 2012.

City Lolita by Deb Shepherb. Photo / Nicole Troost

Donna Dinsdale’s Wāhine Toa (2022), Kerry Funnell’s DIY Divas (2019), Cherryl Marriott’s Private 11513: Reinvent the Uniform (2015), and Blue Tits: Birds of a Feather (2014) are also on display.

The exhibition grew from a research project undertaken by Simon in 2025, exploring how wearable art designers combine digital technologies with traditional techniques to develop their creative works.

As part of the project, Sion interviewed former WOW finalists about their design processes, materials and methods.

Inspired by those conversations, she took on two creative challenges of her own: curating an exhibition celebrating wearable art, and entering WOW for the first time in 2026.

Simon’s own wearable artwork, It Takes All Sorts, was selected as a finalist in the Bizarre Bra Section of the 2026 WOW competition. Inspired by RJ’s Licorice Allsorts, the sculptural piece features oversized lolly-inspired forms, bold colours and playful patterns.“I wanted to experience the creative process from the perspective of a WOW designer, and I couldn’t be happier with the outcome,” she said.

The Eternal Dance by Beatrice Carlson. Photo / Supplied

Simon said Unveiled: The Digital Seam offers visitors a rare chance to experience wearable artworks up close in Tauranga.

“The gallery setting allows visitors to closely see the intricate craftsmanship, materials and innovative construction techniques behind each piece.

“It’s the first time several previous WOW entries have been displayed together in Tauranga, and we’re grateful to the exhibiting designers for making it possible.”

Unveiled: The Digital Seam is open 10am-2pm on weekdays at Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology’s Te Ara o Mauao Gallery in M Block, 70 Windermere Drive, until November 6. Entry is free. The exhibition is not associated with World of WearableArt (WOW).