PHOTO CREDIT Jo Moore
Eye See You Fluffy Kōwhai by Tina Hutchison-Thomas. Photo Credit Jo Moore.
The exhibition will premiere at Wellington’s Tākina Convention and Exhibition Centre alongside the WOW Show’s 40th anniversary next year.
The experience will take visitors up close to garments ranging from standout early works, to recent award-winners from Aotearoa and around the world.
WOW’s Chief Executive, Meg Williams, says this is their most significant exhibition yet.
“Opening this exhibition is a major milestone in WOW’s long-term plan to bring the awesome creativity of wearable art and its global community of makers to more people in new ways. The exhibition gives visitors of all ages the chance to get up close to WOW’s award-winning wearable art collection and go behind-the-scenes in a deeper way than ever before. It is theatrical, creatively interactive and promises to leave you awe-inspired.”
Investment from the New Zealand Major Events Fund and WellingtonNZ will enable New Zealand and Wellington to benefit from the increased international and domestic visitation the exhibition will drive, alongside showcasing world-class Kiwi-led creativity and invention, she says.
“I’m delighted the Government is supporting this New Zealand success story, which celebrates Kiwi talent while also delivering benefits for tourism and the economy,” Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston says.
“The WOW exhibition will showcase Kiwi creativity and innovation on display to international audiences, and share New Zealand stories on the world stage.
“Investment from the New Zealand Major Events Fund and WellingtonNZ will enable local economies to benefit from the increased international and domestic visitation the exhibition promotes, and help showcase world-class Kiwi-led creativity and invention.”
Devised by WOW’s creative team with design by Wellington-based Gibson International, the experience will see visitors follow a garment's journey from sketch, to stitch, to the stage of Aotearoa New Zealand's largest theatrical spectacle.
Wellington Mayor Andrew Little says he’s excited to see the exhibition bring even more WOW to Wellington.
“This exhibition will showcase the creativity, innovation and artistry that has made WOW a global phenomenon, while also celebrating the significant contribution WOW has made to Wellington's arts and cultural identity over the past two decades.
“Wellington’s long-standing partnership with WOW is significant and reinforces the importance of major events to the city. WOW attracts visitors, supports the creative sector, and helps position Wellington as New Zealand's arts and culture capital. This exhibition is a natural next step in expanding WOW's story in Wellington and ensuring more people can experience the magic that brings audiences back to the capital year after year,” he says.
WOW's last exhibition at Te Papa drew 39,000 visitors, while its previous international touring exhibition reached 650,000 people worldwide.
The Wellington exhibition is the Australasian exclusive, taking place from mid-August to October 2027, with international tour details to be announced next year. The 2027 WOW Show will run at Wellington’s TSB Arena from 16 September – 3 October 2027.
Date published: 17 September 2026