Nelson designer wins Supreme award at World of Wearable Arts

The Supreme winner Diva's Dreamscape, Peter Wakeman.

An art deco-inspired garment made of stainless steel, wood and fibreglass is the supreme winner of the World of Wearable Art Awards in Wellington last night.

Nelson based designer Peter Wakeman is the third Kiwi in a row to earn the top prize at the show, which is in its 27th year.

World of Wearable Art founder and judge Dame Suzie Moncrieff said his entry. Diva's Dreamscape, was a "stunning piece of art".

Image 1 of 31: Apocalyptic Warrior, Scott Sutcliffe, Japan

"It has a strong simplicity that works perfectly from every angle. The use of such hard materials to create a sophisticated garment demonstrates great skill and creative ability."

Wakeman, who receives $30,000 worth of prizes for the honour, was runner up to the supreme award in 2013 for his pink fibre glass creation, titled Chica under Glass.

This year's runner up is Xi Zhang, a student at Donghua University in China. Her garment, Deadly Beauty, was made from feathers, beads and mesh cloth and had a strong sculptural shape, Dame Suzie said.

Judges, which also included sculptor Greer Twiss and fashion designer Denise L'Estrange-Corbet, were impressed by its intense colour palette, she said.

Runner-up: Deadly Beauty, Xi Zhang of Donghua University in Shanghai, China.