The costumes shown at the 11th annual Feilding High School Wearable Art Awards
could give New Zealand's finest a run for their money, the organiser says.

The show hit the stage at the Feilding Civic Centre on July 27 in a montage of
colour and energy, with Emma Hughes taking out the supreme prize with $1200
worth of prizes with her creation 'V-Bug', sponsored by Carpet Court.

The supreme prize included a limousine ride to Wellington, one night's
accommodation in the Intercontinental Hotel and two tickets to see the WOW
(World of Wearable Art) awards competition in September.

Sarah xxx and Jenelle yyy took out the runner up title with their
creation called 'Are you my perfect Zodiac match?'.

For organiser Amanda zzz, it was her žrst year taking total control of the
operation, which was a "huge challenge" for the committee and herself - but
well worth it.

"I think the show went really, really well, it went really smoothly and there
were lots of fantastic costumes," she says.

"It's a great showcase to show off the music department and the arts department
and to show off what our kids can do."

The show began as a fundraiser and was organised by the Parent Teachers
Association, but it's grown from those days.

"That's not its main purpose anymore, its main purpose really is to showcase
the school and the talent of the children - it's now turned into a very
professional and very slick looking event.

"The students could basically go and put their costumes in the WOW awards and
do really well."

The highlight, for Mrs zzz, lay with the smooth running of the show, but the
glow in the dark section run by Feilding Intermediate - a preview for next
year's event - became a high point as well.

"When the lights went down and the black lights came and the intermediate guys
came out, it just blew people away," she says.

"I hope we get that kind of reaction next year."

The show included four main categories - Kiwiana, It's more than just a game,
Signs of the zodiac and Global warming - interspersed with various musical
items from the school and a section by the Oroua Cubs of the Feilding Scouts
Group.