Newswise — All the world's a stage, especially at the Montana World of WearableArts (WOW) Award Show, an annual international design competition described as an amazing spectacle of dance, theatre, lighting, music and art. The WOW Awards, which has grown in New Zealand to have a following similar to the Academy Awards, will attract an audience of more than 30,000 to its design shows scheduled Sept. 20-30 in Wellington. This year Kentucky will demand attention on the runway as a garment by Bob Haven, associate professor of costume technology, takes its turn on the catwalk of WOW's avant garde show.
The garment's selection for the show has been quite a ride for Haven, who started as a junior high English teacher. He would find his career and passion for costume technology only after deciding to return to school to pursue studies in theatre in order to assist his students' play productions. Haven, who obtained a master's degree in school and community theater and led a children's theater for years, would return to graduate school again for a Master of Fine Arts in costume production and shop management at the University of Delaware.
Haven, who came to UK six years ago from the University of Illinois, is a star in his field. He is known for his expertise in Japanese costume patterning and construction, as well as European nuns' habits, which has led to published research and workshop presentations in the U.S. and abroad. Haven, who has used his prowess as a costume director for UK Department of Theatre, UK Opera Theatre, and regional theater, is also an award-winning master embroiderer and among a select group in the world practicing tambour beading.
"UK is very lucky to have someone of Professor Haven's caliber," said Nelson Fields, an associate professor of costume design who has worked with Haven on hundreds of garments at the Department of Theatre. "He brings skills to our program that are not being used in very many places in the country. Embroidery, beading and tailoring gives us an edge when it comes to costume production. Students see larger possibilities under his tutelage."
It is Haven's skill and talent in tambour beading that won his garment, "Flight of Fantasy," a finalist position in the event's avant garde category and show. WOW showcases designers' garments that reflect a personal originality and creativity and encompass the essence of the shows, which is taking art off the wall and placing it onto the moving body.
Garments selected must be completely original, have impact from a stage, be impressive up close and possess the all important "wow" factor. "Not being a designer, I had to come up with something that would be unique not in design, but rather in its technical construction and embellishments," said Haven, who saw the award shows as an opportunity to validate his skill on an international platform. "Tambour beading was the obvious answer."
Tambour beading is a technique that draws its name from the French word for drum, because the fabric is tightly stretched. The beading flourished in the 1920s, an era known for the beaded "flapper" dress, because it was a faster practice than doing surface embroidery with beads. Popular, and even inexpensive for its time, the beading is now a dying art form.
The technique survived over the years because of its use in European, primarily French, couture ateliers or studios. "Today in the U.S., you can only find this work being done by beaders in their 60s and 70s in New York and Los Angeles for renowned designers like Halston and Bob Mackie," said Haven, one of a few practitioners of the art.
A once inexpensive art, tambour beading has become costly due to its rarity and beading machines' inability to create the same intricately patterned designs created by hand with the technique. Tambour beading allows designers to do pavé beading where beads are packed closely together to completely cover a surface.
Haven's expertise in beading makes UK unique. The university is probably the only one in America where anyone - students, professors, designers and artists - can learn the tambour technique, as well as others Haven acquired during his career in theatre. "As a costume technologist, I have to be able to replicate construction techniques and surface embellishments for all time periods throughout history," notes Haven. "While that may seem a tall task for me, it is the impetus to learn and master such techniques as tambour beading, Japanese embroidery, Jacobean period work, gold metal embroidery, etc. I take advantage of every opportunity to include these techniques wherever possible in the context of UK Theatre Department productions not only because that kind of detailing is eye candy on stage, but because it is the right thing for the play." "Flight of Fantasy," was influenced by Haven's academic research in Kabuki costume construction and traditional needlework techniques. The garment is composed of three pieces, an Uchikake, gown and headpiece, embellished with colorful butterflies showcasing his prowess in the beading form.
Utilizing a traditional kimono shape, the Uchikake or over robe, allows for graceful lines and a large fabric canvas of silk peau de soi for attaching the appliqué butterflies. Haven used a flapper dress design for the gown beneath the robe, a nod to the golden age of the beading. The design is literally topped off with a headpiece. The tambour technique is utilized throughout the entire work and took two years to bead as he stretched each piece of the sheer fabric and then drew on and beaded as many butterflies as would fit. In all, Haven attached between 250,000 and 300,000 beads to the garment a bead at a time.
"Flight of Fantasy" traveled this summer to New Zealand after photographs caught the eye of the show's judges. After a blind judging on a model, the garment became one of 156 creations over seven categories selected to show on the runway in the WOW Awards.
WOW judges were impressed with the caliber of submissions to this year's shows. "The garments were of a truly international standard that would stand up anywhere in the world," said Trelise Cooper, a renowned New Zealand fashion designer who has returned to serve as a WOW judge.
"Flight of Fantasy" was judged again in August as each garment was individually choreographed on stage for the shows. Final judging will take place at the final dress rehearsals after the show's lighting and special effects are finalized. At stake for Haven and other finalists are awards in their design category and the coveted Supreme Montana WOW Award, a best of show award for the entire 10-day production.
"Flight of Fantasy" will take part in the avant garde show category Sept. 21 and is one of only 4 garments from U.S. designers in the series of runway shows that will feature garments from 12 countries. Besides avant garde, other garments will appear in the shows for the children, illumination illusion, shape it, South Pacific, bizarre bra, and open design categories. To see how ostentatious WOW shows are, the brilliant designs featured, and former winners, visit the awards program online at http://www.worldofwearableart.com.
Needless to say, Haven is ecstatic that his garment will take part in such a prestigious competition. "Having a piece selected for the WOW Awards is both an honor and a thrill. Just being part of this highly select group of international designers and to have my work share the same stage with their's is one of those experiences one hopes for but rarely achieves," says the UK costumer. "For athletes it's the Olympics, for scientists it's the Nobel Prize, and for artists and designers it's the WOW show. What else can you say when your work has been recognized and showcased in such an international setting."
And what's around the next corner for this accomplished costume technician and his students?
"My next quest is to attend the Royal School of Needlework in England and get certified in four traditional needlework techniques during a future sabbatical," says Haven. "Once completed, UK will be the only university where these ancient and almost lost techniques are routinely practiced and taught on a regular basis.
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