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Entries to the open category must be a complete outfit, there is no specific theme and entries can be made from any type of medium, from fabrics of all kinds, to glass, clay, metal and wood to suggest a few!

Traditionally the biggest category, anything goes as long as it is a complete outfit. This category in the past has had many outfits submitted in non traditional materials, from willow branches, clay and many types of metal. Please pull out all the stops of your imagination and come play in the Open Category. Competition is always tough in this category, so make sure your work pushes creativity to the limit and wows our judges!

Owl Strix Wings
Claire Murgatroyd
Vancouver, BC		 2004 Category Winner

Cold-formed cast aluminium

Each feather of these wings was crafted from recycled aircraft aluminum. The feathers attached to a frame of cable made from aluminum and rubber tubing. The frame allows the wings to have great flexibility. The wings are stabilized to the human body with a cast aluminum “wish bone”. This wish bone acts like the clavicle or collarbone that enables the wearer to carry the wings.
Sea Horse Parade
Doanne Karen Nielsen
Port Moody, BC		 2004 Second Place

Fabric, foam, adhesive

This costume was created for the New York City Halloween Parade. Using a foam adhesive technique taught to me by David Secunda, I created the head and tail as the feature pieces and the dress to be worn as an accessory. It is light and flexible. There was no significant inspiration for “Sea Horse Parade”, just my love of being creative.
Tree
Fariba Mirzaie
North Vancouver, BC		 2004 Third Place

Tree bar, chiffon, polyester, dyed-embellishment and disperses dye

I am interested in creating garments with elegant shapes using natural fibres. The texture and depth that I receive using nature as my inspirations is as important to me as the subject matter. My passion is textile design. I enjoy using ancient motifs and transfer them to contemporary shapes. I allow the textile to influence the garment shape. I love designing textiles, I just love it.
Wire Beauty
Kenny Wong
Burnaby, BC		 2004 Honourable Mention

Rebar wire - 16 gauge

People generally associate wire with technical or industrial use, and perhaps masculinity. Built on the concept of the Victorian hoop skirt that dates back to the early 1860s, “Wire Beauty” is a contemporary version which plays with the idea of making use of wire to create something more feminine, more delicate and elegant rather than just functional.