Otago's four finalists in the World of WearableArt Awards are celebrating their selection in the international show, which attracted 327 entries from around the world.
Grace Ockwell, of Dunedin, Carolyn Laing, of Clyde, and Andi Regan, of Wanaka, were chosen as finalists in the competition's bizarre bra section.
Jenny Bain, of Dunedin, made it into the open section as a first-time entrant with her garment, Unplugged, inspired from research of three-dimensional objects.
The retired fashion and art teacher used canvas, silk, satin, velvet and wire netting, and said she was "thrilled" to be a finalist.
"It's such a prestigious event and I feel pretty humbled. It's nice to think you can still have ordinary Kiwi people contributing to it, rather than it being too elitist," Mrs Bain said.
Mrs Ockwell, a part-time Dunedin City Council employee, was a finalist for the second time, having gained selection in last year's show.
Her bizarre bra, Eeek, was made almost entirely of second-hand materials sourced from Dunedin op-shops, and was inspired by Mrs Ockwell's experience living at the head of Lake Wakatipu, where there was a "mice plague" every time the beech forest flowered.
"The achievement for me is to have an entry accepted. It's a big effort. There are no half measures when you decide you're going to enter, but there are lots of hours in the day to stitch, if you make time," she said.
Mrs Laing, a full-time mother, made her garment, The Lainga Banga, to honour a male friend who died this year.
"He loved the outdoors and everything that went bang, so I used bullets of various kinds and other things that go bang.
I'm thrilled, amazed and overwhelmed to be a finalist," she said.
Ms Regan, an artist and third-time finalist, said she was pleased to again be selected.
Her bra, Bee Supporters, made of cable ties, was inspired by the worldwide decline in bee numbers and what could be done to reverse the trend.
In total, 164 garments were chosen for the competition, now in its 24th year, to be displayed in Wellington from September 27 to October 7.
International designers made 58 of the selected garments, the rest of which were created throughout New Zealand, for the competition's seven categories.
