Fractilians II earns supreme honour for local duo
Sunshine Coast duo Evita Camilleri and Dan Draper, known collectively as Derby Cross, have once again dazzled the art world, taking out the top honour at the Australian Wearable Art Festival 2025 with their breathtaking creation Fractilians II (Salt).
Australian Wearable Art Festival | Photographer Barry Alsop | 2025 AWAF Supreme Winners Evita Camilleri & Dan Draper wearing Fractilians II (Salt)
The pair were named Supreme Winners at the Festival’s Gala Awards Night held at Venue 114, impressing judges with a piece crafted entirely from clear tubing and over 56,000 cable ties, each element meticulously hand-shaped over the course of a year.
Camilleri and Draper said the work had been a true labour of love.
“It’s part of our Fractilians series, imagined subterranean spirits whose salt-crystal armour is both camouflage and protection," they said.
"Under UV light, the piece glows, revealing hidden layers of the story.
“Wearable art is such a unique art form and lets us create an entire mythology you can walk inside of.
Seeing the Fractilians come to life on the runway was like watching them step out of our imaginations into the real world.”
The judges, including renowned creatives Rachel Burke, Natasha Smith and Svenja, praised the work as a “masterclass in innovation,” noting its hypnotic movement, flawless craftsmanship, and transformation of a single material into a sculptural spectacle.
“There was nothing else like it on the runway,” said Burke. “It was fluid, kinetic, and deeply moving.”
“What impressed us most was the dedication to one material, pushed and transformed through so many different techniques.
"It’s an incredible demonstration of skill — turning something rigid into something fluid, kinetic and sculptural.”
This year’s Festival introduced two new competition categories—Elements of Nature and Abstract Form—joining Trashion and Avant Garde, with entries ranging from dog hair to robotics. Eleven awards were presented, showcasing the limitless creativity of wearable art.
The Festival also marked a major milestone, with organisers announcing a move to the Novotel Twin Waters Resort for the 2026 edition, reflecting a 25% growth in audience and artist participation.
“We welcomed over 1,500 attendees and artists from across the globe,” said Festival Co-Director Wendy Roe.
“Next year’s venue will allow us to expand even further and continue celebrating the incredible artistry this event inspires.”
The Australian Wearable Art Festival is proudly supported by the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland, with Sunshine Coast Council as the official destination partner.
The Festival would also not be possible without many local business supporters and partners including Visit Sunshine Coast, Argon Law, Sunshine Coast Airport, Coastline BMW, Hello Sunshine and In Noosa Magazines, My Weekly Preview, Frankie Magazine, Textile Fibre Forum, 92.7 Mix FM, Fresh PR & Marketing, Horse & Water and Converge Marketing.
Full List of Australian Wearable Art Festival 2025 Winners
Supreme Winner sponsored by Sunshine Coast Council
Winner: Evita Camilleri and Dan Draper as Derby Cross from Sunshine Coast – ‘Fractilians II (Salt)’
Avant Garde sponsored by Sunshine Coast Airport
Winner: Kym Cunningham from Queensland – ‘The Lotus Queen and Oil Merchant’
Trashion sponsored by Coastline Mini Garage
Winner: Oana Rosca from Romania – ‘Sunflare Sentinal’
Elements of Nature sponsored by Argon Law
Winner: Rosamund Torr from Victoria – ‘After the Fire’
Abstract Form sponsored by Tourism Events Queensland
Winner: Rae Saheli from Queensland – ‘Metal Bloom’
Emerging Wearable Artist sponsored by Fresh PR & Marketing
Winner: Sophy Blake from Sunshine Coast – ‘Fly Like the Wind’
Innovation Award sponsored by My Weekly Preview
Winner: Vivien Eardley from Queensland – ‘Metamorphose’
Youth Award sponsored by Converge
Winner: Kayla Trisakti from New South Wales – ‘Tesselate’
Textile Fibre Award sponsored by Textile Fibre Forum
Winner: Stephanie Vale from Queensland – ‘Gather Community’
Sustainable Award sponsored by In Noosa / Hello Sunshine
Winner: Antoaneta Tica from Romania – ‘Duality’
People’s Choice sponsored by Mix FM
Winner: Robyn Valentine from New Zealand – ‘Life Sentence’