Wellington is reaping the benefits from this year's World of Wearable Arts show.

The final show hit the stage on Sunday.

WOW chief executive Gisella Carr said more than 58,000 people have seen it, exceeding targets.

"It's a bit sad - I mean that's the thing about theatre is you make this thing and you watch your audience having a great time with it, and then you take it all apart, and it never comes like that again. So it's always bittersweet that final show."

She said official numbers on the show's economic impact are still being crunched but it's obvious the hospitality and retail industries have profited.

"I've spent the last day wandering around having a look at shops, displays, talking to some of the retailers and the hoteliers, and people really loved our audience being in town and they looked after them."

She said now crews are working to move the 133 designs to Nelson in an attempt to put them all on display.

"Very interesting to see an exhibition of a theatre show, because you get to be very close up to them in a way that you can't when they're on stage."