The weird and wonderful converge in a postapocalyptic take on self-expression at the home of Steampunk in Aotearoa β Oamaru. Award-winning photographer Dean Purcell teamed up with fashion and creative director Dan Ahwa to document some of their favourite interpretations. There were mechanical arms and crinolines fashioned into wearable terrariums, embellished with plants sourced from Temu. There were apocalyptic leather kilts that walked incongruously next to taffeta-encased bustles, where Irish liqueur was dispensed through an attachment of complex pipes.
A subgenre of science fiction that combines retro-futuristic technology with the 19th-century scientific romances of the likes of Jules Verne, Mary Shelley and H. Wells, the concept of a postapocalyptic future through a Victorian lens is what makes this sub-culture unique. While there were several diverse examples of how attendees interpreted the dress code, the following is a small selection of outfits that piqued our interest as they walked past.
We have a market on the weekend and I took part in the parade. The accomplished seamstress was arguably the best dressed the entire weekend. This particular outfit features an array of trinkets collected along the way, with dyed feathers at the shoulders and a unique mix of textures β from lace to velvet.
Visiting from Paraparaumu, the couple swept by in elegant layers of black. There was an easiness to their look that I was drawn to, mixing old-world finds with a contemporary, louche attitude. Another everyday look pulled together with ease β with the help of some thoughtful accessories. My outfit is made up of anything I could find at home, but the goggles were a recent purchase here. I love the sense of community here but also the way people are allowed to just be free.
Recycled finds make this look the perfect example of how Steampunk is possibly one of the most sustainable forms of cosplay around. I love it. The bowler hat is from a recycle centre and the outfit is made from old upholstery fabric. A festival debutante takes inspiration from the less fortunate of the Victorian age. The striking couple continuously add mementoes to their dignified garb. Erring more toward the side of pure Victorian fashion, the Cantabrian couple cut a striking figure in complementary outfits.
