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Otago Daily Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Steampunkers converge for festival
Oamaru's annual Steampunk Festival goes back in time this weekend, boosting the town's tourism appeal in the process. Steampunk NZ Festival organising committee member Carolyn Lewis said this year's "Circus in Time" theme combined flamboyance and the spectacle of the circus with adventures in time. "Time travel is an iconic Steampunk theme. "The Victorian Era is a key time period for Steampunk fans, and the Victorians absolutely loved a circus — it was an accessible form of entertainment, with the sideshows and associated activities being hugely popular across all classes. "Most of the tickets sold thus far for this year's festival have gone to out-of-towners, including a good chunk of North Island folk. "We also have overseas visitors from Australia and the US." Steampunkers Sir Gideon Steamcrank (Gearlord of the Twisting Spires) aka Carl Yates and James Brian said they were coming to Steampunk weekend with a group from Christchurch. "There is a French girl in our group and an Australian couple who were married in Steampunk and they have come over to be part of the festival for their honeymoon," Mr Brian said. He had been attending the Oamaru Steampunk festival for the past 15 years. Mr Brian had travelled to other Steampunk events around the world including in England, Germany and the Netherlands. He believed the Oamaru event was "world class". Mr Yates said he was a "newbie" attending the festival for the fourth time this year and he was excited for the upcoming event. "We look forward to meeting all the creative, imaginative and eccentric people at the festival," Mr Yates said. The Heritage Precinct in Oamaru was a major factor in the success of the festival, Ms Lewis said. The five-day festival began yesterday and will continue over the King's Birthday weekend to Monday. Tourism Waitaki consumer and trade marketing manager Jade Harvey said the town was generally booked out, with cafes busy and motels full. "Accommodation is usually fully or almost booked out on Steampunk weekend with approximately 90% of attendees visiting from outside of Waitaki with the post-event survey showing that 80% stay for three nights or more. "Although the festival is concentrated in Oamaru, the majority of attendees are from out of town and are choosing to stay for most, if not all, of the long weekend."
Otago Daily Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Festival mixes spectacle of circus with time travel
PHOTO: ODT FILES Oamaru's annual Steampunk Festival goes back in time this weekend, boosting the town's tourism appeal in the process. SteampunkNZ Festival organising committee member Carolyn Lewis says this year's "Circus in Time" theme combines flamboyance and the spectacle of the circus with adventures in time. "Time travel is an iconic Steampunk theme. The Victorian Era is a key time period for Steampunk fans, and the Victorians absolutely loved a circus — it was an accessible form of entertainment, with the sideshows and associated activities being hugely popular across all classes. "Most of the tickets sold thus far for this year's festival have gone to out-of-towners, including a good chunk of North Island folk. We also have overseas visitors from Australia and the US." The Heritage Precinct in Oamaru is a major factor in the success of the festival, she said. The five-day festival began yesterday and continues over the King's Birthday weekend to Monday. Tourism Waitaki consumer and trade marketing manager Jade Harvey says the town is generally booked out, with cafes busy and motels full. "Accommodation is usually fully or almost booked out on Steampunk weekend with approximately 90% of attendees visiting from outside of Waitaki with the post-event survey showing that 80% stay for three nights or more. "Although the festival is concentrated in Oamaru, the majority of attendees are from out of town and are choosing to stay for most, if not all, of the long weekend." — APL
Al Bawaba
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Al Bawaba
Lord of the Mysteries: China's next big anime gets new trailer
ALBAWABA - As Donghua (Chinese animation) gains traction among anime fans globally for recent series such as To Be Hero X, Super Cube, and The All-devouring Whale, one long-awaited series called Lord of the Mysteries just received a new trailer, sparking widespread excitement across social media. While we can't judge a show by its trailers, Lord of the Mysteries' production looks top-notch with excellent character designs and a stunning steampunk-themed setting. Additionally, the show is based on one of the best web novels to come out of China in recent memory. While the story draws from an oversaturated market of Isekai anime, it differs in several ways, including its unique alternate Victorian era that mixes Lovecraftian horror with mystery. According to the web novel's description, the story follows Zhou Mingrui, who finds himself transmigrated as Klein Moretti to another Victorian world filled with machinery, cannons, dreadnoughts, airships, potions, tarot cards, and more. During his journey, he gets entangled with churches and comes across new powers like "The Fool" tarot card, giving him "unlimited potential." Lord of the Mysteries is set to release this summer in July with PICTURES (best known for animating King's Avatar) on production.
Daily Mail
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Old-fashioned wedding trend makes surprising comeback - as brides inspired by Hailey Bieber and Sofia Ritchie splurge on 19th century accessory
There's nothing quite like the moment a bride's veil is lifted during her wedding ceremony to reveal her face - it always draws gasps and tears from all in attendance. Wedding veils are largely seen nowadays as an accessory to complete the bridal look, but they used to be heavy with symbolism which, in recent years, has been deemed 'old-fashioned'. While they have remained fairly popular through the years, there was a time when brides were eschewing the traditional accessory in favour of more modern ones like flower crowns and hair pins, says Gemma Logan, wedding expert at Book a Party. But experts say veils are now back in a big way, with brides opting for more elaborate designs, bespoke customisations, and luxurious materials like real silk, detailed lace and embroidery. The vision of a bride entirely enrobed in white became ingrained in society around the middle of the 19th century, according to the Victoria & Albert Museum. Some historians believe that the practice of obscuring the bride's face was thought to ward off evil spirits. Later, veils became a symbol of a bride's chastity and purity for her husband - as well as a status symbol. Bridal couture designer Phillipa Lepley - who designed the veils worn by Geri Halliwell, Alice Naylor-Leyland, Flora Vesterberg and Princess Charlotte of Bourbon Two Sicillies - explains to FEMAIL: 'During the Victorian era, the veil evolved into a symbol of social status, with its weight, length, and quality reflecting the bride's position in society.' In modern times, the symbolic significance of wearing a veil has shifted, Lepley says. 'Most modern brides select a veil based on personal preference or aesthetic appeal. Whether worn over the face or draped down the back, in my view both styles are elegant and graceful.' Sofia Ritchie's short but chic custom Chanel dewdrop veil was adorned with resin water droplets to create a sparkling effect as she walked down the aisle towards her husband, Elliot Grainge at their wedding in 2023 Sarah Jane, who founded her custom wedding veil design brand Britten Weddings in 2009, adds that the COVID pandemic also had an impact on demand, with longer, more dramatic veils falling out of fashion as newlyweds were forced to have smaller courthouse weddings that called for more casual wedding wear. Phillipa, whose couture veils have been worn most recently by Princess Aisha of Jordan during her wedding ceremony with Kareem Yazeed Al Mufti, says that the traditional veiled look - where the veil is worn on the back of the bride's head, framing her like a halo and flowing down her back - remains popular, but an increasing number of brides are opting to cover their faces. 'Since the Royal Wedding in 2011 and various other high-profile celebrity ceremonies, more brides are opting to walk down the aisle with their veil blusher actually covering their face. 'I have always thought that is the most romantic, beautiful look, for a once-in-a-lifetime moment.' Sarah Jane adds that a face-shrouding veil is seen as a more 'high-impact fashion accessory' among younger brides. 'They love the drama of that 'reveal' moment for the camera, but afterwards they'll often switch to a second-look mini veil for dancing!' Personalised veils are becoming more popular, driven by celebrities like Hailey Bieber - whose 75-foot-long tulle veil with lace flower embroidery also featured the words 'Till Death Do Us Part' - and Kourtney Kardashian, whose sweeping veil was hand-embroidered with a depiction of the Virgin Mary inspired by a tattoo on her husband Travis Barker's head. Phillipa says her brand has seen an increase in brides who have gotten their wedding dress elsewhere but want to complete the look with a 'totally bespoke, exceptionally special veil' from her and her team. 'One bride included her beloved pooch's paw prints within her bespoke design,' she adds. Brides are also increasingly opting for 'intricate hand embroidery frequently featuring initials or family crests', or 'heirloom veils adorned with a cartouche on the centre back'. Explaining why bespoke veils are all the rage right now, Sarah Jane says: 'We are in a 'statement veil' era because the veil is the one part of a bridal look that's a completely blank canvas. 'Gowns are trending cleaner and more minimalist, so the veil is where you get to indulge a bit. Budgets have gone up since 2020, the average bride spends more on their wedding and more on their veil. 'Lots of reasons for this but social media and influencers must be top of the list. Embroidery is huge and was really boosted by Hailey Bieber.' Brides are also experimenting with colour in their veils more, Gemma says, moving beyond the traditional ivory or white. 'Some brides are going for soft blush pinks, champagne or even bold, unexpected colours like deep emerald or navy blue. 'It's all about matching the veil with the overall feel of the wedding and the bride's personality.' The demand for wedding veils that stand out is only ticking upwards. More recently, Millie Bobby Brown wore a custom Monvieve Franca lace-trimmed veil that showcased the elaborate Italian handmade lace when pooled on the ground when she wed Jake Bongiovi in May 2024, while Sofia Richie sent every bride in 2023 swooning over her short but stunning sparkling dew drop veil. Phillipa describes veils as 'more than just a bridal accessory'. 'They embody romance and tradition. I particularly love the way in which veils can evolve into treasured heirlooms, adding a meaningful, sustainable dimension to their significance. 'We hear of veils being lovingly draped over a cradle, transforming it into a cherished keepsake that carries the history and love of the family through generations. In this way, veils become enduring symbols of love, legacy, and memory.'
ABC News
23-05-2025
- Science
- ABC News
Designer dogs: What is a breed anyway?
There's designer clothes, but they have nothing on designer dogs! They come in a huge range of shapes and colours and sizes, from the tiny Chihuahua to the Great Dane. In the animal world this much variation usually means different species, but not for dogs — so where did they all come from? And what role did Victorian-era rats play in the development of 'breed standards'? Featuring: Joyce Sullivan, papillon breeder Joyce Sullivan, papillon breeder Wayne Douglas OAM, Afghan Hound breeder Wayne Douglas OAM, Afghan Hound breeder Esther Joseph, all breeds judge Esther Joseph, all breeds judge Michael Worboys emeritus professor the University of Manchester Michael Worboys emeritus professor the University of Manchester Professor Greger Larson, evolutionary genomics at the University of Oxford Professor Greger Larson, evolutionary genomics at the University of Oxford Dr Angela Perri, zooarchaeologist, Chronicle Heritage Dr Angela Perri, zooarchaeologist, Chronicle Heritage Dr. Elaine Ostrander, geneticist at National Institutes of Health (US) Dr. Elaine Ostrander, geneticist at National Institutes of Health (US) Dr Heidi Parker, geneticist at National Institutes of Health (US) Further reading: Production:
