Moving on, full steampunk ahead

Tauranga's only World Of Wearable Art Award finalist has won third place in the Avant Garde section of the prestigious competition.

Omokoroa wedding photographer Steve Brown won third place in the Tourism New Zealand Avant Garde Section of the Brancott Estate World Of WearableArt Awards in Wellington on Friday night.

World Of WearableArt founder and co-judge Suzie Moncrieff said it was particularly impressive to achieve a third placing, as it was Mr Brown's first time entering the competition.

"This is a beautifully constructed piece with strength and femininity," Ms Moncrieff said.

"It really does reflect the steampunk phenomenon."

Mr Brown's entry to World Of WearableArt was inspired by a visit to the World Of WearableArt and Classic Car Museum in Nelson, and his garment When Brunel Met Chanel was inspired by an accidental meeting between the industrial designer Isambard Kingdom Brunel and fashion icon Coco Chanel one day in Paris.

"From the first time that I visited WOW I was spellbound, and from that moment it became my goal to become part of this illustrious group of talent," Mr Brown said. "I have no formal art education; my creation came from a dream, and has been built bit-by-bit in our lounge."

Each piece of skirt timber was formed by bending and laminating. The bodice was reinforced with aluminium and resin. Each gauge and the steam engine was been created from PVC pipes.