From anime cyborgs to medieval tavern owners, the minds of thousands of Kiwis who descended upon Auckland Showgrounds this past weekend proved there are no limitations when it comes to dressing up. Dan Ahwa teams up with award-winning photographer Dean Purcell to document their favourite looks.
Since last Friday, Auckland’s
New Zealand’s biggest pop culture expo featured an assortment of exhibitions, stalls, celebrity meet-and-greets (including everyone from Jason Momoa to former Disney star turned The Flash regular Danielle Panabaker), comic workshops, cosplay J-pop performances, panel talks, trading card events, racing simulators, and even a parade.
The annual entertainment event has been operating since 1995. It has gained a reputation as one of the handful of events where cross-generational attendance is enjoyed, with fans paying tribute to beloved characters from classic and current films, TV shows, comics, games, cosplay, and animation.
As a first-time attendee, I wasn’t sure what to expect but was instantly impressed at the diversity of costumes on display. Some zeroed in on specific characters, and others pulled together an amalgamation of ideas to create something vague and unique.
Several attendees had travelled from around the country to one of Labour weekend’s main events. From Barbie and Ken to medieval wenches and anime superstars, the following looks caught our attention for their commitment to the character, their level of detail, and in a sea of predictable costumes, a unique point of view that perfectly balances a sense of style too.
Nafeesah Mustafa
A last-minute outfit paid off with a well-selected array of separates and accessories. What caught my eye was the sharp colours set against black which allowed Nafeesah to stand out from the crowd. “I wanted to look like a tavern keeper,” explains Nafeesah. The half-Samoan and half-Pakistani local also included cultural elements to her look, including traditional jewels and a bag she already had from a wedding earlier in the year, festooned with a magpie assortment of jewellery. Matching her top is a single orchid tucked into her headscarf that matched her makeup beautifully.
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Eva Ren
Part-Victorian, part-Marie Antoinette, part Practical Magic, what Eva did particularly well was take an impressive skirt and make it feel natural to her everyday style. The pendant is a nod to her favourite Harry Potter novel, while the petticoat skirt made her feel “magical.” Attending her third Armageddon with friends, the addition of thoughtful accessories with a pair of trainers gave this look a sense of personality and modernity.
Ashley Emiko
For her debut at Armageddon, Ashley, a talented visual artist and photographer, made an impact in a look that felt original. Taking on her interpretation as Princess Ahmanet, the arresting antagonist of the 2017 horror fantasy action-adventure film The Mummy, Ashley made an entrance as she entered the Showgrounds. Using bandages to help convey the image of the ancient Egyptian figure, Ashley successfully creates a look that does what the bandage dress did for iconic fashion designer Herve Leger - made it completely her own, styled with a complementary skirt and with intricate markings across her face.
Lincoln Bailey
Based on a manga character known as Dan Da Dan written and illustrated by Yukinobu Tatsu, Lincoln pays tribute to the character’s ability to combine a sense of surrealism with action, comedy, romance and the supernatural world. With a passion for cosplay, Lincoln marks this as his fifth year attending Armageddon, wearing a tailored double-breasted coat purchased from Facebook Marketplace, beautifully tailored with metallic dome buttons and a wide lapel. He finished the look with a custom headpiece mimicking the character’s hair, and face mask that envelops his entire mouth.
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It’s the second year attending Armageddon for the couple who decided they’d dress up as Barbie and Ken with a slight nod to Regency style. “Sophie made the outfits which took about a week each to pull together” explains Nicholas. Made from denim, the couple have also given their looks a Western flourish with matching cowboy hats and western trims like fringing and woven star patches.
Stella Roper
A kaleidoscope of accessories made this a standout outfit featuring a mix of rings from Stella’s mother, second-hand treasures and local stalwart, Geoff’s Emporium. The comic and zine enthusiast is also the arts editor for AUT student magazine Debate mag and is particularly inspired by the eccentric Japanese sub-culture of Decora. Her trousers were a recent purchase from the LA-based label Sleezy Skiz. What Stella also does well is layer a tie over her collection of belts, something we’ve seen on the runways at recent Fashion Weeks.
Regan Enticott and Michael Rivers
“We actually met each other at Armageddon 10 years ago,” says Regan whose medieval garb inspired the couple’s complementary outfits this year. Inspired by a character named Shallan from the high fantasy novel series The Stormlight Archive, Regan accessorised her blue dress with a brown bag she made, adding to it a familiar pattern from the series. Michael wore an outfit to match Regan’s, making it last minute with some leather pieces purchased from Trade Me and a cape from Look Sharp. A turquoise pendant is something he wears day to day.
Sarah Holdaway
A smart, sophisticated tailored look stood out, inspired by anime character Osamu Dazai featured in the manga series Bungo Stray Dogs, written by Kafka Asagiri and drawn by Sango Harukawa. “I bought my outfit from Ali Express and my trousers are just from Kmart.”
Taimania Horne
Channeling the spirit of the Japanese Anime character Violet Evergarden, a young ex-soldier who becomes an Auto Memory Doll tasked with writing letters that can connect people, Taimania wears pieces she bought from the op-shop, and a “petticoat skirt I stole from my grandma.” Starting with brown shoes and a suitcase from her mother, Taimania adds an old-world charm to the event. “Violet was a child soldier, but the eventually discovers love.”
Marco Javate
Wearing a kimono and a haori jacket, Marco’s outfit is a nod to Japan’s enduring influence on pop culture, who adds a pair of piercing contact lenses (a prominent appearance throughout some of the outfits) to his overall look. “I’ve been coming on and off for the past couple of years. I love seeing how creative everyone is with all the cosplay and all the art on display. I’m here with my friends and this is actually the first time I’m dressing up for Armageddon.”
Krystal Broomfield
The bells and whistles that come with a classic Lolita-inspired look are what stood out with Krystal’s outfit featuring bows, frills and an illustration print of cats. Purchased from the Japanese purveyor of the Lolita look, Souffle Song, Krystal’s tonal selection of cream and pink made an impact. Attending Armageddon since 2008, the long-time devotee is passionate about connecting with others in the cosplay community. “I’m from Christchurch, so I also attended the Christchurch Armageddon earlier this year. I come to Auckland every year for this as I love seeing everyone dress up and having fun.”
Dori Bautista
“My cosplay character is Ada Wong, a character in Resident Evil. My dress is thrifted. I first came to Armageddon six years ago and I’ve loved being part of the community and seeing how everyone turns up in their outfits.”
Dan Ahwa is Viva’s fashion and creative director and a senior premium lifestyle journalist for the New Zealand Herald, specialising in the intersections of style, luxury, art and culture. He is also an award-winning stylist with more than 17 years of experience and is a co-author and co-curator of the book and exhibition Moana Currents: Dressing Aotearoa Now.
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