Steampunk Model Spotlight: KittenInStrings

G.W. Smith of Thee-Gartisan Works is writing a series on Nerd Caliber about Steampunk Fashion from the Models’ Point of View. This article glimpses into the life of KittenInStrings Jena who has participated in some fashion shows at the Watch City Festival in Waltham, Massachusetts.

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KittenInStrings Jena has been a model for five years, starting with fetish maternity, then nude modeling, followed by a stint in New York City for a Princeton University photography professor. A friend suggested that she participate in the fashion show at the first steampunk festival in Waltham, MA at the Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation, from which, led to a lot modeling work since then. She came across steampunk while researching Victorian fashion for an outfit she was going to make for herself; and so she also made a couple of steampunk outfits, wore them to conventions, and found herself enjoying being shot in the outfits. She loves the fashion, the accessories, and the stories that people create to go with the outfit, but it is the fashion over all. She enjoys researching the time periods and their differences, and then making her own costumes to fit. “I’ve always felt like I was born in the wrong era, and this kinda helps me cater to that.”

The trend that she has noticed in steampunk fashion is that the focus alternates on a yearly basis between the fashion and the shiny accessories. She dislikes the snobbery that can come with fashion, “a lot of people argue about things of inconsequence that have to do with a made up time period,” but she absolutely loves the corset and how it is a staple of steampunk fashions and to the stories.

Having been involved in the organization and operation of multiple types of fashion shows, she sees that steampunk models are a lot nicer, less catty and not high maintenance like “high fashion” models; and that the shows themselves run more smoothly than others due to last minute changes. Also that the designers themselves are quirky, “but almost always in good ways.” Her favorite designer to work with is Cloak and Dagger and does so regularly.

Her dream steampunk outfit is one of her own creation and does not want to spoil the surprise by sharing the details early.

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For more KittenInStrings Jena:

http://www.modelmayhem.com/1773989

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Photo Credits (photos used with permission of the model):

Burnsides’ Photography and Imaging

Travis Mayhem Photography