The name combines "steam", reflecting the steam-powered technology of the Victorian era, with "punk", representing creativity, individuality and imagining a different future.

Rather than recreating history exactly, Steampunk asks, "What if Victorian inventors had developed incredible machines powered by steam, brass and imagination?"

Not exactly. Steampunk is inspired by real Victorian history, engineering and fashion, but mixes them with fantasy and science fiction.

You'll often see airships, mechanical animals, clockwork inventions and extraordinary machines that never existed, creating a world that's both familiar and wonderfully imaginative.

Steampunk combines Victorian inspiration with imaginative engineering.

Brass, copper, gears, steam-powered machines, airships and mechanical inventions sit alongside elegant fashion and a sense of adventure to create a distinctive style that's instantly recognisable.

Gears have become one of the best-known symbols of Steampunk because they represent invention, craftsmanship and visible engineering.

Unlike modern technology hidden inside plastic cases, Victorian machinery proudly displayed its workings. Brass cogs, exposed mechanisms and intricate clockwork celebrate the beauty of how things are made.

Steampunk fashion draws inspiration from late Victorian and Edwardian style, blending elegant tailoring with industrial details.

Corsets, waistcoats, pocket watches, goggles, top hats and leather accessories are often combined with gears, brass and mechanical elements to create a look that feels both historic and futuristic.

Not at all. Steampunk is a creative genre that influences art, literature, films, music, home décor, craftsmanship and design, as well as clothing.

It's a way of imagining how the future might have looked through Victorian eyes.