CASSIOPEIA HARBOR – Saur Holt is the creative mind behind the imaginative range of gothic, punk and Neko-wear at Passionate Neko Dreams, a store now well established within the circles it caters for that has made Holt one of the more respected designers of her genre.

“Most of my stuff is gothic, punk and Neko, but here at PND I try and make sure I have designs for everyone,” smiles Holt. “I was trying to come up with a name, something that fit me and my designs. After 2 days I woke up and this name was in my mind.

Holt began designing clothing and accessories 18 months ago, when RavenIynn Templar of Liquid Velvet Studios & Co took her under her wing.

“Believe it or not I started out as a furry artist, making furry avs for about six months,” explains Holt.  “I’m woefully untalented beyond art. Most I learn on my own, but she more or less pushed me to do the best work I could. I enjoy my craft, it’s my life. I love to see people happy with my work, it inspires me to work even harder.”

After working on furry avatars for a while, Holt realised that Second Life was the perfect outlet for her life-long love of designing.

“I enjoyed making furry avs, but in real life I have been drawing outfits since I was eight,” she says, “So it made sense then to do it in SL. I hope someday to have a line IRL.”

Holt spends a long time perfecting the textures of her outfits: “I see a lot of awesome designers, but their designs fall short because they don’t texture them. I want people to feel as if my designs are 3D.”

“The white dress [My Dark Creation] was inspired by my favourite goth band, Azra . That design took me 3 days to make.”

It was the Vampire Sub dress, however, that put Holt’s store on the designing map.

“It’s over a year old and it’s still a bestseller,” she says. “I plan to bring some more like it out, but using what I have learned since then. Most designs I draw out, but that dress – I woke up after a night of watching vampire movies and was inspired by the old movie look and feel. Old goth inspires me.”