What city are you based in?

I’m based out of Toronto, Ontario.

Can you tell us about your first cosplay?

My very first cosplay was an original Borderlands siren character my sister and I co-created, back in 2013. I was just a kid, and I’d only heard of cosplaying. My sister, Mieka, asked me if I wanted to go to FAN EXPO Canada that summer (it was my very first convention, in fact), and she asked if I wanted to wear a cosplay to it. I said yes, but was a bit shy about it but she gave me a much-needed boost of encouragement. So I got the clothes together, and Mieka did the lovely hair, makeup, and tattoos for me. It was so much fun and turned into a yearly thing, where I’d go with her to FAN EXPO and wear a new cosplay every year.

Do you have a cosplay piece that you are most proud of?

The cosplay I’m most proud of would absolutely be the Ciri Redesign I recently finished earlier this year. It was based on Klaus Wittmann’s amazing design of a more The Witcher-style Ciri. It took months to make, but I’m so glad I did it. Between the hand-made chainmail and the EVA foam armour, it’s gotta be my best-looking costume.

What do you hope to achieve through cosplay?

Cosplay has brought so much happiness into my life, and I want to spread that joy to others. It’s a life-changing craft for anyone and everyone to enjoy.

Is there a cosplayer that you look up to or inspires you?

I get a lot of inspiration from Maja of @rebelprincesscosplay from Instagram. Her work is always incredible and she’s done so many epic cosplays, including Kassandra from Assassins Creed, Hawke from Dragon Age, Astrid from Skyrim, and so many more. She’s also a super amazing person, and seeing her quality cosplays always gets me so inspired and excited to create. I’ll always aspire to the level of detail and care she puts into all her costumes. 

If you could give any piece of advice to new cosplayers, what would it be?

The most important advice I would give to new cosplayers would be to not worry, not even a little bit, about getting a cosplay right. You just gotta have fun with it, and be alright with the fact that you will mess up. I screw up so much, even after years of doing cosplay. It can feel discouraging, but you gotta just have a good laugh at yourself. Not getting it right is one of my favourite things about cosplay because all the fails teach you epic lessons that will make you a better creative. Embrace the mistakes and failures as well as the wins of the process!

What would you say is the hardest part of cosplaying?

For me, I would say that simply picking a cosplay to make is the hardest part. I have a list of a thousand "cosplans" I’d like to make but there’s just not enough time. Narrowing it down is always a challenge and the list just keeps growing!

Is there a cosplay piece you’re currently working on? 

I’m currently working on a Splicer cosplay from Bioshock, Lady Sif from Thor: The Dark World, and also brainstorming a bunch of characters from my own stories. Then, I have a Diablo 3 Necromancer lined up for December as well as Valla’s Christmas skin from Heroes of the Storm.