We organized a cosplay competition on our Facebook on April the 12th. This competition consisted out of only one rule; The cosplay had to be made with clothes from your wardrobe. When you entered the competition, you were eligible to win an interview about your cosplay story on the Heroes Dutch Comic Con website. A lot of cosplayers participated. However, in the end, we only chose three winners. We will keep two of the winners a secret for now. Nevertheless, we can already announce the first winner, namely: Santastic Cosplay! In this article, you can read where it all started for her, who she is, and what her cosplay challenges have been.
Heroes Dutch Comic Con is where it all began
Santastic cosplay is one of the winners of the competition. She won with this Harley Quinn cosplay out of her wardrobe. Nevertheless, her cosplay journey started already six years ago during her very first Dutch Comic Con. At the convention, she was wearing a shirt with two minions dressed as characters from Dragon Ball Z. The community feeling was immediately noticeable when several visitors came to her and wanted to have their picture taken.
Also, in the first edition, she realized that people made their own cosplay. She could wear the costumes she always saw in the films! So, the next time she had an opportunity to cosplay she decided to go as Cosmo of “Fairly Odd Parents”. The costume was a closet cosplay, but she immediately received so much love and support that she knew she wanted to do this forever.
After this, she did not waste any time. In the next edition of Heroes Dutch Comic Con, she made her first handmade cosplay, namely the Alliance Guard from World of Warcraft. With this cosplay, she entered the cosplay competition and won first prize. She explains how the moment she walked on stage was one of her best memories of Heroes Dutch Comic Con. She shared how everyone was clapping and shouting “that was the best feeling ever”.
Every cosplay a new challenge
Santastic Cosplay also says she is proactive. For example, she has a rule that every costume she makes must have a new challenge hidden in it. She believes it is important to continue to develop and to gain knowledge about new materials. This way she can put her full creative energy into cosplay.
Who is Santastic Cosplay?
Santastic Cosplay shared that she distinguishes herself as a cosplayer by being as diverse and colourful as possible. Furthermore, everything she cosplays she makes herself. Additionally, on her Instagram, she strives to have no specific cosplay style and to use a lot of different elements. With this strategy, she hopes to show all her followers a new side of her with each photo. An example is, in one post she poses as a badass, were in the following picture, she dresses like a fairy. The reason she does this is to inspire others: ‘’ You can cosplay everything you want to. It does not matter which colour, how you make it, or from what you make it.’’
Self-image and cosplay
However, cosplay is not always light-hearted and fun. Santastic cosplay also elaborated how she struggled with not feeling confident in her own body. This made cosplaying often quite difficult. She explains how at first, she tried to cover as much of her body as possible with each cosplay. This all changed throughout her cosplay journey. Your confidence will grow a lot when you get many compliments on the convention and you feel like a total badass in your costume. She elaborated by saying ‘’Cosplay gave me the opportunity to love my body’’
Have you also become enthusiastic about Santastic Cosplay? Then follow her on Instagram @Santastic_cosplay!
Photographers:
- Photo of Purple wizar: @johnvoers_fotografie
- Photo of Dreanei yrel: @velvetart_videography
- Photo of Harley Quinn: @dinnissen_photography
