Today we’d like to introduce you to Xephyr.
Xephyr, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Xephyr Studios started off as a curious interest in the world of cosplay, initially fueled by strong interests in gaming and anime. After my first convention in cosplay in 2015, I was hooked. It was such a fun experience with a great, positive community. Since then, I have poured all of my free time into this craft, learning the many many aspects of cosplay from the artisan crafts like sewing and foam propmaking to the high tech of 3D printing and wearable electronics. I share my build process on social media and have build up enough notoriety to be invited as a cosplay guest to my first convention (Comicpalooza) this year.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
My biggest obstacle has always been (and will likely continue to be) myself. I tend to obsess over my builds and this perfectionism tends to drag out my creation process and create anxiety. When I get it in my head that I want something to be a certain way, then anything short of exactly that way is unacceptable. This creates a lot of stress when trying to make faithful recreations of characters, with the biggest loss being time. My biggest flaw is the massive amount of time it takes me to complete projects, due primarily to this personality trait. The results are indeed beautiful, but it comes at the cost of my sanity during the build process. I have gotten better over time, but it is something I will always have to work on.
Xephyr Studios – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I am a cosplayer. I build costumes from nerd culture and pop culture (primarily anime and video games). These costumes aim to be as faithful a recreation of the source character as possible, and when in costume I try to embody the character as much as possible. I personally am a specialist on the high-tech end of costume building. I 3D model and print most of my props and install wearable electronics such as LED light and sound effects in my costumes. These effects are usually functional and respond to triggers to create the illusion of magic or high technology. Of course, I also do the basics – I’m a fair hand at cloth patterning, sewing, garment assembly, foam propmaking, wig styling, makeup, and other basic costuming skills. I like to think what sets me apart is my attention to detail. It’s certainly what I’m most proud of (despite the time it costs). I go to great lengths to make the character as exact as possible and am not afraid to learn new skills to be able to achieve just the right finish on the armor or get that perfect magic glow.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success is accuracy. My aim is to take a character from fantasy and bring it into physical reality. The closer I can match the costume to the source material the better. The aim is total immersion, leveraging all forms of fabrication and special effects. My goal is to fully embody the character and share it with the real world.
Contact Info:
- Email: contact@xephyrstudios.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/xephyrstudios
- Facebook: facebook.com/xephyrstudios
- Twitter: twitter.com/xephyrstudios
Image Credit:
AVCV Studios, Hidden Vanity Photography; Cosplay Composites, XRPhotographic
Suggest a story: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
