Recreating costumes of popular franchises: does this count here in this forum?

[LeiaOrgana2187]

Well, one of my primary reasons for joining this forum is that I seek professional advice in tailoring as a hobby. Apparently most of the finished products I turn up in my hobby are usually remaking costumes of certain characters from popular franchises, which is growing popular among the younger generations nowadays. This trend even evolved into a culture called costume playing, or "cosplaying" for short.

Frankly, I kinda think that the cosplay subculture is one of the reasons why bespoke tailoring has regained popular interest after several decades in oblivion.

Sometimes I do profit by accepting commissions for reproducing certain costumes, and this is where my need comes in.

Do you think I am allowed to talk about this topic here in this forum? or is it against the rules?
 (Some examples I want to tackle are the outfits of Doctor Who protagonists and the like....

[TTailor]

The costuming forum is here to allow a place for discussion of garments not commonly made or worn or discussed under the regular tailoring forums.
If you are new to sewing or patternmaking please make use of all the information available on the site.

[hutch--]

This is what this forum is here for, people who make or want to make garments of their own choice and/or design. We are blessed in having some genuine talent with our members so feel free to ask what you need and you may find someone who can advise you.

As an aside, cosplay is very popular in Japan and it appears to be a vehicle for pretty girls to wear unusual things at public events.

[LeiaOrgana2187]

Well... I'll take that as a yes...

[Cafe Impecunious]

I would have to say, yes, cosplay is fun, and it most likely does have something to do with the revival of 'retro' and classic tailoring.
I'll share a costume I just completed, for the Foundations Revealed competition, based on the descriptions of Twoflower from the Discworld novels by Terry Pratchett.

[Schneiderfrei]

The imitation of the styles of popular franchisesis naturally fun, for personal use, but it represents only the most superficial aspect of the art of tailoring.

Primarily the goal of this forum is to examine the techniques of drafting, fitting and construction.

When you know these things, you can make anything in any way you choose.

Naturally, franchise products fit everyone in the worst possble way. So many compromises of fitting are undertaken, that the only stand-out feature is the name badge and particular details of fashion points.

Fashion points are natually an important part of tailoring, they are the mutable, ephemeral elements of style, that change more slowly in men's fashion than for women's.

The proprietry franchises represent the opposite of bespoke tailoring, and bespoke is what we like to discuss in this forum.  On the other hand, the discussion of style points is a perfect topic for discussion here.

G

[spookietoo]

I missed this thread the first time around.

Schneiderfrei - my niece started Cosplay at age 14. She's now 32 and a successful licensed architect -still Cosplaying. At least her generation knows which end of a sewing machine is which as a result.

While most Cosplayers don't sweat the details, (my niece usually trades off the sewing to someone else while she makes crowns, weapons, etc.) the level of effort has reached amazing peaks for some people.

While I think the overwhelming majority should resort to assistance from the home sewing forums, I think there's a possibility of a few that may want to up their skills to an appropriate level and attain skills that could make their way into their every day life.

[Hendrick]

Agreed with Spookieetoo that feeding the imagination is never a bad thing and escaping reality through playing is a necessity for all of us. Especially in these times. And, this time at least, it's not a "tappable app"! The same can be said for table games like Dungeons & Dragons; the lengths people go in these stories are truly admireable.
But Schneiderfrei makes agood point to me here; you go for the effect and not necessarely the craft! Naturally the well trained modelist/sewist/tailor will be able to blow your mind when there are no creative limitations. I live not far from the city of Maastricht, where "carnaval" is an important yearly event. When you see the effort in costumes and the effects (and budgets!), they make many a Hollywood film set pale by comparison...

[Schneiderfrei]

I think I just realised that franchises refers to movie franchises?? Not garment manufacturing franchises? Am I on the right page yet?

[spookietoo]

Yes, movies, comic strips, cartoons, books, fairy tales...pretty much anything goes. And apparently there are millions of people all around the world that do this. My niece frequently travels. While interning in Denmark for 6 months for her architectural degree. She attended a con or 2 in Europe and has traveled to Japan & Hong kong twice, Iceland, Ireland, italy., can't remember the rest....often staying or traveling with cosplay friends.She and her friends tend towards the Japanese Manga characters. But they'll also do Disney. My sis (her Mom) and I decided it was a healthier way to let off steam that the brain cell killing, alcohol fueled nights we partook of back in the day.

Most of the costuming truly does not require the skills attainable from this site. But Sherlock Holmes could and some of the Dr. Who as mentioned above, and others. No more attention than I pay to it, the level of skill put into these costumes increases with each year.

As my BIL was attempting to educate my nephew on 80"s music a few years back (both take this endevour quite seriously to this day) BIL was searching Youtube for Ain't No Mountain High Enough, Marvin Gaye &Tami? Terrell, when he ran across Dragoncon Atlanta 2014 and we all realized Neice would have attended so the whole family watched to see what was up. It's a lipsynch, decently edited. Nephew suddenly exclaimed, "That's Amanda!" And it was, Prince Charming in a group of five girls. I'll try to post a link - a nice break from Covid. the general state of the world and adulthood in general.

Not much in the way of tailoring on this one, frankly not much fabric at all on some as this Con is Manga, SciFi, & Disney oriented. I just like that it has this generation sewing and as a result, my nephew will probably find his way here someday soon as off the rack doesn't quite cut it for him.

And let me stress - home sewing forums would be much more helpful to those sewing at this level!

[Cafe Impecunious]

On the whole Effect vs. Technique front, I've noticed that on CosTube (mostly historical), a number of costumers, whilst adapting to modern machines or techniques, more often than not will incorporate historic technique over modern time saving techniques, because ~Aesthetique~

[hutch--]

I have no doubt that cosplay creation have much in common with the demands of theatre and cinema and this means that garments which have to be seen in public need to be made well enough to look authentic by whatever criterion that entails. Have a look at Terri's blog for those stunning Elizabethan era collars and much more.

I follow on Youtube a number of kids who are musicians from Taiwan and while they are excellent musicians, it seems to be popular for kids in Taiwan to be into cosplay and at least some of them are very good. I also get the impression that they hire the costumes so they would have to be reasonably robust to handle the normal wear and tear.