China workplace [cnduty.com] reported: In the fictional world, everyone may have another brand-new identity. Costume maker Luo Xiaohua is dedicated to meeting the needs of those who perform in cosplay shows. Xiaohua still can't forget the first time she met A Jie in early 2001. Back then, A Jie pointed at a character in a comic book and asked, "Do you dare to make this 'Inuyasha' costume? I want to wear it for a visual drama performance." Xiaohua didn't know who 'Inuyasha' was, nor did she understand 'visual drama,' but her competitive spirit made her promise, "No problem." Later, she learned that 'Inuyasha' was a character from Japanese anime, and visual drama was a type of cosplay show. It was Xiaohua's first encounter with cosplay, something she never imagined would become her career direction and subtly change her life.
Craftsman Xiaohua
Xiaohua, originally named Luo Xiaohua, was born in a poor village in Guangyuan, Sichuan. After graduating from vocational high school, she apprenticed under a tailor, especially skilled in making suits. This girl, who hadn't seen an electric light until she was 13, loved to dream up unique designs for clothing.
At the age of 20, she opened a tailoring studio in the Shijingshan community, naming it "Imagination." Quickly, Xiaohua won many repeat customers with her superb skills and gentle personality, especially her creative designs which gave unexpected surprises. Some white-collar workers bought fabric and asked her to make clothes based on fashion magazine pictures. Since Xiaohua charged very low fees—only 15 yuan to make a pair of pants—and despite being busy all day, she earned less than 3,000 yuan a year. Just as she was confused, A Jie, who lived in the same neighborhood, came knocking on her door.
Xiaohua was new to cosplay. With only a flat comic image, she had to create a highly three-dimensional costume, exploring step by step. She sketched the comic character's outfit and communicated repeatedly with A Jie for revisions. She could work non-stop from 8 a.m. one morning to 8 a.m. the next without sleeping. Eventually, A Jie's visual drama succeeded, and many cosplay enthusiasts inquired about where the costumes were made. Xiaohua's name spread quickly. Under A Jie's strong recommendation, Xiaohua became the moderator of a cosplay forum, and orders started pouring in uncontrollably.
Sewing Imagination into Clothes
Cosplay role-playing is about bringing fictional storylines to life in real life, and beautiful costumes are key to showcasing the characters' souls. Making costumes is essentially a process of creating dreams. The well-known figure in China's cosplay circle, "Fengjianya," frankly admitted that the performance costumes that helped her win cosplay awards were mostly made by Xiaohua. "Her understanding and creativity are so strong; I don't know how she comes up with these ideas!"
The practicality of cosplay costumes is quite low—they're only worn during performances or shows. Many people perform out of love for a particular anime character. They are very familiar with everything about the anime character and hope the costumes look as close to the images as possible. Having done a lot, Xiaohua not only improved her skills but also became more familiar with the comic characters. Now, she can enthusiastically discuss anime characters' personalities and costume choices with her customers. During an interview, a girl asked Xiaohua to recommend a cosplay costume suitable for a birthday party. After exchanging ideas, Xiaohua recommended the costume of "Rosary Vampire Mercury Lamp" based on the girl's appearance and personality.
To date, Xiaohua has made over a hundred styles of cosplay costumes. The most popular is the black robe of "Bleach," using over 90 meters of black cloth annually, consuming 5 or 6 bundles, with almost every fan wanting a set. Student uniforms, sailor outfits, and SD doll costumes are especially favored by girls. She organizes the costumes she makes into a picture library and frequently goes online to read comics and look at pictures from various comic conventions. "In terms of craftsmanship, making cosplay costumes is much easier than making suits, but achieving the desired effect requires more thought," Xiaohua said. Ordinary anime character costumes rarely pose challenges for her, but newer ones, like metallic battle suits, require fully tapping into her imagination to achieve the right results.
Customers generally only provide comic pictures. Although the style is roughly there, Xiaohua must choose the fabric that will produce the best effect. Thus, sourcing materials is the most troublesome step. To cut costs, Xiaohua has to take the bus from Shijingshan to Guihua Garden wholesale market to buy fabrics, sometimes involving multiple types of fabric for a single costume. Initially, with fewer orders, she couldn't afford to stockpile, buying only 1 or 2 meters of each type. Some merchants wouldn't even bother with her, and some were even rude. Even now, with more orders and fixed suppliers for commonly used fabrics, she still has to search everywhere for less-used materials. "Whenever I think about how many people eagerly await wearing their costumes to perform, my steps simply cannot stop."
Xiaohua has witnessed the charm of cosplay and the enthusiasm of performers: some people, even trembling in their legs, force themselves onto the stage; others, dressed in cosplay costumes, truly see themselves as stars; and some bold girls, upon receiving their newly made costumes, immediately wear them and hit the streets. She originally thought cosplay was just a game for kids, but recently, a man in his 50s specially ordered a full-sky costume.
[1] [2] Next page
This article is from Yan Xubin: A businessman, but more importantly, a soldier! -- China Workplace Market Multiplier Science -- China Workplace A Real Career Path for a High-Level Woman -- China Workplace