TEXAS — A huge attraction to festivals like SXSW is the opportunity to Cosplay.
Cosplayers, the term used for those who like “costume play,” take the opportunity to showcase elaborate costumes and bold designs, but with SXSW going virtual, the hobby has taken a back seat.
Dee Rich and Autumn Rayne have been Cosplaying for several years.
“I really recommend it for the awkward teenager. Because there’s no judgement usually, like you can just go talk about random things,” said Rich, who has been cosplaying for 11 years. “Some of my best friends, almost basically family I’ve met through cosplay. Costuming and cosplay, and being a geek I guess changes how you deal with people.”
When the pandemic hit it changed the trajectory for the cosplay community.
“We don’t get to see each other as often. We only get to see each other at conventions every few months. It’s how do we communicate, how do we collaborate. And so a lot of us have gone online and done lots of virtual events. COVID really forced us to find new ways to hang out with each other,” said Rayne, who has been cosplaying for seven years.
The online aspect also lessons the magic of experiencing the costumes in person. The costumes can take hours, days, or weeks to make. Despite this, Rich says the cosplay community continues to go strong. Rich and Rayne hope for many more years of cosplay to come.