Merida Cosplay
Beautiful cosplayer
YunaDaKilla looks amazing as Merida from Brave! Here's what she has to say about the costume...
"Ever since the trailer for the movie came out, I knew I had to cosplay Merida. She was such an strong character in a world where she didn't quite belong, a bit like I feel myself some times! It was amazing to finally have a story where there's no prince waiting for the princess at the end (I like to compare Merida to a female Jim Hawkins when it comes to Disney movies). Plus : she has a bow! I've been doing archery since I was 4 years old, thanks to my father and my grandfather. They are both proud of my creativity and as woodworkers were more than impressed with my bow, and that to me was worth all the praise in the world. I realized there was so much that Merida and I had in common (up to the Mother part, except mine does not turn into a bear... that I'm aware of!) and I knew I just HAD to cosplay her.
Anybody that cosplayed a Disney Princess knows that : we become the kids' center of attention. Having a little boy coming up to me during Montreal Comiccon and asking me if I was the real one made my heart melt. I had many feedbacks from parents thanking me for taking the time to spend a few minutes with their child and talk (with a somewhat Scottish accent... at least I tried!!) about whatever they wanted to. I'm a theatrical animator as a part-time job so it was quite easy for me to slip in Merida's skin and bring a little joy to the kids of Comiccon. If I can make a kid smile just by being Merida, then all the pain from making the costume vanishes. And if a little girl says she saw you over the summer at Disney, you say yes! You play the part with them and you'll be sure that your presence will be all they'll talk about on their way home.
About the costume : I really wanted the wig to look puffy, so I had to add a whole extra wig worth of wefts into another one and recurl everything! I also wanted the costume to have a more "historical feel", so the undergarment is made of a cotton veil and the whole costume is laced with leather strips. I made the bow and arrow myself, from scratch (when I started the bow was just one big wood plank!). The bow has 15 hours of hand carving (and when I say that I mean with chisels) to achieve both bear knot designs on either side of the handle. All the brown fabric on it was sewn first and the other details are made with little beads. I have to add that the makeup part is always so fun to do : who wouldn't want a freckled face?
For me cosplaying is not just for myself to get nice pictures, prizes and recognition : it's about bringing that little spark of magic into at least one person's soul, whether it's a child by being their favourite princess or an older man because we're his prized characters from a videogame. All that's important is what you leave behind in their mind."
Model:
YunaDaKilla -
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Photographer:
Liquid Cocaine Photography -
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November 10 2013