Welcome to Meet the Cosplayer, where I introduce you to some of the fantastic, creative talent within the Rainbow Six: Siege community. This series is meant to showcase the amazing cosplayers no matter their skill level or experience.
I sat down and spoke with cosplayer KoziJeans about her history with cosplay, what got her into it, the challenges she faced and other things.
KoziJeans is from Austin, Texas, and is an educational designer & faciliator.
What got you interested in cosplay?
“Back when I was in 8th grade, I was hanging out with some family friends when the oldest sister came back home with her friends from a convention! They talked about it to me and agreed that they’d take me to the next con. I’ve been into anime since I was 4, so this sounded super exciting to me! My first cosplay was Matryoshka Rin from Vocaloid.”
How long have you been cosplaying for?
“Almost 15 years! I took a bit of a break during the pandemic, but now I’m back and better than ever! Trying to explore having moved states and making new friends here. During the pandemic, I shifted from only anime cosplays to including some Siege cosplays because 2020 is when I started playing the game!”
What has been the most difficult part about cosplaying for you?
“Back in the day, the hardest part was that everyone judged me for having such a weird hobby. Now, I’d say that the hardest part is that cosplay has become a little bit of a clout contest and it feels harder to make genuine friends online. Now, it’s all about making new friends in-person at conventions and other events! I also have a hard time with sewing, so I shifted my focus to buying costumes and base pieces and adding on top of them with my foam work and 3D printing knowledge!”
When cosplaying, what have been three most important things for you to have with you?
“Superglue – never know when something’s going to break! Safety pins for the same reason. Also, access to water! Stay hydrated, folks!!”
When you started cosplaying, what was an obstacle or challenge that you encountered?
“As I said above, just that it was considered a weird hobby years ago! I once dressed up as Elsa from Frozen to high school for a spirit day and everyone was both impressed and weirded out. However, cosplaying has brought so many amazing opportunities to me. I got into my college program of Industrial Design because of cosplay, I have my current job because of cosplay and having a stage presence. I’ve been on a few stages as a guest because of cosplay. There are so many cool things and amazing doors that have opened up for me because I stuck with something that I loved, despite what others thought!”
What advice would you give to people wanting to start cosplay for the first time?
“Just start – it’s a lot cheaper than it used to be and there are resources EVERYWHERE to help you get started. Aliexpress and thrifting are my best friends for getting costume bases. If you don’t have a tool, people are more than willing to help you get exactly what you want for a prop, costume, or wig. I’m always happy to help and am available for any quick 3D prints that anyone in the US needs, I just want to be a helpful resource to cosplayers who need it!”
KoziJeans can be found on your favourite social media channels here:
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/KoziJeans
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/KoziJeans
- Twitch: https://twitch.tv/KoziJeans