C-3POs, Wonder Women and a trio of Alices: the stars of cosplay – in pictures

February 23, 2023 News

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C-3POs, Wonder Women and a trio of Alices: the stars of cosplay – in pictures

 Three’s company … Alice in Wonderland. Photograph: Thurstan Redding

Cosplay is about more than just dressing up – for some people it can change their life. They share their stories with photographer Thurstan Redding

  • Wonder Women (various students and models)

    A new book, Kids of Cosplay by Thurstan Redding, looks into the role-play and costume phenomenon. It is published by Thames and Hudson. All photographs: Thurstan Redding

    Wonder Women From left to right: student; student, model and bartender; actress, dancer and model; model and human resource and employment law administrator; model

  • X-Men’s Mystique (manicurist)

    ‘I love dressing up as different characters. It’s so fun to become someone else for a night. Mystique is such a great role; I love that she is strong and dangerous, yet still feminine. In this costume I feel mysterious and sultry. There’s something about being blue for the day’

    Mystique (X-Men), Manicurist ‘I love dressing up as different characters. It’s so fun to become someone else for a night. Mystique is such a great role; I love that she is strong and dangerous, yet still feminine. In this costume I feel mysterious and sultry. There’s something about being blue for the day.’

  • Sailor Moons (student, and medical science student and content creator)

    ‘In this costume I feel magical! And powerful. It’s fun to be able to turn into anybody I want to be. Cosplay allows me to express my love for a character by bringing them to life in a way that drawings and traditional art cannot’

    Sailor Moons Student (left), medical science student and content creator (right) ‘In this costume I feel magical! And powerful. It’s fun to be able to turn into anybody I want to be. Cosplay allows me to express my love for a character by bringing them to life in a way that drawings and traditional art cannot.’

  • C-3POs (Star Wars)

    You can read more about this image with the Observer’s Big Picture feature

    C-3POs (Star Wars)read more big pic sunday 19thhttps://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2023/feb/19/the-big-picture-droids-c3po-redding-kids-cosplay

  • Suicide Squad’s Harley Quinn (medicine and health publishing worker)

    ‘Cosplay is my form of escapism. It allows me to tap into the parts of myself that I would not normally express. Harley Quinn was the first cosplay I ever put together, back in 2018. Since then, I have been adding to her, modifying her and upgrading her, so the final cosplay is the product of four years of love and attention. Some aspects of the cosplay are shop-bought, other aspects are more handmade: I cut, styled and dyed the wig, and I dyed, painted and distressed the T-shirt’

    Harley Quinn (Suicide Squad), Medicine and health publishing worker ‘Cosplay is my form of escapism. It allows me to tap into the parts of myself that I would not normally express. Harley Quinn was the first cosplay I ever put together, back in 2018. Since then, I have been adding to her, modifying her and upgrading her, so the final cosplay is the product of four years of love and attention. Some aspects of the cosplay are shop-bought, other aspects are more handmade: I cut, styled and dyed the wig, and I dyed, painted and distressed the T-shirt.’

  • Spider-Man, (energy industry worker)

    Thurstan Redding: ‘I’d been searching for a subject matter that still had space for exploration, and when I came across a cosplay convention in 2017 I was transfixed. It took three years to properly gain the trust of so many cosplayers and to capture the beauty of their craftsmanship’

    Spider-Man (Marvel), Energy industry worker

  • League of Legends’ Syndra (professional cosplayer)

    Redding: ‘The process of transformation is something that resonated with me deeply. Whether it’s becoming a fictional character or becoming the you the world sees, cosplay is everywhere; we are all always cosplaying in some shape or form. Sometimes, all it takes is to scratch the surface of our realities to reveal the fantasy that lies beneath’

    Syndra (League of Legends), Professional cosplayer

  • The Little Mermaid’s Ursula (hospital receptionist)

    ‘My costume took about 10 hours to make. I picked Ursula because I adored seeing some confident plus-size representation in a Disney film, and it’s nice to try to embody that’

    Ursula (The Little Mermaid), Hospital receptionist ‘My costume took about ten hours to make. I picked Ursula because I adored seeing some confident plus size representation in a Disney film, and it’s nice to try to embody that.’

  • The Wicked Witch of the West (baby massage teacher and exam invigilator)

    ‘I first accompanied my eldest daughter to MCM London Comic Con nearly 10 years ago. I had no idea what to expect and was not cosplaying then, but it was such a welcoming and encouraging environment that we returned in costume. Cosplay is great fun, challenging and time-consuming – painting yourself green effectively is not quick or easy! But it’s a fantastical escape and – more than anything – it’s been a great way to connect with my family creatively’

    The Wicked Witch of the West (The Wizard of Oz) Baby massage teacher and exam invigilator ‘I first accompanied my eldest daughter [who appears as Ursula on pages 6, 18– 19, 108, 117 and 137] to MCM London Comic Con nearly ten years ago. I had no idea what to expect and was not cosplaying then, but it was such a welcoming and encouraging environment that we returned in costume. Cosplay is great fun, challenging and time consuming – painting yourself green effectively is not quick or easy! But it’s a fantastical escape and – more than anything – it’s been a great way to connect with my family creatively.’

  • Aquaman (bartender, paleontology student and online creator)

    ‘To take a recognisable image, something that is in the public mindset, and be able to do whatever you like with it is a rare thing. It’s a new form of artwork and we’re all still figuring out the rules, benefits and boundaries. It gives an individual a voice that is stronger than their own, and I enjoy using that for good … and for memes!’

    AquamanBartender, paleontology studentand online creator‘To take a recognizable image, somethingthat is in the public mindset, and be able todo whatever you like with it is a rare thing.It’s a new form of artwork and we’re allstill figuring out the rules, benefits andboundaries. It gives an individual a voicethat is stronger than their own, and I enjoyusing that for good…and for memes.’

  • Alice in Wonderland (architect student and model, bio-textiles researcher, actor and artist)

    Redding: ‘Cosplay is a powerful expression of both individuality and diversity that unexpectedly allows many to fit together as a single chaotic – but cohesive – community’

    Alice in Wonderland (architect student and model, bio-textiles researcher, actor and artist)THURSTAN QUOTE

  • One Piece’s Vinsmoke Sanji (customer service worker)

    Redding: ‘Theirs is a beauty that often comes alive in the most unassuming of places: a suburban home where they create ingenious costumes, a local bus stop as they head out to a meet in full regalia, or a teenage bedroom before they connect with their community online’

    Vinsmoke Sanji (One Piece), Customer service worker

  • Star Wars Resistance Pilot (retail worker)

    ‘This costume feels like an extension of myself, because I’ve made it to my liking. When I first started cosplaying, I was able to hide my face and pretend I was someone else for a while. I felt it was preparation for when I was going to publicly transition to Bella in 2015. Putting that helmet on before I came out, I was able to embrace my true self, detaching my old identity from myself while I explored who I was’

    Resistance Pilot (Star Wars) Retail worker ‘This costume feels like an extension of myself. Because I’ve made it to my liking, I’ve not had to meet anybody else’s criteria or pass their standards. This is a costume I have given a part of myself to, and I’m very proud to put her on. Costuming and cosplay allows you to be completely you, while – ironically – being someone else at the same time. When I first started cosplaying, I was able to hide my face and pretend I was someone else for a while. I felt it was preparation for when I was going to publicly transition to Bella in 2015. Putting that helmet on before I came out, I was able to embrace my true self, detaching my old identity from myself while I explored who I was.’

  • Kakegurui’s Kirari Momobami (communications worker)

    Redding: ‘Kids of Cosplay came from a place of longing for images that were layered with sociological meaning and that I also hadn’t seen before’

    Kirari Momobami (Kakegurui) Communications workerTHURSTAN QUOTE

  • Ouran Highschool Host Club’s Honey (swimming teacher)

    ‘Cosplay allows anyone to become a hero for a day’

    Honey (Ouran Highschool Host Club), Swimming teacher

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