This was a completely original design project. The client came to me personally for a private commission, and asked for a "Sith Lord" Star Wars costume that would mimic that of Darth Maul, but for a woman.
After a quick concept sketch, she and I were able to come to an easy agreement on the look, and materials. The goal was for it to be unique from other Sith costumes, and be as breathable as possible, as this would be worn during a parade in late August in Atlanta.
The first item, is a short kimono with the traditionally long sleeves. This item I made of a lightweight black linen, and lined with an even lightwer weight black cotton. The trim is a polyester acordion crushed satin, cut on a bias for the neck facing.
August 2014
Cosplay Commission for Marilyn S.
Sith Lord
The surcoat is made of two poly/cotton blended fabrics, one in deep black, and the other in an almost metallic charcoal. This I lined in the same fine black cotton as the kimono. As a personal touch, I did a quilted chevron pattern down the center back in a rich scarlet thread, and top stitched the facing panels in the same. I then cut the hem in a chevron to match the quilting.
The client provided her own pants, but requested a tattered "skirt" or tabbard of some sort. I went with the tabbard, as the surcoat was already so long in the back. This I started with just a collection of torn fabric strips, but didn't like. So I added an additional 'front' to the tabbard. I chose an organza so the strips could still be seen underneath, and hand painted it with an asymetrical design.
After that, the final piece was a waist cincher to pull everything together. I chose a black lambskin for its softness and sinister conotation of killing baby lambs. The four part cincher was lightly boned with flat steel, centered in cotton twill and lined in the same metallic charcoal poly blend as the surcoat. I then hand stitched on metal belt loops for the matching lambskin belts, as well as haging loops from beneath the cincher to hang her lightsabers off of.
As per the client's request, I added pockets to the insides of the sleeves to allow her to carry her cellphone and wallet.
Finally, the client requested that the costume be aged and tattered to look like it had seen some wear. I began with the tabbard, spreading out the strips and treating each with deferance to the material it was made out of. I applied various splatters and sprays of a 1:1 bleach solution, dye, watered down acrylic paint, and quick bursts of spray paint. I than took a lighter and coarse sandpaper to the strips to melt and scorch them. The front of the tabbard was done entirely with paint and dye, sprayed and splattered over it. I then darkened the original designs on it with a gloss acrylic to make the stains look 'set in' to the painted part of the design.
The surcoat got only a very light fade of bleach on the charcoal material as the black poly blend refused to fade. I considered using paints to age it, but liked the effect of the fade so much I decided to leave it as was.
The kimono was soaked in water and peroxide and left in the sun. over the course of the day i would continue to resoak it and lightly spray with varying bleach solutions to lightly fade some parts, and more dramatically age the bottoms of the long sleeves.
The client was absolutely thrilled with the final product.
I wanted the garments to fit a very specific way so constructing a well fitting mock-up was very important.
Corsets and cinchers should always close completely in the back to avoid looking "too small" or too strained.
Because I expected the client to want to be photographed in various dynamic poses, movement was a big consideration. I wanted the garments tight and fitted around the body, but I wanted all the other parts to be very flowing and dramatic.
Pockets!! Sewn onto the lining to be invisible. Accessible through the back of the sleeve. They do not hinder movemet, and even weighted down with a Samsug Galaxy S5, there's not outward visibility. Because every Sith Lord needs storage space...
I took many photos throughout the construction process to both document progress, but also to check how the piece would look on camera.
The finished garments ((minus cincher)) before aging process.
The finished Garments before ageing process.
The finished garments before the ageing process.
Ager Aging the back, the distressing is very minimal, but still has an eye catching ombre.
The Tabbard took the brunt of the weathering. I wanted it to look like it frequently saw all the dirt, blood splatter, grime and sludge that an evil student of the darkside would have at their feet.
The Tabbard took the brunt of the weathering. I wanted it to look like it frequently saw all the dirt, blood splatter, grime and sludge that an evil student of the darkside would have at their feet.
The various colors on the sleeve make mini cosmos of the black linen.
