Tell us about your first cosplay experience. Who, what, when, where, and how did it go?

Now that I think about it, I guess my first cosplay experience was Halloween in 7th or 8th grade. My mom made a Sailor Jupiter costume for me, and a friend of mine was Sailor Moon. As far as cons are considered, I attended Anime Weekend Atlanta 6 in 2000 dressed as Ryoko from Tenchi Muyo, in a kimono I purchased on eBay, with a similarly dressed friend as Washuu. My obi was tied wrong, my wig was made of foam, and in hindsight I looked pretty silly, but I had a great time and knew I'd have to do it again.

When did you realize that cosplay had become more than a passing fad for you?

When you start sketching wing harness ideas in the margins of your notes in class, and when you comb the aisles at Home Depot looking for the best wire or adhesive to use for something, or when the women who work the JoAnn fabric counter know you by name and ask what costume you're working on, I guess it's a pretty good indication!

There wasn't really a "big defining moment" for me in realizing that cosplay had somehow truly wormed its way into my life. It was more of a gradual thing – it's a hobby that I really enjoy and is well-suited to my interests, so it was only natural that it would hold my interest for longer than a one-time event.

Do video game characters have more compelling personalities than anime or manga characters? Please explain.

Perhaps in some cases, but not necessarily. There's an element of connection present in RPG-style games that can make it easier to relate to the characters, I believe. When you play as a character and interact with other characters, you may have a better opportunity to see all sides of the personality and relate them to your own experiences. However, with anime and manga, the creators are able to tell a story, which is also a very effective way to present a compelling personality.

As far as cosplay is considered, a character's personality doesn't often have much influence on the costumes I make. I tend to choose costumes I like, as opposed to characters, but frequently, they coincide.

What’s your favorite part of a costume to make? (wig, wings, trousers, accessories, etc.)

As you can probably tell from my past costumes, I'm a big fan of wings! I love translating artwork of wings, which generally defy the laws of gravity and physics, into real life. Aside from that, I love the actual sewing aspect - figuring out the patterns for everything, searching for the right fabrics, all of that. It's very enjoyable for me to see it come together piece by piece, garment by garment, to create a whole look.

You’re now a student at Fashion Institute of Technology in New York so your career choice and cosplay seem to be a pretty good match. Do you think your experiences as a cosplayer will give you an edge in that competitive field?

I sure hope so! One of the most important things when training as a designer is finding inspiration, and I know cosplay will help me there. If I have more sources from which to draw inspiration, I'll definitely have a leg up in the industry. Cosplay has helped me further hone my creative skills and design aesthetic and, in turn, helps me to design to my best ability.

Did cosplay lead you to pursue a career in fashion, or did a love for fashion steer you to this hobby?

Fashion definitely came first. I believe I started designing clothing (and occasionally costumes) in 3rd grade, and started cosplaying a number of years later. I started really sewing when I was 12 or so. When I discovered cosplay, it seemed like an exciting and fun way to indulge my creative desires, and a great way to learn more about sewing and garment construction.

Now that you’re learning what would be the correct way to construct outfits, does it help or hamper your cosplay efforts?

It goes both ways. When your everyday homework consists of doing hems and seam finishes by hand or draping a perfectly fit notched-collar blazer, it's a little hard to whip up a quick costume without fretting over a thousand things - correct facings and interfacings and understitiching and whatnot! On the plus side, I can definitely say that my costumes are cleaner and neater than they've ever been, and being able to make my own  patterns or drape garments is a great help. It's helpful to know the best ways to finish things, how to give my garments the best chance to stand up to wear and tear and still look sharp.

What’s a material or technique that you haven’t used yet that you would like to incorporate into your bag of tricks? (fiberglass, woodworking, resin casting, cobbling, etc.)

I would love to try using fiberglass. There are lots of projects that I think it would be helpful on – I love how you can get such organic shapes, more so than building things with foamcore or styrene or the like. It wouldn't be as useful, but I'd love to try millinery as well. There's one costume I'm interested in that has a very particular hat, and I'd enjoy learning how to make it myself.

Some contend that an obsession with the Harry Potter stories makes a person more susceptible to the allure of the occult. What do you think?

I think that the Harry Potter series is a great deal of fun, well-written stories that appeal to both children and adults. Many people may be interested in exploring the idea of magic in a modern sense after reading them, but likely no more than they might be after reading classic fairy tales or seeing a TV show where the characters use magic.

You’ve been selected to be the challenger in an Iron Cosplay competition where materials are provided, and the time limit to complete a costume is 90 minutes. The theme is video game heroine (your choice of character), and the secret ingredient is feather dusters. Which character would you pick, and what would be the most effective use of this ingredient in your creation?

Since everyone knows Amano = extra fancy and floofy, I would probably choose Terra from Final Fantasy VI. The feathers would be used as hair, jewelry, spangly decorations, and just about everything else. However, I would only choose her if I also had aluminum foil (for her armor), an old curtain (for her cape), red duct tape (for her boots) and copious amounts of fingerpaints for decorating her dress.

Speaking of, can you share some tips on making feather wings?

The biggest help you can have in making realistic-looking feathered wings is to look at real wings. Study the wings of birds - the structure, the feather placement, how they fold – everything. This has proved a great help to me when I make wings, and I tend to make a lot of wings! Also, trimming your feathers keeps things neat, and be sure to graduate the feathers in size, just as they are on a real bird wing.

Cosplay rivalries: good-natured fun or mean-spirited nonsense?

Any kind of "rivalry" that is sparked by such a silly, nerdy hobby is pretty ridiculous, in my opinion. We're all geeks here!

Here’s your space for additional comments and/or the dispelling of rumors.

Occasionally, I'll hear from people who wanted to speak to me at a con but were somehow intimidated, and this always surprises me. I promise I'm not scary! I'm just a short little fashion student who likes being a nerd and dressing up in fancy clothes. That's about it.

see more of Dia's costumes here

It's awesome being able to make your passion into your career, especially when you're good at it. I've seen your craftsmanship in person, and I've seen your skills improve to point where I have to ask, "How can she outdo herself next?" And yet, each time I see you, you manage to outdo yourself again and again, and I think that's great. Remember us little people when you're big and famous.

Garry