The Bride / Black Mamba (biker outfit)

The Bride / Black Mamba (biker outfit) of Kill Bill vol.1

Category: Fantasy

Completed: 100%

Cost: £ UK250

Hours to Make: 150-200

First worn at: Amecon 2004 (UK)

Inspiration: I've always been a big fan of Bruce Lee, but i'd look like a berk in a one-piece yellow tracksuit. When Kill Bill came out, it was like a practical version of the "Game of Death" outfit. I chose the leather version as it has not been done before and is more detailed than the tracksuit.

Favorite Aspect: The jacket, which i can use as normal clothing, and it's easily recognizable. I get lots of people asking where i bought it from. The shoes, which are the proper Onitsuka tigers seen in the movie.

Least Favorite Aspect: The leather trousers are really uncomfortable, probably because they're not worn in yet. I actually made another pair in fabric to wear at Amecon as i knew it was going to be hot. The jacket is heavy as it has armour panels built in.

Easiest Task: The shoes, i bought them off ebay, shortly after the first film came out. They're almost impossible to get hold of now though.

Hardest Task: Finding a shop that sold bright yellow leather. After several weeks, I eventually found a place that re-trims car interiors. As it was intended for upholstery, it was very thick, making it difficult to sew. The upside is that it gives the finished article a luxurious, heavyweight feel. Embroidering the patches took most time. Just finding good reference images was difficult since, at the time, the film had only just come out in cinemas, so i couldn't refer to a DVD. The "Cat" patch is a bit inaccurate, so i may alter this in the future.

Had to get the right shoes first, as i didn't want to compromise with a similar looking pair. Took a while to get yellow leather, not synthetic, as i didn't want the end result to feel "cheap". It was the first time i'd sewn real leather so i made lots of mistakes, and broke lots of needles. Even damaged the machine itself, which is sorted now.