Cosplayer Interview: Nikita

Welcome to another Cosplayer Interview. This week we are going over the Atlantic Ocean for our next cosplayer ~ Nikita.

What first caught my eye was her elaborate cosplay if Nix (Shiva Sisters of Final Fantasy XIII). You will actually find out more of this cosplay below, but  it was well constructed and the detail just blew me away.

When I checked out her other cosplays, they were all equally well designed and to say detailed is an understatement. AS you will see with will her cosplays, they are done with an great eye to insure perfection.

Well, I guess we better get on with the interview and not listen to my talk.

What is your name, where do you reside and what is your age?

My cosplay name is “Nikita” I am French (I live near Paris) and I am 25 years old.

What first started you on the road to cosplay?

When I was a kid, I watched a lot of animes on tv. Sailor Moon was my favourite one. When I grow old, I discover the fabulous world of mangas and I met some other passionate people in a manga club at high school. I was in an art class since I wanted to have a creative job. The people of the club brought me at my first convention and I saw some cosplayers for the first time of my life! I immediately decided that the next year, I will be in cosplay myself. This was the perfect mix between my love for japanese pop culture, my creative needs, and the pleasure to be on stage. This also made me choose to become a professional textile designer.

How do you choose which characters you will Cosplay? 

Well, I can choose a cosplay for many reasons. I can:
-like the character
-like the costume
-challenge myself with a difficult costume
-challenge myself with a character very different from me
-make a childhood dream come true
-join a group with my friends just to have fun
-make a costume just to dance choreography
…

I saw that you make your own Cosplay, how long does it usually take to make one and what items do you use to make them?

Yes, I absolutely made all of my costumes. Some took me 3 days, some more than 6 month. Usually I am more in “fabrics” costume, but recently I tried to make some armor pieces for the first time.

How was it being one of the Ironette’s at the 2011 Japan Expo? Was it hard to learn the choreography with all the other Ironette’s?

It was so exciting! But I was so afraid because it was the first time for me being so naked in cosplay… It took me half an hour to get out of the changing room with the other girls. We learned the choreography together for 6 months! It was a huge challenge because some of us never danced before. But at the end, it was one of my best stage memories.

Nikita as Nix and Sikay as Stiria

I have to give you some serious kudos on the fact that you and Stiria-Sikay did the Shiva Sisters. What inspired you to do this very elaborate cosplay of Nix (Nikusu)?

It was really a dream for us to make those characters. First, we are big fans of Final Fantasy. The first time we saw the new Shiva Design, we thought: this is something we want to make. We like the fact that they are very feminine mechas and we wanted to challenge ourselves making them as accurate as possible. Also, this was our first armour costumes.

How long did it take you to complete the cosplay and how was it walking in those 30cm (12”) heels?

We taught about it for 2 years, started to buy the materials, one year before the contest, and actually made them in 3-4 months.

Those heels are like hell. We can’t really feel the floor and the helmets are changing our body balance… We were ok at home, but on stage, we felt even higher and without light we were afraid to fall.

I see that you do both individual and group cosplays. Which do you like doing the most and why?

I prefer the groups. Having fun with my friends is the best part of cosplay. And you can do more things on stage when you are not alone.

What conventions or shows have you cosplayed at in your country and have you gotten any awards?

I cosplay at every Parisian Convention, or I try to. I also go to one convention in the south of France once a year. I won some awards yes, I don’t remember them all, mainly World Cosplay Summit 2008 and 2010.

When not cosplaying, what do you do?

I work. Thanks to cosplay, I work as a costume designer for kids for now 2 years. My other hobbies are video games, having fun with my friends, going to cinema with my boyfriend, and cooking!

For any aspiring cosplayers a little shy, what words of wisdom do you have for them to get started?

Everyone started one day. My first cosplay was a huge fail, but I learned a lot from it. Don’t be afraid to fail, this is how you learn. Then, have fun, this is just cosplay, this is made to spend good moments, from the beginning, when you start the costume, to the end, when you finally wear it on stage and the audience is applauding you.

Where can we catch more of your Cosplay at?

Facebook  |  deviantART  |  Cosplay.com  |  Twitter 

Here is a Shout Out to our Photographers: 

Cooladn  |  DLG  |  Omaru  |  Nakana Focus  |  Florian Fromentin  |  Lilyale  |  Julien Rico  | Meian"  |  Photogeny  | Ludestru
 

Some Additional Cosplay Photographs

I want to thank Nikita for taking the time to write to me and to the Photographers for the great photos that you get to see here today.

Want to be my next interviewed COSPLAY STAR or know someone that you want to recommend? Drop me a line a bluedrakon (at) gmail (dot) com!