Nicole Martin, 28 years old, won the cosplay competition which took place during the latest edition of the Milan Games Week & Cartoomics. On stage he brought Evie Frye, a character from the Assassin’s Creed saga. It took five months of work to create the entire costume.
Interview with Nicole Martin
Seamstress and cosplayer
The final of cosplay tournament it is one of the last events of the afternoon. Walking towards the pavilions of Rho-Fiera, in the satellite areas of Milan, you pass through the flow of people who are leaving the Milan Games Week & Cartoomics to return to the trains and metro. Someone is in disguise. The usual guys in Naruto costumes, a matching couple dressed as Umbreon, not a bad one Luffy in Gear 5 version. It also has a small LED system.
Some only have a hat or a wig. Others wear a costume bought for cheap on AliExpress. Nothing comparable to what they did cosplayer who go up on the small stage set up in the middle of the traders’ stands. Months of work, references studied in detail and even a few fundamental of theatre to play the character.
The girl (age indecipherable) is excellent and brings to the stage a monstrously faithful copy of the possessed little girl who appears in the film The Exorcist. He will win in the end Nicole Martin28 years old, from the province of Milan. His cosplay, he tells us, comes from the Assassin’s Creed saga: it is Evie Fryefrom the Syndicate chapter. The costume is between Gothic and Victorianfull of details. Everything was sewn by hand.
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What do you do when you’re not on stage?
Now I’m studying tailoring. For now I make clothes for myself or for my friends, it depends a bit on the requests. When I finish the course it wouldn’t be bad open my own business.
A boutique specializing in cosplay?
I like to sew, pretty much anything. Before starting this course I did years of self-taught. There are already workshops that only deal with sewing clothes for cosplay. A group of Tuscan seamstresses for example, first they worked on fantasy-themed wedding dresses and then after the boom that has occurred in recent years they dedicated themselves only to cosplay.
When did the boom start?
After the pandemic. I never understood why, maybe people stuck at home had to find a new hobby and discovered this world. In any case the scene has really changed: I see it in the trade fair calendar. Now there are events every weekend.
When did you start cosplaying?
The first ones were a 14 years old. I had just started art high school, my classmates did cosplay and went to fairs. So I started attending these events. Then over time I gave up a bit. I started again whenAcademy of Fine Arts I met a classmate who pulled me back into this environment.
First cosplay?
Era Kibaa character from Naruto. Very simple.
In Milan you won with Evie Frye, how did you choose her?
I like the aesthetic but maybe I like it betterhis character. She is very strong and very thoughtful but also has a very human side. Let’s say it’s a bit like how I would like to be, who instead am very impulsive. The skin I chose to recreate is called Beautiful Lady. I love the gothic theme and the fact that it is full of details.
NICOLE MARTIN | The cosplay with which he won at Milan Games Week
Is there an Italian championship?
There are different manifestations. The victory in Milan allows me to access the final of the Cosplay Italian Cup which will be in 2025 a Movielandin the province of Verona. At the moment this is the most important race but others are emerging.
How long did it take you to sew everything?
On a practical level, a month. If we also count all the study work then also five months. I really started from scratch: I made paper patterns and tests with waste materials. I also commissioned some details because it was necessary model them in 3D and I’m still not good enough at this. I finished setting it up the night before the race.
Cost of the whole operation?
Well, I’d say 500 euros. It is important to note that hand-sewn Assassin’s Creed clothes are available on the market for a high price from 700 to 2,000 euros.
What is the thing that makes you happiest when you wear a costume you created?
It’s nice to pretend to be another person for half a day. And of course, I participate in competitions to have my five minutes of fame too. But for me the most beautiful thing has always been something else: work on a long and complex project. In between there is the whole research process. When I finished it I almost didn’t want to wear it anymore.
