Diana the Great has a Killer ‘Street Fighter’ Cammi White Cosplay
We’re sitting down to interview Diana the Great, a cosplayer with great advice for competition-goers!
We’re continuing our interview series today with a cosplayer we’ve covered a few times before. We have featured her Cammi White cosplay and her Persephone from Lore Olympus cosplay. Today we’re sitting down to learn her thoughts on cosplay inspiration, her most popular characters, and what advice she has for cosplayers.
How did you get your start in cosplay?
It started about ten, maybe twelve years ago with Halloween costume contests at my previous job. I hadn’t gotten into the “making” stage of cosplaying, but I was a genius at buying various accessories and other clothing pieces and putting them together to make a costume. I had been winning our Halloween competitions at work for back-to-back years as a result. One of the judges for our competitions had mentioned that there were conventions geared towards people who do this sort of thing all year round; at the time, I had never heard of Comicon, and I was absolutely flabbergasted.
Surely enough, I looked it up, found our local major convention (Planet Comicon), and immediately bought tickets. It also happened to be the final time that Stan Lee was in town and on my son’s birthday. I brought out my costume again, thinking that I had to wear it to fit in, but truth be told, that wasn’t necessary and never truly is. Regardless, once I set foot in the convention center, I was hooked.
What awards/commendations for cosplay have you achieved?
I’m proud to say that I have been deemed a master-level cosplayer. I was moved from intermediate to master level in the summer of 2021 with my cosplay for Obsidian, from the Steven Universe Fandom. Not many are aware that particular cosplay was only my second major foam build. I also have served as a panelist on a variety of topics, most recently with an emphasis on facepaint and being a cosplayer over the age of 30. (We won’t go into how old I really am, though lol.)
What are your favorite completed cosplays, or your most popular ones?
Though I’m known for my love of Sailor Moon, my Sailor Neptune is one of my favorites that I’ve created; made it in less than a week just based upon seeing someone with a cute hairstyle in the same color scheme as Michiru. Sailor Moon is my most popular one, with the original Moonie wig that I crafted from 300+ crochet braids. I also enjoy donning paint for the Lore Olympus fandom; Persephone and my version of Lady Hades are quite popular.
Which other cosplayers are your inspiration?
There are so many! I owe a huge thanks to Koala Cosplay and her father The Cosplay Dad. They were the main folks who encouraged me when I made my first cosplay. I wouldn’t have kept going if it weren’t for them. Pro and Con cosplay who are also KC based. Most recently Con was awarded the opportunity to represent ALL of the United States at a Crown Championship overseas. That’s one of the ultimate goals right there.
They also serve as cosplay contest runners and are a big inspiration for me and what I do. I also am constantly in awe of Sayonay Cosplay, who was the first to introduce me to the Lore Olympus fandom. She is fantastic at bringing her culture into everything it is that she does, and she’s so stunning it’s almost painful! I love that woman a lot. Starla Wynn Cosplay is a great inspiration as well. We often look to one another for those late-night con crunch sessions and help hold one another accountable and keep one another motivated. She makes me smile every time I see her. There’s also Strangecat Cosplay, Jasmine LaFleur of Black Fae Day, blk unicorn cosplay, Chaiho Cosplay. I’m really lucky to have so many people that I can look to for inspiration, motivation, and encouragement.
What advice do you have for first-time competition cosplayers?
Never ever be a sore loser; when you compete, you are on stage in everything that you do; it’s more than just going before the judges. Your showmanship, your aptitude, your attitude, your brand, they’re all on stage. I’ve seen many a cosplay contest, as well as judged a few. I’ve seen people speak poorly of other competitors, and show themselves in a very unflattering light because they disagreed with the decision. Feelings are valid, and frustration can be understandable up until a certain point, but the main thing to remember is to be your best self, even if it’s not your best moment.
Check out more of Diana the Great’s work online HERE
~Join us next week for more Cosplay Coverage~
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