August 2023 MBR The Fashion Shelf

The Fashion Shelf

Kids of Cosplay
Thurstan Redding
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500026175, $50.00, HC, 144pp

https://www.amazon.com/Kids-Cosplay-Thurstan-Redding/dp/0500026173

Synopsis: Cosplay, a portmanteau of "costume play", is an activity and performance art in which participants called cosplayers wear costumes and fashion accessories to represent a specific character. Cosplayers often interact to create a subculture, and a broader use of the term "cosplay" applies to any costumed role-playing in venues apart from the stage. Any entity that lends itself to dramatic interpretation may be taken up as a subject. Favorite sources include anime, cartoons, comic books, manga, television series, rock music performances, and video games. The term is composed of the two aforementioned counterparts -- costume and role play.

Cosplay grew out of the practice of fan costuming at science fiction conventions, beginning with Morojo's "futuristicostumes" created for the 1st World Science Fiction Convention held in New York City in 1939. The Japanese term "cosplay" was coined in 1984. A rapid growth in the number of people cosplaying as a hobby since the 1990s has made the phenomenon a significant aspect of popular culture in Japan, as well as in other parts of East Asia and in the Western world. Cosplay events are common features of fan conventions, and today there are many dedicated conventions and competitions, as well as social networks, websites, and other forms of media centered on cosplay activities. Cosplay is very popular among all genders, and it is not unusual to see crossplay, also referred to as gender-bending. (Wikipedia)

A powerful expression of individuality and diversity, cosplay has become global phenomenon that allows anyone to become a hero for a day.

After attending a cosplay convention in 2017, photographer Thurstan Redding became captivated by cosplay as a subject matter and embarked on a three-year photographic project to portray cosplay in a way it had never been seen before.

Brought to life through the presentation of seventy cosplayers in unassuming locations, "Kids of Cosplay" highlights how creativity can thrive in the most mundane realities: Spider-Man is illuminated by the open fridge in a kitchen, three Alices wait at a bus stop in a desolate Wonderland, a Resistance Pilot plays dead on the gravel driveway of a suburban housing complex.

Supplemented by commentary from the cosplayers themselves, together with behind-the-scenes pages from Thurstan's personal diary, Kids of Cosplay "celebrates the unique community spirit that exists within this charming (and, the more you look, surprisingly moving) parallel universe of glorious, generous pageantry" (Vogue).

A foreword by fashion powerhouse Katie Grand; an essay by writer and performer Tom Rasmussen, who discusses the social and cultural context of cosplay; and an illuminating interview with Redding by noted fashion writer Sara McAlpine complete "Kids of Cosplay".

Sometimes, you only have to scratch the surface of our reality to reveal the fantasy that lies beneath.

Critique: Published by Thames & Hudson in a large format (10.2 x 0.7 x 11.4 inches, 2.34 pounds) hardcover edition and featuring 128 full page, color photo illustrations, "Kids of Cosplay" is an inherently fun, informative, and fascinating presentation showcasing imaginative examples of the phenomena that has become known as cosplay. "Kids of Cosplay" is a unique and very special pick for personal, professional, community, college, and university library Contemporary Pop Culture & Fashion collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.

Editorial Note #1: Thurstan Redding (https://www.thurstanredding.com) is a Hong Kong-born, French-raised British photographer and director based in London. His work explores the intersections between identity politics, subcultural movements, and classical photography. He has contributed to i-D, M: Le Magazine du Monde, British Vogue, T: The New York Times Style Magazine, Arena Homme +, Document Journal, Love, the Wall Street Journal, Re-Edition, and Replica. His commercial clients include Chanel, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Versace, Miu Miu, Marc Jacobs, Chloe, and Burberry.

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