Please Credit Properly

It’s always important to credit while using someone’s designs and artwork. As a designer and maker I take much pride in each of the designs and pieces of work.

As you may know last spring I debuted a collection called Elementa~ It was quite a fun collection for me which highlighted the fantasy fun aspects in my designs. I debuted that collection at Hanadoki Con which I was asked to participate in. Although I didn’t know until after I accepted and quite later that they booked DollDelight as the headliner for the show. DollDelight decided to use Hanadoki Con as their reality TV ground for their series The Doll Life. I decided to watch the episode of Hanadoki Con as I was told my designs were shown in it and indeed it was.

Of course under the wrong designer’s name.

One of my models, Kim, wearing the water element design started the segment off but with the title of the designer Atelier Le Gateau de Fee. Really a designer’s nightmare right next to someone stealing your work. But it kinda feels that way even if it wasn’t intentional.

So just to clarify… Atelier Le Gateau de Fee is not the designer for the designs shown, it should have been “Kimikotan” at the time.

Minus that mishap and other mishaps…. I’m still quite proud of my designs and the girls that showcased them so well~

Screenshots taken from The Doll Life.

Elementa Collection

I present to you my second collection: Elementa~
Created for debut at Hanadoki Con 2015

I had the pleasure of debuting 7 new outfits at Hanadoki Con who invited me to participate in their fashion extravaganza! It was quite the experience which was great minus it being so hectic. But isn’t every fashion show hectic? xD

This collection was my take my elements being transformed into high fashion fantasy outfits. I wanted my signature flow to be present as they walked the catwalk and in a perfect world an orb that would showcase each element. But regadless of countless setbacks like time, budget, convention communication and space… I was able to somehow pull through just in time. This is actually the first time I really paced myself and finished everything the night before thus letting me sleep well through the night :D

For the photoshoot I wanted to really concentrate on pairs. Whether they are opposite or complementing each other. I get the question of “how do you match models to designs?” Well I look at their personality and see what kinda of image they portray and then I look at their best physical asset and try to really showcase that. It gets difficult when I haven’t met them in person but if something strikes out to me in a photo they have I’ll be sure to take note. I’m not always looking for slim typical looking models, I like variety in height, size and skin color :D Because I believe there is a design perfect for anyone.

Light & Darkness

This pretty much sums up light & dark~ Alina was a dear and put on the best eye rolling face ever :D She’s really awesome at getting my image through the camera. Julianne aka Kurukame was a wonderfully bubbly person that smiled all the time so light was quite… bright and happy!

Metal & Earth

Compliments to each other if not part of each other~ Metal and Earth working together to keep stability. Mari aka V5 and Jackie aka Jack Jack Cosplay was wonderful together~ They also look like they can kick someone’s butt xD

Water & Fire

Girls that have legs for days :D Kim if you don’t recognize her was awesome for letting me put her in something similar to the last show. I was on a time crunch but I did try to give her something different anyways. Serena aka Crafty Foxx is one of the new girls to the bunch but is quite awesome :D

Earth & Wind

Get it? Air/wind is above earth XD Jackie was wonderful for being in two sets :D And I had fun but difficulties trying to get my skirt to cooperate.

As for individual shots this is where the girls got to really shine~

And easy comparison on how even though I designed the outfits and made them myself… drawing and application changes all the time. Some changes are slight like fire has more fire “petals” on the skirt for modesty and water as white instead of light blue. But other things like my wind’s skirt was changed completely to start from the bust and light’s feathers were omitted for simple applique design. Little things here and there were changed as I made the outfits but for different reasons. In the end I think it just looks better :D

So grateful for all the models taking time out to help my vision come to life :D Really are awesome people and please go visit the ones that have pages! Give them some love <3

Darkness model: Alina
Light model: Kurukame
Fire model: Crafty Foxx
Water model: Kim
Earth Model: Jack Jack Cosplay
Wind Model: Me~ Kimikotan
Metal model: V5

And of course designed and made by yours truely~ Kimikotan 

If you like what you see & want to see more, please come support me on Patreon!

Anime LA 2015 o.o

I guess time and prep got the better of me and I totally forgot to post about my time at Anime LA!!! Which is surprising because this year was the year I decided to be ambitious and get my own half table as well as staff o.o Quite a busy weekend with debuting Hilda from Link Between Worlds too!

Photo by Hermsi, taken at ALA15

Really exiting stuff :D I’m happy with how Hilda turned out but gotta do a few alterations still. One main one is making sure the skirt stops touching the floor and the red stripe may be moved upwards then. Oh! And that armor kept moving around =.= Gotta keep that in place xD

Other than that I met some awesome new people and got to talk to SO many new cosplayers… I was just ecstatic =3 Next year it won’t be in the same comfy space but… eh. We’ll live and who knows, maybe someone will step up to the plate and decide to put another con there!

The photos can be seen on my facebook page: fb.me/kimikotancosplay or I’ll just link to the album :D

–Kimikotan