Local cosplayer to feature as an invited guest at upcoming comic and entertainment expo

By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Autumn Desjardins, a cosplayer who hails from Strathmore, is being featured as an invited guest at the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo, which runs from April 24-27.

Having now been featured at conventions all over Canada, Desjardins began attendances as a guest with regularity in 2021.

Depending on the show, some such as Fan Expo, held in Toronto, have an application process for its guests, while others will invite prominent members of the cosplay and media communities to participate.

“A lot of times when I’m guesting, I get flown in because I judge (competitions) as well because I have a good resume for competition history and I am considered a well-rounded judge. A lot of people focus on one area of techniques and I do not do that – I learn a little bit of everything,” said Desjardins. “I can help fill in the gaps on a judging panel quite easily. It is quite fun – I like guesting because I get to sit and talk to people about their costumes and what they did. Now, I am at a central spot and people can come and see me … my job for the weekend is to talk to people.”

Through her career so far, Desjardins has amassed over two dozen awards under her belt and has represented Team Canada five times in international competitions – most recently at MegaCon in Orlando where she claimed a second-place finish.

She describes herself as a generalist when it comes to her craftsmanship, often fixating on learning new things to incorporate into costume designs and expanding her toolbox.

“Every year I find that I pick a costume that has a technique (and) I have no idea on how to do it, and that becomes my obsession for a year. Back-to-back, it was embroidery, then leatherwork, then LEDs and electronics – last year it was wig styling, this year it is casting, molding and a new CAD software,” she said. “I touch on every realm of technique that I can and learn from it and put it in a little bookshelf in my brain and use it down the road again.”

The term “cosplay” stems from costuming and role-play, a term coined in 1984 which has seen rapid growth as a profession since the 1990s.

Originally a notable aspect of popular culture in Japan and East Asia, cosplay as a practice and profession saw popularity surge in North America in and following 2010.

Desjardins has been an active cosplayer for over a decade, launching into competition initially at the age of 14, and beginning to go head-to-head with professional costumers and cosplayers two years later at 16.

“When I was 12, (Calgary) was my first comic book convention ever and it has been the show that I have been at every single year, so it is really rewarding being able to be a part of the show now and be highlighted and featured as a guest,” she said.

Desjardins added she has been known to spend upwards of 800 hours on a feature costume for a convention, working on a piece for over a year prior to showcasing as a guest or a competitor.