Italy 🇮🇹
DUO
Barbara: Barubara, 43 yo. Art Director in life, photographer and always passionate about Japanese culture and videogames.
Gabriele: Gabezoid, 37 yo. Designer, musician, podcast host and cosplayer. I am none of that 🙂
How did you discover cosplay and what made you start in this hobby? How long ago?
Barbara: I have always attended conventions watching cosplayers with admiration. Then in 2016 I decided to give it a try by making my first costume: Grell from Black Butler.
Gabriele: I started cosplaying just to flirt with Barbara. It worked very good and thankfully it’s a great hobby too!
Why did you choose Ana and Soldier 76 from Overwatch as your project for the ICL preselection? Is this your first time joining an international cosplay competition?
Barbara: We are very attached to these characters (we have also made other skins), and during the pandemic we started working on them. The ICL gave us the perfect opportunity to show off our work.
Gabriele: Yes, it is our first selection and competition outside of Italy. We love Overwatch and we love cosplay contest so… here we are! 🙂
What does cosplay mean for you? And what is your favorite part of the hobby?
Barbara: Being able to pay homage to the characters I love and escape from the daily routine. During the creation of a costume I particularly love discovering and trying new materials and I really love the coloring phase.
Gabriele: I love looking in the mirror and seeing how cosplay gives me the possibility to change into the characters I love. I really love to test new crafting techniques, and I hope to improve more and more over the years.
¿Qué significa el cosplay para ti? ¿Cuál es tu parte favorita del hobby?
Bárbara: Poder rendir homenaje a los personajes que amo y escapar de la rutina diaria. Durante la creación de un disfraz, me encanta descubrir y probar nuevos materiales y me encanta la fase de coloreado.
Gabriele: Me encanta mirarme en el espejo y ver cómo el cosplay me da la posibilidad de convertirme en los personajes que amo. Realmente me encanta probar nuevas técnicas de elaboración, y espero mejorar más y más a lo largo de los años.
If you weren’t selected before the pandemic, please let us know how did it affect to your cosplay projects and motivation and how you approached the selections.
Barbara & Gabriel: We were selected after the pandemic, in June 2022. And after two years of “break” due to pandemic we had a great desire to get back into the game. The ICL has given us this opportunity and for us being here really means a lot.
What do you expect from your visit to Spain? Is this your first time visiting the country?
Barbara & Gabriele: We have already been to Spain, but from this trip we expect to meet many new friends and cosplay lovers, have fun and learn and… of course, eat a lot of paella!
Have you decided your project for the finals in Madrid? Can you give us a clue?
Barbara & Gabriele: We will perform with the same characters we won the selection with at Torino Comics: Ana and Soldier 76 from Overwatch
Describe the cosplay community in your country using five words.
Barbara & Gabriele: Challenging, Friendly, Conventions, Hearty, Ingenious.
You can follow Barubara and Gabezoid on:
https://www.instagram.com/barubarasama
https://www.instagram.com/gabezoid
SOLO
My nick name is Aylin Lab I started making cosplay costumes in 2016 and I haven’t stopped since! I love to build and always dedicate myself to new projects.
How did you discover cosplay and what made you start in this hobby? How long ago?
I discovered cosplay thanks to some friends in 2015 and soon after I started building my own costumes too.
Why did you choose Scarlet Witch as your project for the ICL preselection? Is this your first time joining an international cosplay competition?
Because he is a character that I also really like in costume design, yes she is my first selection.
What does cosplay mean for you? And what is your favorite part of the hobby?
Cosplay for me is the possibility of expressing my artistic side and being able to wear creations made by me, as well as interpreting a beloved character.
If you weren’t selected before the pandemic, please let us know how did it affect to your cosplay projects and motivation and how you approached the selections.
I was selected after the pandemic, this gave me the opportunity to think well about my future projects and the approach I will have in the future towards this world, the icl selections have always intrigued me, I love that a lot of attention is paid to the quality of the costume.
What do you expect from your visit to Spain? Is this your first time visiting the country?
I hope to have fun and meet new people from all over the world, I visited Valencia earlier this year.
Have you decided your project for the finals in Madrid? Can you give us a clue?
Certainly, I’ll wear one of Aloy’s dresses titled forbidden west.
Describe the cosplay community in your country using five words.
Competitive, numerous, fun, enterprising, warrior.
You can follow Aylin Lab on:
https://www.instagram.com/aylinlab/
Team Italy was selected at Torino Comics (June 2022)
