Golden Armor
An original costume design created for the Labyrinth Masquerade Ball in 2016.
I wanted to make an ornate set of armor which would be both a technical challenge and outside of my usual comfort zone. I was inspired by many aesthetic sources, including the Lannister family of Game of Thrones. Although this is not intended as a character cosplay, I was inspired by their color scheme and visual decadence.
Photos by Atelier Heidi
Created: August 2016
Collaborators: n/a
Making Of
This armor set is constructed from genuine leather and brass. I created my own patterns through a series of foam mockups, then cut and wet-molded some heavy veg-tanned leather to assemble the armor. Each piece is adorned with brass stampings which are riveted directly through the leather. The result was a lightweight, comfortable, and flexible set of armor which offered a full range of motion to the wearer.
The base dress was purchased and spent many years hanging in my closet before getting upcycled into the gown you see here. I cut out the back of the dress to match the backless armor, and repaired a small section of beading by hand.
Unfortunately, this costume was all but destroyed when my house flooded in 2017. The main section of torso armor was completely demolished, while the pauldrons and dress survived. The pauldrons have been recycled into various other costume looks, but it’s unlikely that this particular set of armor will ever be remade.
Labyrinth Masquerade Ball
This costume was designed for the Labyrinth Masquerade Ball. Enjoy a video of my visit to the 2016 event: