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CosBlog #55: Princess Lenna Tycoon By Chiki Fischer
Yoshitaka Amano’s art isn’t only stunning, but offers cosplayers a unique interpretation of the character design they’ve come to know and love. Cosplayer Chiki Fischer exploited this freedom by adding elements of her own personality to Princess Lenna Tycoon's design, to great success. Check out her work below! 
Who: The Character
Princess Lenna Charlotte Tycoon from Final Fantasy V, Amano concept art version
Why: The Decision
Of all the Final Fantasy games I've played I was most drawn to Lenna's character. She's strong, brave, and impulsive, yet gentle. She has a strong sense of responsibility. I feel like if I was to be placed as a character in a Final Fantasy game it would be someone like Lenna, and it's not just because I fancy myself a princess. I find her story line inspiring which I realize is incredibly geeky to say.
What: The Process
This costume was started in spring of 2008 before Anime Boston. I began with a very base design but I wasn't happy with it. It needed more. So after the convention that year I began collecting. Over two years I collected fabrics, beads, feathers, charms, anything that struck my fancy. I searched thrift stores, malls, flea markets, rummage sales, boutiques, antique stores, and even trash bins. I stripped old wire from appliances in condemned houses. Often I would just be out and about with friends and see something and know exactly how I'd use it in the costume.
The whole costume became a conglomeration of everything I felt Lenna to be and everything I loved. I incorporated little pieces of each of Lenna's character designs, and elements of her personality in the final product. So 10 yards of fabric, 1,000s of beads, 4 cans of spray paint, and one heart and soul emptied later and I have a costume that not only reflects my love of the character but my love for the craft of cosplay.
Where and When: The Debut
The stripped version of the costume was debuted at Anime Boston 2008. The final version was completed for a photoshoot with Jayce Williams/PhotoNXS. We traveled to the Duke Gardens in Durham, NC. We chose the location for the sprawling gardens and castle like structures. We also picked an afternoon in November to catch the warm tones of the sunset. I couldn't be happier with how the pictures turned out.
Links: The Cosplayer
I can be found on my Cosplay group's website or on DeviantArt.
The Gallery
Photography by Jayce Williams/ PhotoNXS
Miss the past few CosBlogs? Check out the CosBlog Hub for a full archive of past costumes.
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