Yuuko Ichihara - xxxHolic
Why this costume:
Yuuko Ichihara is one of my favorite Manga/anime characters. She's beautiful, mysterious, wise, has amazing fashion sense, and all around just a well created character. My true passion is insects, particularly spiders. I went to school to study them and worked towards a degree in entomology because I loved them so much. So, when I saw this design on Yuuko it became my dream aspiration to make it.
Wig:
The most challenging part to me appears to be the wig. I started by creating wire frame work for her spider web "wings" as I came to call them. I then covered the base formed wings in black fabric and hand panted the spider web details. I added and hand glued over 100 rhinestones to the web designs to add that effect of glistening water on the webbing. I then hand beaded several different styles of glass beads to the ends of each of the wing tips, similar to the style of hers.
The hair bun was made by attaching extensions to a piece of foam that a modeled in the same size and shape. I then using hair clips attached both the bun and the "wings" to my hair. I really wanted to keep from sewing them in place as well as light so I could wear them all day. I was able to do just that and save the wig for use for another version of Yuuko in the future by using the clips. The base wig was then cut into several layers, for that Princess style cut Yuuko has. After a little trial and error I was able to figure out the balance and keep the wig balanced on my head and even comfortable enough to wear the entire day at the convention.
Details Construction:
This costume was a mixture of trying to keep the aspects accurate as well as fitting my body and even aspects of creativity since you can't see the front of her Kimono I had plenty of liberties but I wanted to keep it as close to something Yuuko would wear as possible.
After spending several days researching Kimonos including Obi types, sleeve lengths, styles, under garments, and more I finally took on the task. I started with the costume.
The Kimono is made from Black Crepe Satin and lined with red Kona cotton. I picked red to add color to the kimono knowing that the majority of the outfit was going to be black and white. Having done research on sleeves, I knew more than anything I wanted them to be accurate. The back of the kimono sleeves when lined are left opened to show just a hint of the lining when worn by proper Geisha's. I knew I had to have this. So, after reading a couple of helpful tutorials I went to the drawing board and drafted out my pattern. After about two hours of folding, sewing, turning, testing, and trial and error...there I had it! My first complete sleeve! I replicated the second sleeve with few issues. I followed the process of a previous kimono I had made, Yumi to draft the remaining kimono pattern. I lined the entire kimono, properly, with the matching red Kona cotton.
Once finished I laid the kimono out flat and began the painting process of the webs. I drafted the webbing patterns out of white thread before finally painting them on. I wanted the sleeves to line up with the kimono and look as fluid as possible. I did the same process on the front of the kimono, knowing from the artwork the entire kimono was detailed.
The Obi is made from White Kona cotton. I started with the waist portion knowing since it would only show in the front I had the most creative liberties with it. I used double interfacing to help stiffen the Obi. I used 4 hook and eye closures in the back to help secure it shut. I also saw during research that the style Obi she is wearing used a small butt pillow enclosed in the Obi the help distribute the weight and hold it up. So, I made a small enclosure and white pillow out of the Kona cotton. I used basic polyfill to fill the pillow and slipped it in to the looped enclosure I hand sewed onto the base kimono. I also used heavy duty Velcro on the enclosure to help with keeping it in place. I then made the Obi tails! Using the remaining Kona cotton I drafted out the size and length of the Obi tails in both interfacing as well as the cotton. After sewing and then placing a finishing zig-zag stitch on them, I used a gathering stitch to gather the top portion of the tails. I then sewed the gathered portions in place and attached them to the enclosure I made holding the pillow via, Velcro. Unfortunately, the interfacing made the tails very heavy...so I added magnets to both the inside of the kimono and the Obi the help with the weight and hold them in place. Then, using the same method as the kimono, I hand painted the black webbing as accurately as possible to the back. I added black glass beads to the entire obi to give the water droplet effect. The waist portion of the Obi I just decided to center a spiderweb on and draw it out over the entire front, expanding it across the entire piece. I then places a jeweled spider in the center of the web. The front of the obi also has the black glass beads.
The Juban was rather basic and made last. I simply made another basic top in the style of the kimono out of white cotton. the ends of the sleeves were hand ruffled to give the same effect as her juban.
All seams on the entire costume, including the lining, were trimmed, pressed, and finished to give everything a very clean seamless look. The painting was the longest process and took me just under a week to complete for the costume.
Yuuko Ichihara is one of my favorite Manga/anime characters. She's beautiful, mysterious, wise, has amazing fashion sense, and all around just a well created character. My true passion is insects, particularly spiders. I went to school to study them and worked towards a degree in entomology because I loved them so much. So, when I saw this design on Yuuko it became my dream aspiration to make it.
Wig:
The most challenging part to me appears to be the wig. I started by creating wire frame work for her spider web "wings" as I came to call them. I then covered the base formed wings in black fabric and hand panted the spider web details. I added and hand glued over 100 rhinestones to the web designs to add that effect of glistening water on the webbing. I then hand beaded several different styles of glass beads to the ends of each of the wing tips, similar to the style of hers.
The hair bun was made by attaching extensions to a piece of foam that a modeled in the same size and shape. I then using hair clips attached both the bun and the "wings" to my hair. I really wanted to keep from sewing them in place as well as light so I could wear them all day. I was able to do just that and save the wig for use for another version of Yuuko in the future by using the clips. The base wig was then cut into several layers, for that Princess style cut Yuuko has. After a little trial and error I was able to figure out the balance and keep the wig balanced on my head and even comfortable enough to wear the entire day at the convention.
Details Construction:
This costume was a mixture of trying to keep the aspects accurate as well as fitting my body and even aspects of creativity since you can't see the front of her Kimono I had plenty of liberties but I wanted to keep it as close to something Yuuko would wear as possible.
After spending several days researching Kimonos including Obi types, sleeve lengths, styles, under garments, and more I finally took on the task. I started with the costume.
The Kimono is made from Black Crepe Satin and lined with red Kona cotton. I picked red to add color to the kimono knowing that the majority of the outfit was going to be black and white. Having done research on sleeves, I knew more than anything I wanted them to be accurate. The back of the kimono sleeves when lined are left opened to show just a hint of the lining when worn by proper Geisha's. I knew I had to have this. So, after reading a couple of helpful tutorials I went to the drawing board and drafted out my pattern. After about two hours of folding, sewing, turning, testing, and trial and error...there I had it! My first complete sleeve! I replicated the second sleeve with few issues. I followed the process of a previous kimono I had made, Yumi to draft the remaining kimono pattern. I lined the entire kimono, properly, with the matching red Kona cotton.
Once finished I laid the kimono out flat and began the painting process of the webs. I drafted the webbing patterns out of white thread before finally painting them on. I wanted the sleeves to line up with the kimono and look as fluid as possible. I did the same process on the front of the kimono, knowing from the artwork the entire kimono was detailed.
The Obi is made from White Kona cotton. I started with the waist portion knowing since it would only show in the front I had the most creative liberties with it. I used double interfacing to help stiffen the Obi. I used 4 hook and eye closures in the back to help secure it shut. I also saw during research that the style Obi she is wearing used a small butt pillow enclosed in the Obi the help distribute the weight and hold it up. So, I made a small enclosure and white pillow out of the Kona cotton. I used basic polyfill to fill the pillow and slipped it in to the looped enclosure I hand sewed onto the base kimono. I also used heavy duty Velcro on the enclosure to help with keeping it in place. I then made the Obi tails! Using the remaining Kona cotton I drafted out the size and length of the Obi tails in both interfacing as well as the cotton. After sewing and then placing a finishing zig-zag stitch on them, I used a gathering stitch to gather the top portion of the tails. I then sewed the gathered portions in place and attached them to the enclosure I made holding the pillow via, Velcro. Unfortunately, the interfacing made the tails very heavy...so I added magnets to both the inside of the kimono and the Obi the help with the weight and hold them in place. Then, using the same method as the kimono, I hand painted the black webbing as accurately as possible to the back. I added black glass beads to the entire obi to give the water droplet effect. The waist portion of the Obi I just decided to center a spiderweb on and draw it out over the entire front, expanding it across the entire piece. I then places a jeweled spider in the center of the web. The front of the obi also has the black glass beads.
The Juban was rather basic and made last. I simply made another basic top in the style of the kimono out of white cotton. the ends of the sleeves were hand ruffled to give the same effect as her juban.
All seams on the entire costume, including the lining, were trimmed, pressed, and finished to give everything a very clean seamless look. The painting was the longest process and took me just under a week to complete for the costume.
FINISHED RESULTS
Images by: Tiger Shot Productions
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