Tailored Translations—Translating and Transporting Cosplay Costumes

Since the early 1980s the popularity of fan made cosplay (costume play) costumes has spread through fan and alternative cultural communities globally. This paper takes for granted the history of the spread of cosplay (as both a practice, and a term) from Japan to Asia, Europe, Australasia, and North and South America. Rather it will focus on treating fan made costumes as a user generated translation or fan translation from a 2 dimensional source material to a real world, functioning garment.