Meet Kimberly Elam

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kimberly Elam and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kimberly, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I chose to work with cosplay because I have always been inspired by costume and character design in video games, movies, and television shows. The creativity and beauty that goes into these design gives so much life to these characters and that passion is what inspire me to want to create my own beautiful designs. I have always loved dressing up as my favorite characters and ever since I was little, I really enjoy figuring out how things were built and how they worked on the base level. This is the foundation of making cosplay. As a cosplay crafter, you have to be able to break down a design and make it possible in the real world. Video games are a huge inspiration to me and they usually feature designs that defy gravity and laws of the real world. Being able to figure out how to make those fantasy garments and props come to life in my hands is one of the things I love most about crafting. Because of this, I have taught myself many skills that I may not have learned otherwise. It was after many years of learning and developing my skills that I realized that I could make this my career. I have won many awards for my creations and have found great joy in teaching others about my most beloved passion, Cosplay.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I started cosplaying when I was young. From the very first time I put on a cosplay, I was in love. Over the years I have created so many costumes and props that I am proud to wear. Getting to where I am now involved many late nights, injuries, and countless hours spent learning new skills. I have become proficient in 3D printing, sewing, foamsmithing, and electronic installation. I started competing in cosplay competitions in 2022 and since then, I have won many awards for my creations. My most notable win is by far Best in Show at MomoCon 2024 for a set of armor spent a yer and a half making completely out of foam. The biggest obstacle I had to overcome was putting myself out there to be recognized. Success in cosplay comes from being brave enough to show your creations to the world. Getting on stage at a competition is such a surreal experience because you are going out there with the mindset of, “I made this with my own hands and now I putting myself out there to be judged.” Being judged on something you poured months or even years of hard work into is extremely scary. I had to overcome the feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt before even signing up for a competition. I still get nervous walking on stage out in front of a crowd, but by slowly building my confidence and with the enduring support of my husband, my family, and my friends, I have learned to love being in the spotlight.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If I were to have someone visit from out of town I would take them to all my favorite spots. We would start by going shopping at Fine Fabrics and Gail K Fabrics because there is always a project that I am working on. We would visit Piedmont Park and take a walk on the Beltline while I convinced them to help me do a mini cosplay photo shoot while we were there. I would want to take them to some of my favorite places eat, such as Grana, Bistro Niko, and Urban Wu. Throughout the years there are so many conventions that I would want to take my visitors to experiences. My favortie yearly convention is Dragon Con and it is the best weekend of the year. I would also want to take people to experience some of my other favorite Atlanta conventions such as MomoCon and Dreamhack ATL. Convention weekends are some of the best weekends and definitely a highlight of my year.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to dedicate this shoutout to my husband, Tim. He is always there to help with anything I need from helping me figure out a difficult design problem to being the best Cosplay Handler anyone could ask for. As a cosplayer himself, he has knowledge in areas that I may not be as proficient in, and because of that we make an unstoppable team. Through making cosplay for him, I have advanced my skills beyond what I could accomplish by myself. He is always there to celebrate my accomplishments and console me in my loses. I am so grateful for the love, support, and encouragement he always provides for me.

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sinistra_cosplay

Other: https://twitch.tv/sinistradestra https://tiktok.com/@sinistracosplay 

Image Credits
Dim Horizon Studios SeeLominguenPhotos