Know Your Worth: Cosplay Commissions and their True Value
There are lots of different ways to cosplay: some may find all the satisfaction in spending hours whirring away at their machine or craft table to create their own works of art, others source their cosplays online and may focus on other aspects of the hobby, such as makeup, concepting cool and creative photoshoots, or just straight up vibin’ at community events. Cosplay commissions sit in an important section of the community, where interested cosplayers pay another talented crafter to make their cosplay for them. Cosplay commissions are a foundation of the community, letting people support artists whose work they admire, while commissioners get to flex their creative and crafty muscles.
We had a chat with Nix, a cosplay commissioner with nearly 10 years in the scene. Nix jumped into cosplay “because I saw people online do it, and I thought they looked so cool!”
Nix has a wide range of experience, with a diploma of costume under their belt and doing cosplay commissions for 5 years for people all over the world. “I love the challenge of bringing 2D designs to life, and the amount of skills that I’m able to learn and apply. It’s nice being able to do what I love”
The art of cosplay commissions should be highlighted now more than ever. With the rise of the fast-fashion era of cosplay, it is now more accessible and widespread to be able to access cosplays of your favourite characters at an affordable price. While this has its benefits, there is a cost. When discussing cosplays from places like SHEIN or Temu, we are left with “costumes that only last for a short time, either by falling apart or just not being trendy, and they end up creating more rubbish for the landfill. When things are made so cheaply, workers may be underpaid and working in unsafe conditions” Nix explains.
Trends are now moving a lot faster too, “I really feel like there's a pressure a lot of people feel to always have new cosplays. We're seeing the same thing in cosplay as everyday fashion: trends change so fast and there is such a demand for new things that items are made as fast and cheap as possible”. It’s a tricky cycle where accessibility is improved for cosplayers, but it also creates a sense of pressure to keep buying more and more cosplays.
The rise of affordable options for cosplay can also have a negative effect on the perceived value of these garments. There can be a dangerous mentality of “I can get this cheaper online” when presented with a commission quote. What this doesn’t take into account is the countless hours of research, construction, and custom care put into these commissions.
So what’s the benefit of getting a cosplay commission? Having a cosplay that is high quality and custom fit is one major plus that Nix notes. “Sizing is more accurate for everyone, and sometimes it may be the only option for larger sizes (I don't think this is fair!)”. More practical construction is another plus, “I've seen a lot of mass produced costumes have bits that all connect with safety pins, but a comissioner will have a more practical attachment that doesn't damage the costume, for example!”. You can have a much higher level of input into the cosplay too, such as fabric choice, design changes, or budget focus. Commissions are handmade for you, and the benefits reflect that. Lastly, commissions also are a way to directly support an artist and their craft. In a hobby as inclusive and supportive as cosplay, this is always something to highlight, as you would be supporting fellow community members.
To understand the value of commissions, it can be helpful to see everything that goes into it. Nix explains their commission process: “Normally the first step is someone reaching out to me with the costume they'd like to commission, and I let them know how much that would cost, talk to them about their wants and details” Once the initial consultation and ideas are established, Nix carries on to make the cosplay, which can be quite the effort “The cost itself comes from estimating the materials, time, fees, and shipping. On average commissions take 20-40 hours, but this can vary a lot! For example, complex ballgowns and most Genshin designs could easily take 80 hours”. Commissions are a complex process of research, quoting, shopping, trial and error, crafting, shipping and more. Each and every moment is valuable.
Outside of the cost for time and materials for the commission itself, there are a lot of hidden costs to consider too. Time spent training and building the level of skill to offer custom work, money spent on building a collection of tools such as sewing machines, needles, tools etc. isn’t counted towards a commission but is also essential to the commissioners toolkit. Commissioners are also usually a one man show, running all their own admin, social media, quotes, following up on business ventures. It’s not all as simple as sewing some fabric or gluing some foam together and calling it a day.
The phrase of the day to take away is “know your worth” and “value your artists”. The increasing prevalence of fast fashion seeping into cosplay definitely helps with accessibility, but can negatively impact our hard working commissioners. The high prices may shock some, but it is more than fair for the amount of time, effort and care that goes into creating these pieces for you., whether it is a 3D printing file, styled wig, or full cosplay. Commissions provide a high quality, customised piece that is informed by you and your preferences. It may not be for everyone, and that’s okay! But remember to be fair and respectful of artists asking for proper compensation.
Value your artists, value your commissioners, and if you take on cosplay commissions, value yourself. Know your worth!
WHAT AM I PAYING FOR?
To help show what you might expect out of a commission, and all that goes into it, we asked Nix to give us an example of a commission quote and cost breakdown for Shinobu from Demon Slayer.
SHINOBU COSPLAY TOTAL: $808 AUD
Labor: estimated 26 hours x $25 hourly rate (fairly low for a skilled job) = $575
- 3hrs Patternmaking,
- 5hrs cutting fabrics,
- 12hrs sewing and finishing
- 3hrs hair butterfly
Materials:
- Coat - custom print fabric $130 for 4 metres on Spoonflower
- Thread/bias/buttons/zip - $13
- Uniform - 3m fabric $60
- Hair butterfly materials $10
Postage: $20 for Auspost + packaging
While this breakdown concerns a fabric/cosplay commission, the same principle applies to any kind of cosplay commission, whether it be 3D printing, foamwork, wig styling or beyond.