Creative Kismet
Through IDeATe, CMU’s Cosplay Club finds space to make, learn, and create together
By Sarah Elizabeth Bender
When IDeATe’s collaborative making facility isn’t being used for classes related to the program’s 10 interdisciplinary minors, the labs and studios in Hunt Library become a hub of independent creation and community. Every Sunday afternoon, CMU’s Cosplay Club descends on IDeATe Studio A to trade tips, troubleshoot builds, and bring fictional characters into the real world.
Cosplay — short for “costume play” — blends craft, performance, and storytelling. Club members approach it from every angle: sewing garments from scratch, engineering props out of cardboard, thrifting and modifying base pieces, or stepping behind the camera to document others’ work.
“It’s a fun way to express yourself, taking advantage of technical skills involved in crafting and sewing to engage in something people are really passionate about,” said College of Engineering junior Marina Wang. “It’s an amazing experience to get to create in a makerspace setting, and we’re very grateful that IDeATe supports the club and provides resources for us!”
Wang, who currently serves as president of the club, is also a student worker at IDeATe. As a laser tech, she sets up equipment, monitors safety, and helps students get started on their projects. She’s taken micro courses to train in laser cutting and 3D printing, and has also enrolled in IDeATe classes focusing on mobile web design and responsive structures that react to human presence.
“Both IDeATe and Cosplay Club are great spaces to learn from other students and develop different skills,” she added.
March is a big time of year for the Cosplay Club — it’s when the university holds ScottyCon, CMU’s annual anime and video gaming convention. As one of the organizers of the event, the Cosplay Club runs a Cosplay Cafe, where they serve pre-made meals, drinks, and desserts in costume. They also host Masquerade, a craftsmanship competition for cosplayers who want to show off their costumes on stage.
This year, Teaching Professor and IDeATe instructor Olivia Robinson joined Masquerade as a judge, underscoring the connection between creative practice and technical skill. “The craft portion of the competition, in which we examined the costumes closely, was enlightening,” she said. “The range of techniques that the students — most of whom were novices — had developed and taught themselves was impressive.”
This was Robinson’s first experience at a fandom convention, and the chance to interact with the community was a positive one.
“What stood out was how supportive and generous the participants were with each other,” she added. “This was especially evident during the Masquerade performances, where the audience cheered and encouraged every performer, making the entire space feel welcoming regardless of experience level.”
The Cosplay Club also attends Katsucon in the metro DC area every year, and hosts a karaoke event each semester.
Like IDeATe itself, the club draws students from across CMU’s schools and colleges. Depending on their home discipline, these students approach the process in different ways.
As an engineer, Wang’s cosplay tends to look more like an engineering project built from cardboard and duct tape, while others sew their own clothing. And just like in IDeATe, members learn from each other, adapting their process as they watch their peers bring new approaches to life. Between events, members organize work sessions and workshops to help each other develop new skills and elevate their work.
“I’ve really appreciated learning more about sewing,” Wang said. “What’s great is that you can apply these skills outside of cosplay as well. If I want a specific piece of clothing, I can make it, and I know different ways to do that. The club really encourages you to approach problems in a more creative way, especially when you’re limited in materials and time.”
Whether they’re building armor, stitching costumes, or experimenting with new tools, Cosplay Club members are doing more than recreating characters in IDeATe’s studios. They’re learning how to work within constraints, adapt on the fly, and solve problems creatively — another skill they’ll carry with them far beyond cosplay.
