Have you ever visited a city for the first time? You walk the winding streets, unsure of where they lead, until you find an inconspicuous little alleyway. It’s quiet, but in a peaceful sort of way. You look around and realize there is no one else there, but you can’t help but feel like you’re being watched. The wind picks up, making a hushed sound through the tops of the buildings, like faint whispering. A sudden crashing sound diverts your attention to a small street cat landing atop a dumpster. It stares back at you before yawning and leaping down onto the well-worn concrete. The cat glances over its shoulder at you, as if to say, “Are you coming?” Intrigued, you follow the cat deeper down the alleyway until you reach a storefront at the very end.
“What a stupid location. Who would ever come down here?” you mutter under your breath as you turn to find your way back to the main street. However, as you approach what should be the intersection you came from, you find yourself facing the same little shop. The wind picks up, and the whispering sound becomes almost deafening. You turn, desperately searching for your way back to the main street. Each time you find yourself standing before the same little shop. The stray cat is perched on the doorstep, its gaze locked on you as if silently questioning, "What will you do now?" Unnerved and hungry, you decide to enter. With trembling hands, you approach the door, grasp the cool brass doorknob, and take a deep breath before finally pushing open the faded red door.
Inside, there are little baubles and trinkets covering every surface. Little charms and bells hang from the ceiling, tickling your face as you step deeper into the shop. The air smells strongly of incense and coffee. Each step you take thuds softly across the old wooden floors, echoing in the quiet space. The sound is so loud it makes you feel like you’re intruding. You round the corner and find a humanoid figure sitting lazily on an old armchair, their leg thrown casually over the armrest. Their gaze is intense, and the silence between you stretches out for what feels like eternity.
"What have you brought to trade?" they finally ask, their polyphonic voice breaking the silence. In surprise, you instinctively step back, bumping into a side table. “Trade? I’m sorry, I was just trying to find my way back to the main road. I must have gotten lost,” you blurt out, trying to keep a stack of books from toppling over.
“You are not lost. You are exactly where you need to be,” they respond as they motion for you to sit in a chair opposite them. Wiping your sweaty hands on your pants, you take a closer look at your surroundings. Your initial assessment was incorrect as you realize this is not a shop but a collection.
“Where am I?” you manage to stutter, panic rising in your gut.
“Safe, I assure you.” They pause and smile, though it does nothing to reassure you. “I ask you again. What have you brought to trade?”
—
I call this look 'Neon Demon'. I wanted to expand a little on the world of the Faun, a character I designed for the last SCC. Neon Demon is loosely inspired by the world of Sunder City and a character named 'Baxter' written by Luke Arnold. I highly recommend the series if you haven’t already read it. The mood board for this costume was inspired by this year's Tokyo Fashion Week. There was one look in particular that was such a wonderful hodgepodge of bright colors, conflicting patterns, and punk fashion that I referenced a lot while collaborating with Trevor, the costume designer. My model, Snow, who unknowingly inspired me with the quiet and calm confidence that they radiate, really brought this character to life. The last piece was Avery, who captured this look beautifully on film.
I like to break the traditional mold of earth-tone color palettes and forest settings, preferring to replace them with punk and alternative aesthetics. I think it's much more fun to imagine what it would be like if these creatures lived among us. I imagine that some would be more bold with their identity, while others remain hidden in plain sight.
When designing this character, the gender identity was intentionally left ambiguous. I wanted to see how far I could push it while using bright pink eyeshadow and glitter. The outfit swayed more masculine, which helped counterbalance the 'feminine' eye makeup. Gender is a spectrum. I'm genderfluid, and both my model and costume designer are non-binary. I felt that this was the perfect team to pull off this look because they also understand the struggle of gender expression, to know the rules and willingly break them, and the desire to feel at home in our bodies. In the end, I feel that this look accomplished exactly what I wanted it to.
