原文：
Croft Couture #3: Tatyana Pike
The Tomb Raider fandom is full of talented artists, entertainers, and perhaps most notably, phenomenal cosplay talent. “Croft Couture” aims to showcase these lovely and dedicated ladies, and give Lara costumers a spot to share their experiences while dressed as gaming’s leading lady.
It’s obvious what drew me to Tatyana’s Tomb Raider cosplay - her bright orange Arctic garb lit up my monitor (and my face) when I first stumbled upon the photos. Tatyana’s classic Core costumes pay tribute to Lara’s legacy. Enjoy!
Fast Stats
- Name: Tatyana Pike
- Country: Russia
- Occupation: Interpreter/Culture Studies Specialist
- Fan Since: 1999
- Favorite Tomb Raider Game: Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation
- Favorite Non-Lara Tomb Raider Character: Kurtis Trent
- Favorite Tomb Raider Villain: Amanda Evert
- Number of Lara Croft Costumes: Three
- First Lara Croft Cosplay: The classic outfit
- Favorite Lara Croft Cosplay: Catsuit/Antarctic outfit
- Future Lara Croft Cosplay: Angel of Darkness
What first drew you to the Tomb Raider franchise, and what initially inspired you to cosplay as Lara Croft?
When I was a child my parents gave me the book Myths of Ancient Greece. I was crazy about it and about ancient history. I started to study mythology, history, ancient world culture, architecture, and art. I dreamed about adventures and revelations! Then, while at school, my friend gave me a computer game called Tomb Raider. She told me “Try it. I know you’ll like it!” She was absolutely right, and I was amazed and excited! However I started to cosplay as Lara Croft only in 2011. I just suddenly realized that I need it, and, being inspired by my friends, I did my first photo shoot. It was just the very beginning…
What Lara Croft costume did you tackle first?
It was Lara’s classic outfit, because it is the most iconic and one of my favorites.
What is your favorite Lara Croft ensemble?
I really love Antarctic outfit! The costume itself is so bright and colorful with the amazing orange jacket. I also like the gray camouflage pants.
What Croft costumes are still on your roster?
Angel of Darkness. I have already started to make this costume. I hope that soon I’ll have opportunity to share my new photos with you.
Which Lara costume was the most difficult to construct? Was it due to a particular garment or prop?
The catsuit was the most difficult. It was very difficult to make it fit my body like a glove because of specific fabric that we used for it.
Lara Croft’s lifestyle is full of intrigue and adventure. Do you have any memorable photoshoots or convention appearances that pay tribute to Lara’s lifestyle?
My most memorable photoshoot was the Antarctic outfit cosplay that I had in January. It was extremely cold at -20 degrees Celsius. At that time I thought about Lara not being afraid of the cold, even if she wears shorts and tank top in winter!
Along the same lines, what’s the most exotic location you’ve traveled to?
The most exotic location for me was the Far North that I visited this winter. I have never seen deer in their natural conditions of life before; also I had opportunity to meet indigenous peoples and to feel what the real cold is! But the most exciting thing during the North trip was the travel to abandoned districts of Vorkuta city: huge areas of empty ruined houses. I felt like an industrial raider!
What about Lara’s physical strength or mental prowess most inspires you? Has this, or your desire to cosplay Lara, influenced your daily life?
I admire of all her qualities! Lara inspires me to follow my interests in history and to explore something new and interesting during travelling other countries. I think that every girl that likes Lara likes adventures most of all. I think that my love to Lara was one of the factors that inspired me to study culture studies and languages at university (Thank you, Lara). At the same time her perfect physical condition and wonderful acrobatics makes me aspire to reach better results in sport, especially in martial arts. I think that such a strong character like Lara can encourage and inspire people to perfect themselves both physically and mentally.
