Croft Couture #7: Shona
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.
Like many of our recent Croft Couture candidates, cosplayer Shona isn’t afraid to get physical while in costume. Stunts, acrobatics, and handpicked locations make her photos that much more genuine. Fellow Croft Couture cosplayer Jenn Croft can be seen in some of the photos above, taking on Shona as the infamous Doppelganger. I love community crossover!
Fast Stats
- Name: Shona
- Country: Australia (Currently living in Sweden)
- Occupation: Engineer
- Fan Since: 1999
- Favorite Tomb Raider Game: Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation
- Favorite Non-Lara Tomb Raider Character: Doppelganger
- Favorite Tomb Raider Villain: Natla
- Number of Lara Croft Costumes: 7
- First Lara Croft Cosplay: Classic
- Favorite Lara Croft Cosplay: Underworld
- Future Lara Croft Cosplay: Many! Catsuit is planned for the near future…
What first drew you to the Tomb Raider franchise, and what initially inspired you to cosplay as Lara Croft?
The character of Lara Croft herself is what really attracted me to the series. I grew up playing video games, and adventure games have always been my favourite genre, so I’m sure I would have been interested in Tomb Raider regardless of who the main character was. However I heard a lot about Lara before I even played the games because she became such a media sensation. I’ve always admired strong women, and the idea of a female character having adventures and kicking butt definitely interested me. It was actually my mother who first suggested dressing up as Lara for a school costume party. Needless to say the idea of bringing one of my favourite characters to life sounded like a lot of fun!
What Lara Croft costume did you tackle first?
The classic outfit. At the time it was Lara’s main outfit in all of the games.
What is your favorite Lara Croft ensemble?
The classic outfit will always be dear to me, but I really like the Underworld one because it has a more sporty look. It also appears more practical, with the extra hooks and pouches etc, although when I constructed it I found that some elements (such as the backpack) weren’t as practical as they looked!
What Croft costumes are still on your roster?
Many of them, to be honest! There are some that I’ve done that I’d like to re-do, and many more that I would really like to make. The nice thing about Lara costuming is that once you’ve made some of the accessories, it’s quite easy to use them with several outfits, especially outfits from the same game. With each outfit that I make I try to improve, and I plan to continue for as long as I can. This year I’ll definitely be focused on the upcoming game, Tomb Raider. I’ve made some improvements to my costume that I haven’t had a chance to wear yet.
Which Lara costume was the most difficult to construct? Was it due to a particular garment or prop?
Overall, I haven’t had too much trouble with any particular costume. The holsters are usually my least favourite part. Partly because the very first pair I made fell apart quite quickly, so I’m always worried about making them robust enough to survive outdoor adventures as well as numerous bumps and jolts at conventions. And partly because I want to ensure the holsters sit correctly when attached to the gun belt and leg straps and that everything is the right size.
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?
I’ve only started doing photoshoots in the costumes fairly recently, but this is by far my favorite way to bring Lara to life. Conventions are a lot of fun and I love the social side of them, but most of the time you’re standing around posing in the outfit. I’ve traveled to attend a few conventions and that’s probably more like Lara than the posing part! I love getting into the costume and heading out to do things that Lara would actually do in real life. When I’m doing things like climbing, abseiling or exploring in the costume I definitely feel like I’m wearing her boots.
Along the same lines, what’s the most exotic location you’ve traveled to?
I’m really lucky to have a job that allows me to travel, and I’ve had opportunities to live in and visit some amazing and beautiful places. It’s actually hard to choose one location, but I’d say that Japan is the most exotic place I’ve lived in. It was the first country I visited outside of Australia, and I’ve lived there for nearly a year in total. The culture is so different, the cities feel like another world and it was my first experience trying to communicate in a language I didn’t know very well.
What about Lara’s physical strength or mental prowess most inspires you? Has this, or your desire to cosplay Lara, influenced your daily life?
Lara defintely inspires me in many areas of my life. She encourages my sense of adventure and my love of travel. I enjoy keeping fit and healthy normally, but I’m only human and so she’s a pretty good motivator when I’m feeling tired or lazy halfway through a workout. For me, being in good physical shape is as much a part of cosplaying Lara as wearing the backpack and gun belt. I feel most like Lara when I’m feeling fit and strong. I like knowing that I can pull out some crazy Lara moves on a photoshoot if I want to.
Photos by Stephen Galinsky | Jenn Croft | Alex Grist | Svaat
