Designer: Candice Stephenson
Title: Style Never Dies – Overwatch
Aside from her family and friends, art has been the most constant thing in Candice Stephenson’s life. She says it’s the language she uses to understand and explore the world around her. Originally from Kansas City, she moved to LA to pursue her dream of being a professional artist and has been working professionally in computer animation for close to 10 years now. Candice has taken an interest in everything from traditional painting and sculpture to cosplay and practical effects in her time outside of work. She says, “I love anything that give me the chance to create, and anyone who knows me will tell you that I always have a project …or five, at any given time. The more skills I can employ and the more immersive the final product is the better. And I think this is why fashion design appeals to me; creating something that works with the person wearing it and that others can interact with is so fulfilling to create.”
Designing was kind of an organic process for Candice. With her goal of being an art major as early as junior high, she started with character design, which led to costume design and making Halloween costumes. Then a friend, seeing a picture of her Halloween costume, introduced her to cosplay, which led to fashion design. Cosplay helped her learn sewing and construction skills. “Once I had those skills,” she says, “it was like the world of fashion design opened up to me; I actually understood the engineering behind pattern construction, so designing garments was something that seemed doable. Geek couture has been challenging the fashion industry for the last few years, specifically in terms of identity and access. To me, one of the underlying ideals I’ve noticed among my geeky circles is this idea of inclusion; that no matter who you are or what you look like, you can play with us.”
Photo: Mark Edwards