Archon 35 -- the Grand Masquerade

Posted on the 09 October 2011 by Alexxmomcat @MomCat_Reviews
By: Alexx Mom CatPhotos By: Charlie Kenmore & Alexx Mom Cat(Photo Permissions--Archon conditions of entry consents and verbal consents)
The Highlight of the weekend at Archon is the Grand Masquerade.  For most that enter  the costume contest, preparation started right after last year's Archon.  This is a showcase for their creativity and talent in costuming. 
I want you to meet this year's Masquerade winner, Vera Campbell.  We met her first on Friday, the first day of Archon.  Vera was dressed as Alice from Alice in Wonderland.  This costume was beautiful.  I asked Ms. Campbell where she came up with her costume.  The Alice dress took her seven months to hand embroider the entire thing.  The photo on this humble blogger's site does not do this talented young costumer justice.  The entirety of the bottom is hand embroidered rabbits.  Since Alice’s dress did not have pockets and a modern woman needs something to carry her cell phone and credit cards in, she created a hand embroidered  purse as well. But this is not the costume that won the prize.  
On Saturday, we did not see Vera until the Masquerade.  Throngs of people lined up almost two hours early to get a good seat at this event. The costumes ranged from strange to amazing.  Vera Campbell’s stood out among all forty-four contestants.  My eye is not trained, but you could see even from a distance that the workmanship and beauty was phenomenal.  Ms Campbell’s creation was of Senator Padme Amidala’s Dress in a scene that was apparently cut from the movie.  This piece also won the workmanship award for Best Tailoring.  
For the rest of the contestants, if a picture is worth a thousand words, find below thousands of words dedicated to the hard work and talent of the designers as well as the fans who came to see them. 

LINE UP FOR MASQUERADE


MASQUERADE CROWD


WORKMANSHIP BEST IN SHOW "LET MY PEOPLE GO"



WORKMANSHIP AWARD--BEST SCULPTURE WORK  ROCK A BYE FAIRY






JUDGES CHOICE FOR BEST REIMAGINING OF A CHARACTER



WORKMANSHIP AWARD--THE MAGIC IS IN THE DETAILS


JUDGES CHOICE-- BEST HUMOR


WORKMANSHIP AWARD-- BEST FIT & FINISH

 

WORKMANSHIP-- BEST HEADDRESS




STEAM PUNK AIRSHIP CAPTAIN



WORKMANSHIP AWARD-- BEST DETAIL WORK


WORKMANSHIP AWARD--BEST TAILORING



TEA PARTY LADIES






MANY WHO CAME TO SEE THE MASQUERADE