Today we’d like to introduce you to Parker Callahan
Hi Parker, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I learned to sew from my mom when I was 6 on a bright purple Bratz doll sewing machine my mom had gotten me. I just didn’t know much could be done with it until the first Salt Lake City Fanx (when it was still called Comic Con) in 2013. I was a preteen on the internet and I was into pretty dorky things so I was aware of cosplay long before. But I was too young to really try any of the local events we had on my own until Fanx. I begged my parents to let me cosplay, and they got me my first wig and we went with it. I applied my sewing abilities to make my first completely hand made costume in 2015, and have been making my own full fledged costumes since. With the expansion into the cosplay and convention scene, I began doing panels and running programming until eventually I started my own podcast. On my podcast I talk in depth about cosplay, art, media and interview people within those fields.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
A lot of my life unfortunately has not been easy. I am a disabled creator with very intense Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, and have had some very long term surgical procedures and hospital stays under my belt. It was a really difficult time for me emotionally and physically, and I really struggled to look at myself because of the effects of it. I took a long break because there was never a costume I could wear comfortably, something would show my scars or sit on them and cause pain. I didn’t feel good. The break really helped, and I took a lot of time to process that modeling and being a cosplayer meant that people were going to see me and my body. Just point blank, my work is textiles and it’s something I am going to wear. It took time but I focused on reframing it and controlling what parts of me people got to see and know. Nowadays I am comfortable leaving my scars visible because they’re apart of me.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am an applied seamstress within my cosplay space. That is my number one specialty and the thing I sell and market as commissions the most. I think that my biggest factor as a cosplayer is that I want to enrich myself in whatever additional detailing can set me apart. My biggest projects have been for Dorothea from the Game Fire Emblem Three Houses, which as a costume utilized intensive draping, ruffling, various intensive textiles (velvet, satin, stretch mesh spandex, vinyl), and EVA foam and 3d printed accessories. Being a cosplayer is more than one aspect of work. Cosplayers as a whole have to dip into multiple different aspects and expertise. Just from cosplay I have learned how to do intensive fantasy wig styling, SFX makeup, Prop Building (fake swords, pipes, wands, massive rocket launchers, I’ve even made a fake harp), intense modeling and stuntwork, sewing, resin crafting and more.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
I really like to listen to the Leighton Night (with Brian Wecht) Podcast while I work, it’s not really a traditional genre, but I enjoy two people talking about their expertise and having guests come and explain their own. I like life, and I like to enrich myself in other experiences. I also took a lot of inspiration from them when making Fandames (my own podcast).
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/crownguardcosplay
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crownguardcosplay/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Crownguarded
- Twitter: https://x.com/LittleLightBee
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/show/75FIXdtzXZVRsNciKCH89w?si=65045eaca8d64e98
