Con Preview: Figments and Filaments
2015 is an eventful year on the Kansas City convention scene. We have been treated with the expansion of Planet Comicon to three days, the new Kansas City Comic-Con, and the return of one of my favorites from last year: Figments and Filaments.
It’s a little bit different from the average convention we report about: it’s not specifically about the fandoms but rather is a weekend long costuming convention. That’s right, it’s a convention specifically focusing on costuming. Quite simply put, it’s a cosplayer’s dream convention. The creation of Lisi Chance and Mark Corwyn Jameson, two former members of the SCA, the convention saw its inaugural year in 2014. Yours truly even enjoyed the chance to teach a class regarding the modern day pirate subculture and its related fashion trends. Perhaps the best part of my day was the chance to sit down and talk with the organizers about their show and the concept behind it.
The two told me they had intended to create a broad spectrum convention, since everyone has a difference piece of the puzzle. After all, theatre folks would have a different way of looking at a costume than a historian, and an interactive theatre person might offer an additional perspective. “It’s about cross-pollinating each others’ ideas.” But, even though it could be considered a convention for the “advanced” crowd, they also wanted to appeal to beginners and anyone who is interested. For instance, a Renaissance festival performer may not attend a Steampunk convention; indeed, they might not even realize they’re interested in that subculture, but at Figments and Filaments they have the chance to experience it.
The two are passionate about costumes, Lisi having grown up in a Mountain Man reenactment household and Mark, known locally as “Corwyn,” having a longtime run as a part of the Renaissance festival circuit. They feel that clothes are what you want to say about yourself, it’s about the qualities you want to project. Even a bridal dress is a costume, asserted Lisi, because you’re showing yourself in a specific role. And, even though costuming is becoming mainstream, there’s still a lot of what people consider to be “subcultural” about it. After all, look at the Gothic subculture and its acceptance into society. But, “some people have fantasy football, we have this.”
This concept, though not new to the world, is relatively new to Kansas City and the pair hope to grow it in coming years — perhaps even getting the local universities on board. They may also incorporate a fashion show involving designers from Hollywood or Broadway (or both!). Costumers don’t usually get their own shows, and Lisi and Corwyn are attempting to do just that. I have to agree with Lisi on this: “I love to play dress up, I want the world to play with me.”
I was only able to attend on Sunday last year, but my impression was immediately positive. This convention, though in its first year, was an excellent experience for anyone interested in the world of costuming. Their guests and lecturers were well-versed, well varied, and overall approachable. The convention staff treated me like a VIP, which I certainly didn’t have illusions to being, but I also witnessed how they treated non-media guests: like friends and family. There was water readily available to all and, when the weather took an unfortunate turn, they were quick to mitigate the circumstances and keep all volunteers, staff, and attendees knowledgeable about storm (which was not clearly noted from inside of the vendor room).
My cosplay team counterpart, Marie Lim, was able to attend the convention both Saturday and Sunday and could not stop telling me about how I’d missed out on Saturday. According to Marie, “the convention was friendly, had a lot of people who knew what they were talking about, and was very informational. If you wanted to learn stuff, it’s a very good place to start. It’s got a large base in Steampunk, Medieval, and Renaissance dress more so than specific characters, but it was amazing.”
This year, the convention will feature three events from the 2014 convention: the Silent Auction, the Scrap Fabric Swap, and the Costume Contest/Fashion Show. In addition, there will be a Masked Ball Saturday night following the runway event. Information regarding specific classes can be found on the Figments and Filaments Facebook Page.
Gale Owen-Crocker, the professor of Anglo-Saxton Culture at the University of Manchester and author of numerous works regarding Medieval clothing of the British Isles, returns for her second year at the convention. Most notable about her appearance is that last year marked the first time Professor Owen- Crocker had ever attended a non-academic conference. In addition, Professor Owen-Crocker’s colleague for Medieval Clothing and Textiles, Robin Netherton, will also be returning for her second year. Matthew Gnacy, costumer extraordinaire, and Gothic Charm School author Jillian Venters will also be making repeat appearances. New this year will be the cosplay community known as the Iron Brothers of Topeka, a group noted for its excellence in Iron Man costuming (though I’m probably a bigger fan of their fantastic War Machine).
This year, the convention will be held at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Overland Park, Kansas. It will run this Friday afternoon through Sunday evening and memberships are available at the door. For more information, be sure to check out the Figments and Filaments website.
