Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Natasha MacKenzie. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Natasha, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

My first experience with costuming came in 2009 when I designed costumes for Emma Burden, written by Ellen Chorley and produced by Mob Hit Productions. At the time, I had never worked behind the scenes of a theatre production, let alone designed for an entire show. Back then I was living in Alberta, Canada, working front of house at a local theatre and planning a career in marketing. Creative outlets weren’t exactly in abundance where I grew up, so I found creativity outside of work – primarily through sewing and illustration.

When I was a kid, my aunt, who was an incredibly talented seamstress, taught me everything she knew when it came to sewing—from hand-stitching to machine work and finishing techniques. As I got older, I quickly began to realise that mine and my hometown’s idea of ‘style’ were two very different things. Lol. Trying things on often felt like I was auditioning for someone else’s personality. So, with the combination of the sewing skills my aunt taught me, and my love of illustration, I began turning my paper clothing ideas into real garments, garments that felt like me.

When a producer approached me about illustrating costume designs for an upcoming production after their original designer dropped out – I took a shot. I read the script, visualised the characters, sketched my interpretations, and pitched them to the director—who hired me on the spot. That moment sparked an obsession. There was something indescribable about lifting a character off the page, determining how they would look, and bringing them to life under stage lights. The obsession growing with each new script I was handed, I went on to design for multiple productions across Western Canada, won two awards, eventually working on a production in Brighton, UK.

After moving to the UK, I kept that creative spark alive through cosplay. A lifelong fan of Star Wars, much of my work now involves recreating costumes from the franchise, designing my own in-universe characters, and imagining how animated characters—like Duchess Satine Kryze—would translate into real life. Cosplay has pushed my skills further than theatre ever had. Beyond the demands the stage has on costumes (like season-run durability and movement), I’ve had to consider all-day/multiple wear at conventions, unpredictable weather, and transportability. That’s meant studying fabrics more deeply, refining finishing techniques, and expanding my skills into EVA foam, resin, and finishing 3D printed materials.

Looking back from that first stage production to the last cosplay I’ve made, I learned largely by saying ‘yes’ before I felt ready, through trial and error, and by constantly creating. My formal study at the University of the Arts London, along with online tutorials and hands-on experimentation, definitely accelerated my growth but they weren’t the biggest contributions to my overall knowledge. My biggest learning experiences have actually come from working on costumes and cosplays that didn’t initially work out. Things going wrong, having to adapt to unforeseen speed bumps, time-crunches, and having to problem-solve have been the most essential skills I’ve learned over the years.

There have definitely been some very big highs in my costume/cosplay journey, but there have also been some very real lows. But! It’s the love of the craft that gets me through every time. There’s no better feeling than seeing your creation in real life!

Natasha, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

It was designing costumes for that initial production, Emma Burden, where I first fell in love with the high-energy, fast-paced and wonderfully challenging world of costuming.

From the initial script read to opening night, there is something to love about the whole process. Determining what a character would look-like – what would they wear? how would they wear it? – spending hours on the illustrations fine-tuning every detail, to bringing each one of those details into reality, having the whole final look come together. It’s truly an overwhelming, magical feeling.

After closing night of the medieval fairytale, I continued to work for Mob Hit as their Head of Costume, designing and creating costumes for a number of their productions over the coming seasons. This led to working for a number of other theatre companies, in various costuming roles, including Shakespeare in the Park (now Shakespeare by the Bow), Scorpio Theatre, and Alberta Ballet, to name a few. A massive highlight during that time had to be working as a Stitcher on the Elton John ballet, Love Lies Bleeding. Those costumes were truly stunning! Working as a temp Stitcher I was only making minor amends and adding hand finishes, but it was such an invaluable experience for me. I would have settled for just a walk through that bright, colourful and sequined wardrobe! Lol.

It’s also through my past costuming roles I was nominated for a number of awards, and honoured enough to have won two! Third place for Emerging Designer of the year, and first place for Best Costume Design.

Cosplay has only amplified my obsession with costume, because now not only do I get to design and create these wonderful things – I get to wear them too!

My first cosplay was a character from my favourite novel. As it was creating a character from the page I already had the process down – designing the overall look and pulling the various pieces together (either hand made or purchased) for the final wear. Since that first cosplay, my skills have grown exponentially as I’ve taken on bigger and more complex builds – either of my own design or recreating specific costumes from my favourite franchises, like Star Wars.

What started as skills in designing and sewing for stage, has evolved into designing and sewing for day-to-day wear, unpredictable and changing environments (this is the UK after all), and transportability – how can we transport 6ft tall weapons in a carry-on suitcase, for example. Lol. Each cosplay I make comes with new problems that need to be solved, and new skills that need to be learned. I’ve already added EVA foam builds, resin and embroidery to my tool box, with leather-crafting, led lights and corsetry next on the list.

Since I began cosplaying, the costume wardrobe at home is definitely the biggest between it and the normie clothes one, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. There are more skills to learn, and more cosplays to make – the list is loooong.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Oh, definitely making something from nothing.

I am in awe, all the time, of the number of artists and creatives I’ve met over the years and what they are able to create. They had an idea, something sparked in their brain and they just ran with it! Especially within the cosplay community.

The original characters people have created, the cosplays based on characters from fictional programmes that should not be able to exist in real-life yet somehow they made happen. For example, there is a cosplayer who constructed a real working Iron-Man suit. Another who made Captain America’s shield that actually comes back to you like a boomerang. How!?

Artists and creatives aren’t just passionate, they are resilient. They have an idea, and they will find a way – no matter the odds. Never tell us the odds.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I’ve had to unlearn that joy, passion and success have a best before date.

Vera Wang created her first dress at 40, Stan Lee co-created Marvel at 39 – there are a number of famous creatives who didn’t achieve their goals, or their version of success, until their 40s, their 50s, sometimes even their 60s!

A very close family friend celebrated his 60th birthday a few years ago. During his birthday speech he said ‘I hope when people look back on my life, they say it was 60 when he really started living’. That stayed with me.

Cosplay has historically been seen as a ‘young’ pastime, a hobby for someone in their 20s. As a cosplayer who isn’t in her 20s, there can be some judgement when it comes to the art for us older creatives in the community. That somehow just when we reach a point in life where we have more time, financial stability and resources – that’s when we should stop pursuing our passions and what brings us joy. Cosplay is not cheap, and I don’t know many 20 year olds with access to a healthy amount of disposable income. I definitely wasn’t one when I was in my 20s!

Coming to cosplay later in life, the nerves were definitely there to enter this new space, but being a part of this community has led to so many wonderful things. It’s kept my costuming spark alive (and led to new opportunities as a result), I’ve met some of the most supportive and caring friends I’ve ever had, and its given me the kind of self-confidence little past me could never have imagined. And! You’d be surprised just how many cosplayers there are who aren’t in their 20s. NYCC has a whole meet up for cosplayers in their 60s!

There is a lot of life left to live, no matter the age. So live it.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @missnatmack.play
• Other: TikTok: @missnatmack.play

Image Credits

@samvslife, @allisonthephotographer, @sosayweall_photography, and @thewolfandthewildthing.