原文：
Croft Couture #27: Annie
The Tomb Raider fandom is full of talented artists, entertainers, and perhaps most notably, phenomenal cosplay talent. “Croft Couture” aims to showcase these lovely and dedicated women, and give Lara costumers a spot to share their experiences while dressed as gaming’s leading lady.
Bearing a striking resemblance to Jill de Jong, Croft cosplayer Annie was born to don Lara’s backpack and twin pistols. She embodies Lara not only in appearance, but also in spirit. Having drawn on Lara’s strength to deal with childhood bullying, Annie now intends to pass values she’s derived on her adventures to her young son. Photos above, interview below!
Fast Stats
- Name: Anne Roig
- Country: United States
- Occupation: Hostess at Massimo’s Cucina Italiana, and full time mom!
- Fan Since: Tomb Raider II (1997)
- Favorite Tomb Raider Game: Tomb Raider III (’98), and Tomb Raider 9 (’13)
- Favorite Non-Lara Tomb Raider Character: I can’t decide between Winston, and Grim!
- Favorite Tomb Raider Villain: The T-Rex from the first game
- Number of Lara Croft Costumes: I’ve lost count…
- First Lara Croft Cosplay: Classic Lara
- Favorite Lara Croft Cosplay: I’d have to say the newest Lara!!
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Future Lara Croft Cosplay: the black Tokyo dress from Legend
Q&A
What first drew you to the Tomb Raider franchise, and what initially inspired you to cosplay as Lara Croft?
I might give away my age here, but back when I used to get GamePro magazines they would send out demo CD’s, and Tomb Raider II was one of the demos I played. I realized that I kept playing the demo repeatedly, and I just couldn’t get enough! So when the game finally came out for the PlayStation, I picked it up and have been hooked ever since!
What Lara Croft costume did you tackle first?
The first costume that I attempted was her Classic outfit, which my father helped construct! We used fake leather, and yellow printer paper for the buckle! It was quite a fun experience, to say the least! My dad came up with the nickname “FrankenHolster” because of the quality.
What is your favorite Lara Croft ensemble?
I will always love her Classic outfit!
What Croft costumes are still on your roster?
My biggest goal is to complete Lara’s newest outfit with all of her upgraded gear, as well as her black Tokyo dress.
Which Lara costume was the most difficult to construct? Was it due to a particular garment or prop?
I would have to say Lara’s newest outfit, oddly enough. Mostly because I just gave birth to my son not even a year ago, so as far as money and time, well, it’s been very tight. But I really lucked out with having an amazing fiancé who helps me with all of my weapon construction, special effects makeup, costume collecting/scouting, babysitting, and acts as my photographer too!
Lara Croft’s lifestyle is full of intrigue and adventure. Do you have any memorable photoshoots or convention appearances that pay tribute to Lara’s lifestyle?
I’ve got a couple of interesting things under my belt. I’ve traveled a fair share to exotic Islands and temples when I was younger. I’ve really gotten into history and archaeology because of Lara, and I love collecting little trinkets here and there when I travel! I was a gymnast for quite some time, but stopped after a while due to personal reasons. And I’m always up for a hike, or going out camping with just a couple of matches and a sleeping bag to last me the night. Rock climbing is another one of my favorites, as well as swimming!
Along the same lines, what’s the most exotic location you’ve traveled to?
For one of my photo shoots, I traveled to Xcaret, Mexico! Sadly, we lost a good majority of the photos because my computer ended up crashing on me before I could post them online…
What about Lara’s physical strength or mental prowess most inspires you? Has this, or your desire to cosplay Lara, influenced your daily life?
Lara has always been an extremely positive influence on me ever since I was a little girl. All throughout school I was severely bullied to the point of being physically spit on, thrown into lockers, beaten, and made fun of on a daily basis. When I first started playing Tomb Raider, I was around 11 or 12 years old. Lara was such a strong, independent, and kickass woman, and that was exactly what I wanted to be when I grew up! I embraced what Lara stood for, her confidence, her courage… All that mattered to me after school was getting home and beating the next level! Then I started to take my favorite aspects from Lara and incorporate them into real life. I gained confidence through exploration, camping to survive, and traveling. I strived to be the best at any sport I played; regardless of how much the other kids teased me. And then, for Halloween one year, I decided to dress up as Lara. When I wore the costume to school, all the other classmates knew who I was, and I got a lot of positive feedback. It was a boost of confidence I truly needed, and through research online I found Chuck Brite’s website which hosted Lara Croft look-a-like competitions. I entered in as many as I could, and quickly made friends in the cosplay community. Some of which I am still friends with today! And now that I’m a mother, I most certainly plan on passing on the same values to my son!
Photos: Joshua Pate | Chris Stulich | Guy Roig | Flat World Productions
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