At Lock & Load we host a costume contest, and each year we see some pretty amazing costumes. Derek Casagrande won’t be able to make it Lock & Load this year, but he sent me some pictures of his truly stunning Sebastian Nemo costume. In this costume Derek is a dead ringer for Nemo, and best of all the costume actually lights up!
Here are some pictures of this incredible costume.
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Derek shared with me some stories of his experience with the costume. He told me about all the compliments his costume received, and all the photographs he stood for, and how exciting it was when he was recognized as General Adept Sebastian Nemo. It was also great to hear how much support he got from his coworkers at the restaurant where he works, and how much they shared in Derek’s enthusiasm for the project. I’ll let Derek tell my favorite story in his own words:
“I was sweating bullets from the combination of the layers and the weight of the outfit, so I wandered outside [of the convention] to enjoy the November air. I made a few friends, gave a few high-fives, and just cooled off. I was pleased beyond words with how the costume had turned out, but as with anything I build, I always see a nick here, a scratch there, a spot that could have been sanded slightly better, a spot of paint that was off, etc. As I walked under the streetlights I caught sight of my shadow, and for the first moment it really hit me what I had done. I was actually casting Sebastian Nemo’s shadow. Everything was perfect. The hair. The staff. The armor. The robe. I was Sebastian Nemo. It was a very surreal moment, and it stuck with me.”
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