Featured Artist: Kayla Lael of Vengeance Designs

Vengeance Designs: A product of owner/creator Kayla’s endless creativity and uncontrollable imagination. A combination of clashing elements that form together into masterpieces. Beautiful pieces that are in themselves an immaculate work of art. Have you ever been to a convention and seen a Starfleet member with a uniform made entirely out of latex? Chances are, if you’ve seen some of these unique designs, you’ve seen Vengeance Designs amazing cosplay work. If you are a Trekkie, girls, I dare you to try and walk away from the amazing Starfleet costume! It was the first time I’d ever seen Kayla’s work and I instantly fell in love. Check out the interview with the New York designer to learn more about her work.

Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and your work?

Fashion design is actually a passion that I developed recently. I’ve always been an artist and I’ve explored many mediums, but it was always a hobby. I was studying Biology when I started modeling on the side. I soon started getting into alternative shoots and eventually latex and fetish fashion shows, and I finally saw a genre where my strange ideas would work. I switched majors to Fashion Design, started the Vengeance label and I’ve been pursuing this full time ever since.

How did you first get into working with latex as a medium?

When I first started booking latex shoots and fetish fashion shows as a model, I fell in love with the material. Latex is so unique, it feels wonderful, and there are so many way you can manipulate the material in ways that can’t be done in fabric. I still design ready-to-wear clothing and I take commissions for spandex suits, corsets, etc, but latex is still my favorite medium.

What was the first cosplay outfit you designed with latex?

My first latex cosplay was my Catwoman suit (Tim Burton style). It was actually the first catsuit I ever made and its still holding up today. It took a whole day just to applique the stitches one by one but when it was finished, it was totally worth it. After completing that costume with such success, I was inspired to do more latex cosplays and take these costumes to the next level.

How long does it usually take to complete one full piece?

A few hours or a few days depending on the item. Things like lingerie and dresses are quick but catsuits, gowns, and complex custom items can be very time consuming from start to finish.

What is your favorite latex cosplay you’ve created?

My favorite so far are the pair of Phoenix catsuits I made for my twin, Lilith Astaroth, and I to wear at NYCC (New York Comic Con) this past year. She’s not my actual twin, but we’re great friends and we look so much alike, we had to bring it into a cosplay. Once we were in full hair/makeup and costume, it was like seeing double. The day we wore those costumes we were featured in a ton of geek blogs, the official Marvel website, and we even made the news!

Are there any upcoming latex cosplay designs you are thinking of that you can tell us about?

This year I’ll be attending AnimeNext and NYCC so I’ll be preparing two whole sets of new outfits for the events, as well as making some epic outfits for my cosplay clients. The biggest one I’m working on right now is assembling a full group of cosplayers for a set of latex Sailor Scouts. Its going to be a lot of work, but if we pull it off, it will be the biggest thing I’ve done in cosplay.

To see more of Kayla’s work and to buy these awesome costumes please visit:

http://www.vengeancedesigns.etsy.com
http://www.facebook.com/vengeancedesigns