We are excited to welcome Amber Arden, Corgi Cosplay, Dustbunny, Steff Von Schweetz, and Stella Chuu to Anime Expo 2017 as Cosplay Senpai!
Our Cosplay Senpai Program, created in 2014, handpicks Cosplayers who have shown community support and outreach through positivity both at con and in the online world. They are invited to come and promote fun, passion, and acceptance within the cosplay community through panels and discussions. The Cosplay Senpai are always open to answering questions, giving advice, and talking with attendees; they can be found in the Entertainment Hall, right next to the Cosplay Repair Area.
Anime Expo advocates the idea that cosplay is for everyone –no matter what size, gender, age, religion, shape, color, or even species. Cosplay is all about having fun! The Cosplay Senpai help support our mission to promote the message that anyone and everyone can cosplay.
Amber Arden
Amber Arden is a Fashion Stylist, Costume Designer, and Milliner based in Los Angeles, CA. Known for her Snow White Mashup costumes (in particular, Snowbafett, a Boba Fett inspired Snow White) and all things Disney & Star Wars. She also creates cosplays inspired by Pokemon all the way to Vintage Classic Characters.
Designing and cosplaying for two years, she frequently is a Fashion Stylist for Disney including Makers Studios, Disney Style, and many High end fashion brands to date. While coordinating numerous photo shoots involving all aspects of fashion and costume. Amber was a Panel Guest at Star Wars Celebration 2015 and featured in magazines like, LA Weekly and Cosplay Culture Magazine. And a convention guest at LA Comic Con 2016
Corgi Cosplay
Corgi Cosplay is made up of Kiba the Cosplay Corgi and his wise cracking, awkward potato Mom, Nicole! Kiba has been cosplaying sine 2013 and Nicole joined in on the fun in 2015. They love promoting acceptance and fun in the cosplay community, while simultaneously furthering the corgi world domination agenda! They also love bringing awareness to invisible disabilities since Kiba is Nicole’s service dog!
Dustbunny
Originally from the east coast and now living in Los Angeles. Dustbunny has been in convention scene for over 10 years and is an award winning cosplayer. She has a genuine heart for making costumes and the will to support anyone who has the desire for cosplaying.
Steff Von Schweetz
Steff Von Schweetz has been cosplaying since 2003 with nearly 300 costumes under her belt. She prides herself on being completely self-taught in all aspects of the hobby and believes that anyone can cosplay, regardless of skill. Steff has won a handful of awards across the West Coast including Best in Show and Best Advanced Craftsmanship, and has helped with dozens of panels and masquerade judgings. While she loves to craft and create, Steff’s favorite hobby is annoying people with her love of Neon Genesis Evangelion.
Stella Chuu
Stella Chuu is a cosplayer from New York and Los Angeles. She makes brilliantly detailed costumes, travels to conventions around the world, and works to promote geek culture. She loves to share the joy of DIY in costume construction. Most notable are her Devil Homura, Imp Mercy, and Master Yi cosplays. Her creative and quirky personality has led her to be featured on Kotaku, Nerdist, Mashable, Tech Insider and more.