Defender of Lucca

Photo by Serena Colpo
Subject: Imriel de la Courcel from Kushiel's Legacy series

I love this photo, which my friend Serena took almost by chance when we met outside the walls. She asked me to shoot some pictures of me and did this amazing, amazing job.

COSTUME INFO:
This costume has a long story: it was first conceived differently, as the Red Scourge's outfit of the Siege of Lucca, because the first time I wore it I was REALLY in Lucca. This picture was taken right beside the walls of the real town where the book is set and for me it was an incredible experience to be there, dressed as Imri like I was ready to defend that wall with my own life.
Then I decided to make a more "royal" version first for a medieval cosplay ball here near Verona and then for the amazing photoshooting I and some friends organized two years ago in Turin. The costume is basically a LARP plate armor, while the sewing part was mainly made by my friend Barbara Boera with some help from me (she was playing Sidonie). The sword I used in Lucca was a replica of LOTR Aragorn's first sword, while the photoshooting's one is my LARP two-handed claymore. I thought that it kinda suited the character even though Imri's would probably be shorter and heavier.