Finn
Carnival of Masks presents Chicago, IL based costume designer, Finn Hawk, as part of our Beyond the Carnival: Interviews with Costume Folks Around the World series.
Lord Milori - Disney’s Pixie Hollow
“Lord Milori was a complete challenge. Everything seen here was made completely by hand-patterned and detailed by me. Milori is a fairy whose wings were damaged and torn, and as a result, is disabled and relies on a snowy owl to fly. As a disabled man myself, I resonated very heavily with his story, and had lots of fun creating him! I played with many different fabric textures and techniques, and constructed my first pair of fairy wings for this build. It took approximately two months of on and off work, and I certainly learned a lot of new skills.”
CoM: Finn, tell us about what you do.
FH: I mainly upcycle thrifted pieces and turn them into something new. One person’s donated window curtains becomes a magnificent cape or a fancy doublet. I work in theaters across Chicago, as well as make my own costumes for fun!
CoM: What inspires you?
FH: I am inspired constantly by my peers. Surrounding myself with the most talented creatives, who are all continuing to learn from each other and grow in our crafts. It has been an absolute blessing to go to different events and see what people come up with.
CoM: How did your life in costumes begin??
FH: I used to be a character performer, and in that industry, people tend to hire for one size. In the company I co-ran, I made sure we didn’t do this. We had princesses, superheroes, fairies, and more of ALL sizes - and with our tight budget, sometimes that meant me altering or making costumes by hand. This evolved into finding jobs in community theaters and also making costumes for myself that weren’t readily purchasable.
Eskel - The Witcher 3
“Eskel was absolutely a monster of a build. I took a thrifted women’s quilted coat and chopped her up, adding many yards-worth of hand stitching, weathering, and intense care to make it look the way it does now. Since this photo, I’ve replaced a bit of the hardware. The spikes on the arms of this jacket were sculpted by me from polymer clay and then painted. The pants, boots, base jacket, and lots of the fabric used were all thrifted. Photo taken by my friend Christine”
CoM: Are there costumed events you make sure to never miss? And if so, what do you love about them?
FH: Yes! I am typically frolicking around somewhere at my local Renaissance Faire. The one closest to me is Bristol Renaissance Faire, but I’ve traveled across the country to attend different events!
Beast - Disney’s Beauty and the Beast
“A completely upcycled and unique take on The Beast from Disney’s Beauty and The Beast. Beast is forever my favorite character, and I am constantly improving and making different costumes for him. The rose pictured is actually a sold prop from the original Broadway production from 1994. Since 2020, I’ve played with multiple different prosthetics and special effects to achieve his monstrous disposition, and am still experimenting with different techniques to this day.”
CoM: What's your favorite thing about costumes?
FH: I love dressing up as a character I resonate with. It feels like finding a piece to a puzzle that I’ve been missing. Like a part of me is fully being seen. Even through sweat and tears, creating the costume to match my ultimate vision, and then finally putting it all on… It’s a dream come true.
CoM: Who do you want to shoutout in the costume world?
FH: I am forever in awe of Prince of Snark Cosplay and Silhouette Cosplay. Both individuals are endlessly creative and highly detailed in their work- and seeing their creative processes are incredibly inspiring. I also LOVE The Hush Fall Archives for both costume pieces and regular wear. Their team of designers put so much heart and soul into their designs and products, and are an amazing group of individuals.
CoM: Thanks so much, Finn!
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