Tomb Raider has been keeping busy with announcements for the Tomb Raider live action series, the release of the Tomb Raider Netflix animated series, pre-orders for Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered, and lots of partnerships. Amongst all the excitement and projects, we took some time to chat with Tomb Raider Ambassador Phia Cosplay about her work on Tomb Raider cosplays for Escape from the Temple of Fire, her thoughts on the animated series, and upcoming games!  

Tell us about the start of your cosplay journey.   My cosplay journey started with a love for a tv show! I was twelve years old, and my friend and I had been watching this TV series together. One day she called me on the landline (cord phone, no doubt) and asked if I wanted to go to something called a “cosplay convention.” She said that “maybe we could even dress up, I heard that's a thing people do.” Everything sort of snowballed from there and I still find myself captivated by the art people working in the entertainment industry create these days.  

How excited were you when Tomb Raider Experience Seattle reached out to you and asked you to do the first professional cosplay of an updated representation of Lara Croft?   Beyond stoked. I love creating art with talented artists in the community and this project absolutely gave me that. Working with the team at Crystal Dynamics to bring to life the first official costume version of the Unified Lara Croft was a phenomenal experience. I’m very proud of how it turned out and I even picked up some new skills to put in my costuming toolbox. 

Do you have any tips for anyone who wants to get started in cosplay? Halloween is right around the corner!   Check out your local thrift [store]! It’s a fantastic place to start. Depending on your experience level, choosing premade pieces that look similar to the character or your vision is a great way to start out. You can do a few quick alterations with a sewing kit or glue, or keep it really simple and get creative with layering. If you’re wanting to try your hand at sewing your own garment, check the curtain section at local thrift stores. Nice fabric can be really expensive and because of that, really daunting to take scissors to!  

Try and give yourself a project that’s low stakes to start and don't be afraid to make mistakes. Remember that you’re always going to improve by trying and that it’s okay to return to your costume in a month and decide that maybe you do really want to try and hand sew the shirt. I like to think of my costumes as “living projects.” They’re always changing and I’m always coming up with ways I can improve or add onto them.  

What did you think about Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft animated series?  I've really been enjoying it so far! It's always exciting to see strong female characters represented in media and I'm eager to see where the story goes. 

Within the animated series, did you see any outfits or ‘Lara Looks’ that you would like to recreate?   There were a lot of unique variations to her outfits that would be fun to make, but I think it's exciting to branch out and make something the character doesn't typically wear for their everyday attire. The gorgeous pink gown she wears would be a unique outfit to work on because of that! I love the trope of an adventurer getting all cleaned up for a fancy event and showing a more polished side of themselves. 

Are you excited about the Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered announcement?     Absolutely! I'm excited to play and experience the upgrades. As a fan of a lot of older media, it's great to see some love put into older projects, making them accessible again to a new audience. 

We appreciate that Phia took the time from her busy schedule to chat with us about her excitement for all things Tomb Raider! Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered is available for pre-order right now on all platforms, and Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft is now streaming on Netflix!     With Halloween around the corner, have you created your Tomb Raider costume?  We’d love to see it!  Tag us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or Threads, and use the hashtag #tombraider to show us your stuff! 

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