FAQS

Why commission from akino-atelier.com?
All costumes are made by a single seamstress, Nancy. Everything is made and shipped from Los Angeles, CA, USA. None are mass produced or made in factories; each is individually crafted and pieced together by a single seamstress. Nancy puts much effort into each work, and uses only the highest quality fabrics and materials. Extremely nitpicky, she ensures each piece must be perfect before finalization.

How long will each costume/clothing piece take?
It depends on the simplicity or complexity of the costume. Costumes can take as little as one week, and as long as 8 weeks (and possibily longer for highly detailed outfits). Nancy does try to send out each item as soon as she can, but prefers quality above all else. If you have a deadline, she recommends placing an order at least 8 weeks in advance, the longer the better, and be sure to let her know if you need it by a certain date.

What would be the price of cosplay costumes/custom clothing?
Nancy absolutely does NOT like to overcharge! You will pay for fabric, materials/supplies, time spent to sew your costume/clothing, and shipping. You can see from her shop that the prices are fairly set. If requested, she can provide a detailed invoice for everything you will be paying for. All prices depend on the materials, time, and effort. A complex outfit will cost more than a simple oufit. Please remember, although Nancy will never overcharge, she does not and will not skimp on details or construction methods and this will affect the overall cost.

Why are commissioned cosplay costumes and clothing more expensive?
The prices are set to reflect the time, effort, and materials used to construct each piece. There is no factory, giant machines, or hundreds of workers, there is only one seamstress custom-making coplays and outfits by hand from scratch, starting from paper to fabric. Nancy will only use high quality materials and fabric, and will spend much time to perfect each work. A single yard of fabric can cost anywhere from $5 - $20+. Custom clothing and cosplay costumes can take 50+ hours to construct. All the costs include drafting the pattern, testing the draft, buying the materials, adding the details, sewing it all together, and finalizing the piece. There is a LOT of work involved.

Where can I check the status/sewing progress of my commission?
You can check on Nancy's deviantART. You can check the sewing progress, read the blog, view detailed description of some of the products, or leave comments on Nancy's works. She also posts progress pictures onto her Facebook.

Can I just have a quote on a costume/clothing?
Of course! Just fill out the Commission Form and Nancy will take a look through it. The form is not a contract, it is only an inquiry.

Will the quote be the final cost?
The final cost of the requested garment may be more or less than the quoted amount. It is not accurate to determine the final price of a wearable, textile garment from a simple picture. The final cost would depend on the materials, labor, time, and effort. The quote can be negotiated to the customer's budget. For example, a client may forego pockets or accessories, or request for more luxurious fabric to be used, this would affect the final cost. Almost all the time, Nancy will stay with the quoted amount as she plans out the entire cosplay outfit for requests, in rare cases differences usually range from $10 - $50 from material/sewing costs and the client will be notified immediately.

Can you work with my budget?
Of course. Just mention that you have a budget of the amount you want to spend in the Budget section of the commission form. Please be reasonable with the budget amount! For example, requesting to spend $100 for a fully detailed, custom fitting body armor suit is not realistic and not very kind.

Do you do payment plans?
Yes, Nancy will work with payment plans (i.e. half now, half later; set deposit; etc). Full payment must be received before shipment of the final costume.

I need my costume/outfit ASAP! Can you work on my costume first or right away?
Commissions are based on first-come, first-serve, but yes it is possible, but if your costume/outfit is not first on the list, an extra charge will apply. The extra charge will come from additional hours put to ensure that your request will be finished in time, and to be fair to other commisioners. However, id there is no room in the sewing schedule, your request may not be honored. Be sure to mention that you need it asap in the Commission Form.

When should I commission a costume?
You should send your commission request at least 8 weeks before the due date of your deadline/event. The more time the better. Check the Availability Chart above. Find the month that your deadline/event is in, then go back at least two months and choose that month. For example, Anime Expo is held in July, so you should place your commission at least in April to beginning May, (but go even further back if you could to make sure you will get it in time). If there are no spots open, just ask anyways; Nancy will take a look at all commission requests, if the costume can be added to the schedule she will make it for you (but no gurantees). =)

I need to cancel my commission. What do I need to do/know?
Please let Nancy know right away if you would like to cancel your commission or wait until further notice. The deposit is non-refundable to reimburse the material costs and the commission slot, and if arranged reasonably, can be used towards another commission.

The costume I would like is not in the viewing gallery. Can you still make it?
Of course! Nancy can accept most costume/clothing requests. She can make: Fabric-based costumes, Hats, Clothing Accessories, Plushes, Original/Concept costumes/clothing She will not make: Mecha, Props, Wigs, Armor, Metal work

Can costumes be remade?
Yes, costumes can be remade/duplicated, provided that the commissioned costume is not based off an original creation by another customer or company such as a fanart outfit (unless proof of permission is provided). This is to honor the work of the artist, as it is their original work and intepretation.

Can I compete in a competition with a costume made by akino-atelier.com?
Skit competitions are fine. In a competition based on costume construction, that is not allowed since you did not make the costume. Such awards are given to the person who made the costume, and if you were to order something from akino-atelier.com and claim it as your own work, that is against the rules and is morally wrong. Skit competitions where the award is given based on the performance of the persons and not the costume itself is fine.