Lady Dee Rich Interview at Fan Expo Dallas 2018
Photo Credits:
Firebird Images: Queen Beryl
Open Book Entertainment: Punk Sailor Moon, Burlesque Princess Peach
Yogomi: Bulma (bunny), Waifu
IrishOne Photography: Lingerie (red)
Roxas Studios: Bulma, Lingerie (water), Christmas Onsies, Bed (w/ MCubed)
Travis Edwards: Bulma, Samus
Scott Fischer: Android 21, Bulma (bunny)
Dallas Geek: Blake Belladonna
In the time that I have been around the convention circuit in Dallas, I have had the chance to meet some really great people. In fact, the first group that was willing to reach out & pull me in was the local cosplay community. Even though I'm not a cosplayer, they were very open & accepting of a newbie, like I had been. In fact, some of the best friends that I have made at conventions ended up being cosplayers. As abundant & ever growing as the group may appear, one of the first things that you learn about that the Dallas cosplayers is that they are a surprisingly tight-knit community. Everyone knows everyone. That's actually how I came to meet Dee Rich. We had enough mutual friends in the community that I had known about her work for a while. So, when we finally got to meet in person last fall, it felt like it had been a long time coming.
Walking up to her table at this year's Fan Expo Dallas, it was obvious that Dee Rich, aka Lady Dee Rich, is someone who belongs in cosplay. Throughout the weekend, she always seemed to have someone there talking & having blast! Between her energetic personality & the music playing at her table to encourage random mini-dance parties, there was never a lack of enthusiasm permeating the air around her. While you may think this sounds like something that should be normal for featured cosplayers at these conventions, you would actually be wrong. Most featured cosplayers will be friendly & enthusiastic about their craft, but Dee has taken that extra step to bring the party to cosplay. Her happy energy quickly seeped into everyone nearby, keeping up a sense of excitement throughout the weekend. As a quick side note, if you have ever been to one of these large conventions for an entire weekend, then you know just how hard it can be to stay enthusiastic from start to finish. So, what Dee was able to provide, even in small doses to people walking by, was more like a much needed public service!
As for her actual cosplay, she is incredibly talented. She has been involved in costume making since she learned how to as a kid in Oklahoma. So, it should come as no surprise that her skills with a needle & thread are impressive. Whether you are talking about her gravity defying Queen Beryl dress or anime accurate Blake Belladonna, she has continued to show that she can deftly intertwine accurate character representation with an exciting charisma that can be seen both in person & through the camera. She is an amazing person who deserves the attention that she has received & will easily continue to receive. If you aren't following her work yet, you really should be. Dee is the kind of cosplayer that cares about her fans just as much as creating a sense of fun with everything she does.