By Ed Avis
NCA ADMINISTRATION
Board of directors
President
Terry Sinopoli
Arlene’s Costumes 1156 Culver Rd. Rochester, NY 14609
terry@arlenescostumes.com 585-662-9942
Term ends: 2025
immediate Past
President
Pam Markel
Illusive Skull Costume Castle 1314 Morgantown Ave. Fairmont, WV 26554
docmarkel@aol.com
304-476-7927
Term ends: 2025
Vice President
Janine Caufield
Caufield’s 1006 West Main St. Louisville, KY 40202
Janine@caufields.com 502-727-5682
Term ends: 2025
treasurer
Louella Torrence
Drop Me a Line Costume Shop 3600 Catherine Ave. Allentown, PA 18103 dropmealine@rcn.com 610-360-5498
Term ends: 2025 director
Marion Bradley
Discount Costumes 1736 Watson Blvd Warner Robins, GA 31093 balloonsnpartiesinfo@ gmail.com 478-396-1204
Term ends: 2026 director
Calvin Coffman
Graftobian 510 Tasman St. Madison, WI 53714 608-222-7849
calvincoffman@graftobian.com
Term ends: 2026
2025-26
director
Anne Dorsey
McCabe’s Costumes 4054 S. Memorial Dr. Winterville, NC 28590 mccabescostumes@gmail. com
Term ends: 2026 director
Courtland Hickey
Chicago Costume 1120 W. Fullerton Ave. Chicago, IL 60614 courtland@chicagocostume. com
773-528-1264
Term ends: 2025 director
Dwayne Ibsen
Ibsen Costume Gallery 4981 Hamilton St. Omaha, NE 68132
402-556-1400
Fax 402-556-5727
ibsencostumes@ gmail.com
Term ends: 2025 director
Brandon Lilly
The Life of the Party 4025 S. Mason St., Ste B. Fort Collins, CO 80525 brandon.lilly@goodsforgeeks. com
970-414-0857
Term ends: 2025
executiVe director Ed Avis
National Costumers Association 708-218-7755
executivedirector@costumers.org
standing committee chairs
Buyer member Benefits: Courtland Hickey
Vendor Benefits: Calvin Coffman
membership recruitment: Anne Dorsey and Marion Bradley
revenue: Anne Dorsey
nominations and awards: Pam Markel
Bereavement, disaster and grievance: Pam Markel
history: Dwayne Ibsen and Pam Markel
Website: Janine Caufield and Brandon Lilly
social media: Janine Caufield and Calvin Coffman
NEW News About The NCA’S Bundle Program!
The NCA Bundle Program, which debuted three years ago, is undergoing several changes that should result in greater savings for members. The concept behind the program will remain the same — we combine orders to get better prices. Here are the changes:
1. Previously vendors sent their products to Caufield’s in Louisville, where the orders were picked-and-packed and shipped to stores. Now vendors will ship directly to stores, which may reduce shipping costs in some cases, and will eliminate the 5% fee paid to Caufield’s.
2. The NCA will continue promoting the deals from vendors and gathering the orders, but they won’t be all due in December and January, as they previously were. Now they will be done at the time the vendor can offer the best terms.
3. Members will no longer need to pay a deposit to the NCA. All financing will be handled by the vendors directly with the stores.
Stay tuned for details and plan on participating!
PRESIDENT’S LETTER
happy new Year my nca friends!
I look forward to meeting many of you at the Halloween & Party Expo (HPE) scheduled in Las Vegas from January 12-14, 2026. I encourage you to stop by as many of our vendor member booths as possible to check out their products and to network. Also make sure to attend the Fashion Show & Cocktail Reception on Monday, January 12th, and the Spooky Awards & Cocktail Reception, on Tuesday, January 13th, at HPE. The Halloween & Party Expo is the perfect way to start planning for the new year.
The National Costumers Association (NCA) will continue to help you in planning for success in 2026. You should plan on attending our Zoom Fashion Show, webinars, area meetings, online happy hours, Spring Fling and our annual business meeting. We encourage our members who wish to be more involved to run for the NCA Board of Directors. We also provide amazing deals in our Bundle Program and our Buyer’s Group.
There are also many ways outside of the Association to plan for success. Many of our members belong to networking groups, local Chambers of Commerce, Rotary Clubs and other organizations to help grow their business.
We would love to hear about your experience in spreading the word about your business. Many of our members exhibit at comic cons, festivals and other fun events. Some sponsor local events in their towns. Others have creative side hustles like airbrush face painting or character appearances.
It’s time to think about how you can utilize the Association and other groups to help build your business. I also invite you to become a more active participant in the NCA this year. Like or follow us on our socials, join us for webinars and special events. Send us stories about your business, including special events that you are organizing and participating in so that we can share them on our socials and in The Costumer magazine. This is YOUR NCA! Please help us make 2026 an amazing one for our organization and our industry!
terry s inopoli, President
National Costumers Association
Arlene’s Costumes, Rochester, New York
nca national headquarters
ed avis
executive director
P.O. Box 13347 Chicago, IL 60613 708-218-7755
executivedirector@costumers.org
The Costumer Publications office
Ed Avis Associates P.O. Box 13347 Chicago, IL 60613 708-218-7755
executivedirector@costumers.org
ad sales
Ed Avis
708-218-7755
executivedirector@costumers.org
editorial inquiries
Kathleen Furore
708-267-0023
kfurore@yahoo.com
art director
Michelle Crisanti michelle@mc2chicago.com
©2025, National Costumers Association. The Costumer is published by the National Costumers Association, Inc., with headquarters located at the above address, a nonprofit and incorporated association of costumers located in the United States, Australia, Bahamas, Canada, India, Ireland, Mexico, and Great Britain.
No responsibility is assumed for the opinions expressed or claims made by the authors of articles or by advertisers. Appearance in the magazine does not constitute endorsement by the National Costumers Association, nor its officers or representatives.
www.costumers.org
ASSOCIATION NEWS
Halloween 2025: Better Sales for Most, Not All
By Ed Avis
The ghosts have flown off, the zombies are truly dead, and the vampires are back in their coffins — Halloween 2025 is just a memory now. And based on data from the annual National Costumers Association (NCA) post-Halloween survey, it was a very good Halloween for most stores, although a few were left out of the fun.
“We were pleased with sales this year for October, which increased 43 percent over last year,” wrote one respondent to our survey. “Yes! Excellent sales! Amazon could not meet delivery dates! :)” wrote another.
Forty-six people — 37 retailers and 9 vendors — answered the survey.
retailers’ mixed emotions
Among the retailers, 41 percent said costume/mask sales were “Much better than 2024” and 30 percent said they were “Somewhat better.” Seven percent said sales were even with 2024, and the unlucky rest — 22 percent — said sales were “Somewhat worse” or “Much worse.”
How do those figures compare to last year? Way better! When we surveyed members after Halloween 2024, only 9 percent said costume/mask sales were “Much better” than 2023; 23 percent said “Somewhat better”; 36 percent said sales were flat; and the remaining 32 percent said sales were “Somewhat worse” or “Much worse.”
Sales of accessories and make-up this Halloween were also encouraging. Forty-one percent said accessories and make-up sales
were “Much better than 2024” and 30 percent said they were “Somewhat better.” Nineteen percent said those sales were flat, and the remaining 10 percent said sales in those categories were “Somewhat worse” or “Much worse.”
The data about costume rentals was solid, but not quite as good as the above categories. Forty-seven percent of retailers who rent costumes said rentals were “Much better” or “Somewhat better”; 21 percent said rentals were flat; and 31 percent said rentals “Somewhat worse” or “Much worse.”
Finally, décor sales were up for about 45 percent of respondents; flat for 30 percent; and down for about 25 percent.
Mr. Fun’s Costumes in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio was one retailers who reported lower sales.
Owner Meralie Pocock said one reason sales were lower was because she invested less in inventory than in previous years.
“I was on the fence about several things,” Pocock says. “I was concerned about the tariffs and some of the suppliers wanted us to sign paperwork that said, ‘You’ll pay whatever they’re going charge you when it comes through.’ And I thought, you know, I’m not writing just a blank check. And then I was also on the fence as to whether or not I was going to renew our lease. I didn’t want to be stuck with a bunch of merchandise that I would just have to clear out at the end of the year.”
a sloW start
A trend identified by the survey and subsequent interviews with NCA members was that the season got off to a slow start.
For example, sales at Boston Costume were pretty average all Halloween season until the last days, says Julie Guarnera, the store’s buyer.
“Sales were kind of flat, pretty much as expected, for the first couple weeks of the season, but then just probably the last week and a half were above expectations,” Guarnera says.
Pocock saw the same pattern in her store.
“It feels like the Halloween buying season gets shorter and shorter,” she says. “Our customers window shopped longer and waited until the end to make their purchases.”
Yet Pocock is grateful for those last-minute buyers, and believes they came because Mr. Fun’s offers advantages that Amazon, Target and other big competitors do not: “One of the biggest eye openers was, you know, all those people who came
Pocock juiced her Halloween sales by putting a lot of rental costumes on sale at decent prices, approximately one and a half the normal rental fees for the item.
“We pulled out the stuff that we haven’t rented a lot in recent years, and a lot of people got a great bargain,” she says. “I feel like it was a win-win in the end. And then it gave us an opportunity to get our beloved costumes into a new home.”
t he Vendors’ storY
Since only nine vendors responded to the survey and of those, only seven answered all the questions, the data from them is not statistically significant.
Nevertheless, it’s interesting to note that most of those vendors reported better sales: Two said their sales to costume retailers were “much better” in 2025 compared to 2024; three said they were “somewhat better”; and two said they were worse than 2024.
sales were kind of flat, pretty much as expected, for the first couple weeks of the season, but then just probably the last week and a half were above expectations.”— Julie Guarnera, Boston Costume
rushing in at the last minute because of our customer service, because of our knowledge, because of our unique items that don’t look like everything else at every other retail place out there.”
t he imPact of Promotions
Getting customers in the door is always a challenge, even during the Halloween season. NCA members used a mix of promotions to accomplish that.
Guarnera tapped social media to attract customers.
“We did Instagram and Facebook ads and we had a couple of influencers come into the store,” she says.
The social media influencers, who visited her store in late September, had been invited by the agency that handles social media for the store. They primarily focused on The Garment District, which is the vintage clothing store co-located with Boston Costume. Nevertheless, Guarnera suspects many of the customers attracted to The Garment District by the posts also visited Boston Costume and bought Halloween costumes.
“The company had a list of influencers that they thought might be beneficial because we do vintage clothing yearround,” Guarnera explains. “They are people who do a lot of social media posts about going to different thrift stores or just shopping in the Boston area. I think that was probably pretty helpful.”
a solid suPP lY chain
Despite the tariff fears, the survey showed that vendors did a pretty good job of delivering orders. This fact was shown in data from both retailers and vendors.
In response to a question about what percentage of their orders they were able to deliver on time, three vendors reported that they delivered all orders on time; three said they delivered 90 to 99 percent on time; and one said 80 to 89 percent on time.
On the retailer side, 32 percent said “We received everything or nearly everything we ordered”; 64 percent said “We received 75 to 95 percent of what we ordered”; and 4 percent said they received 50 to 74 percent. Nobody said they received less than that.
Big hoP es for 2026
This year’s Halloween fell on a Friday night, which was probably one reason the numbers were up for most retailers. Next year it’s on a Saturday night, which should be at least as good or even better — Halloween parties on Friday followed by trick-or-treating on Saturday.
“I am pretty optimistic about next year,” Guarnera says.
FROM THE HISTORY VAULT
The 21st Century Arrives: A look at the 2000 to 2004 Grand International and Memorial Award Winners
By Pam Markel
Editor’s Note: In this, the third in The Costumer’s articles about past NCA awards, NCA historians and past presidents Pam Markel and Dwayne Ibsen visit the beginning of the twenty-first century — a time when Markel says the Grand International Showcase Event “was shaping up to be equally as spectacular and extravagant as the previous decade,”and the Memorial Award entries were “oozing with the ingenuity of new design techniques and materials and trims that became accessible through the internet.”
grand international award Winners
As the 1990s came to an end, and we entered the new century, costume design and construction were unbelievable: A diver sity of materials and trims were more readily available, and the elaborate detailed nature of the entries was simply breathtak ing. Entries were bigger, taller, with more attention to detail, creating an extravagant show of costumes greater than before. These award-winning costumes show how creative profes sionals used those materials and trims to elevate the quality of costumes showcased during at the Grand International Show case Competitions at beginning of the twenty-first century — events that can only be described as spectacular, impressive and simply breathtaking. The creative minds of this period in the National Costumers Association history really came out in full array.
2000 Winner
2001 Winner
“Xylia, Elfin Queen of Autumn,” Center Stage Costumes, Gainesville, Florida. Designed by then 23-year-old Melissa Payne, the de-
“Mandarin Devil,” Spotlight Costumes, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This costume, modeled by Ron Thompson of Spotlight, was unbelievably detailed not only in intricate design but colorful elegant fabric and trim. This was the second Spotlight Costumes entry in a row to receive the Grand International. The Mandarin Devil was also the recipient of the Cliff Allen Memorial Award for Outstanding Fantasy Costume and the William Zauder Memorial Award for Outstanding Make-up.
of the period with these gorgeous, embellished costumes, beautiful elegant headpieces and masks, and the grand detailed staff that the gentleman carried.
2003 Winner
“Luchicco Drago,” Helen’s Pacific Costumes, Portland, Oregon. ‘Luchicco Drago’ is Italian for ‘shimmering dragon’. The idea for this design was conceived at the 1997 Las Vegas convention in anticipation of the Chinese Year of the Dragon 2000. The creators used a new lighting called “Live Wire” and expanded the idea to a neon dragon. The cost of materials was under $500 including live wire. The head was a reincarnated costume pieces made 20 years previously; the original base was a snowman made for Payless drug stores. Luchicco Drago’s construction was an amazing journey for this talented costume shop. This was Helen’s Pacific’s 4th Grand International victory. Helen’s Pacific Costumes also won the Helen Aune Memorial Award for Outstanding Spectacular Costume.
2004 Winner
When his 27-foot detachable tail was attached, it required four people to carry it.
How fortunate we are to be members of this amazing group of costumers who dedicated their talents and creativity to be the best of the best. The National Costumers Association truly showed the world of what costume design really is.
The memorial awards
The entries of this decade were spectacular! No longer did costumers have to search locally for those special materials, suddenly everything was at their fingertips.
abe Jacobson memorial award for o utstanding masquerade costume
2000 “La Grande Masquerade,” Irvin Stern’s Costumes, Wayne, Pennsylvnia
2003 “Little Bo Peep,” Acme Costumes, Garden City, Georgia
2004 “King & Queen of Hearts,” Spotlight Costumes, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
“Shouboo, the Enlightened Parade Dragon,” KDH Costume and Design Studio, LLC, Lake Charles, Louisiana. Under the direction of Kevin Hodge, the shop created this entry for the Ball Captain at the Annual Mardi Gras Presentation for the Krewe of Illusions, a Mardi Gras krewe in Lake Charles, Louisiana. The design concept was to incorporate the grandeur of a Chinese parade, with confetti cannons and a dance in a full blaze, during his time on stage. The costume took approximately four weeks and countless hours to bring to life. He was about 8 feet tall and 7 feet wide, but when feathered in, he grows to over 10 feet high and 9 feet wide.
dorothy & lar mar Kerns memorial award for o utstanding f irst s howcase
2000 “Lumiere & Babette,” Akron Design & Costume, Akron, Ohio
2003 “Lights of Freedom,” Gayla’s Costume Shoppe LLC, Benton, Arkansas
FROM THE HISTORY VAULT
c harles & elsie Van riper memorial award for o utstanding spectacular costume
2000 “Catherine the Great,” Spotlight Costume, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
2001 “Colourous Schfizz,” Center Stage Costumes, Gainesville, Florida
2002 “Illinois Violet,” Josie O’Kain’s Costume Shop, Joliet, Illinois
2004 “Suleyamn the Magnificent,”
Enchanted Attic
robert s chultz memorial award for o utstanding animal/ mascot costume
2000 “Big Bad Wolf,” Robert Schmidt Costumes, St Louis, Missouri
2002 “Big Blue,” Center Stage Costumes & Magic, Gainesville, Florida
2003 “Ebert Humpydink,” Dale Morton Studios, Hurricane, West Virginia
2004 “Puss & Boots,” Acme Costumes, Garden City, Georgia
Warren hendricks memorial award for o utstanding authentic costume
2000 “Gay Nineties Gown, ” Winego, Occoquan, Virginia
2001“Tournure Walking Suit,” Winego, Occoquan, Virginia
2004 “The Court of Charles II,” Spotlight Costume, Pittsburgh, Pennyslvania
c. arthur landes & Joseph r . landes memorial award for o utstanding Theatre costume
2000 “Wicked Stepmother and the Hearld,” Jest for Fun, Bentleyville, Pennsylvania
2001“The Lady of Camellias,” Landes Costumes by Rachel, Indianapolis, Indiana
2002 “Joseph’s Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” Camelot Costumes, Freeport, Illinois
2003 “Angelique,” A to Z Theatrical Supply and Service, Kansas City, Missouri
2004 “Pieces Brillantes,” Landes Costumes by Rachel, Indianapolis, Indiana
Percy rubenstein memorial award for o utstanding comedy costume
2001 “HoHoHo,” Annie’s Costumes and Magic, Plantation, Florida
2002 “Dolly Levi Straus,” Spotlight Costumes, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
helen aune memorial award for o utstanding holiday costume
2001“On the Stroke of Midnight — Happy New Year,” Carnival, London, England
“as the 1990s came to an end, and we entered the new century, costume design and construction were unbelievable: a diversity of materials and trims were more readily available, and the elaborate detailed nature of the entries was simply breathtaking.”
— pam Markel
2002 “Renaissance Wedding,” Costumes Creative, Silver Springs, Maryland
2003 “Pride King,” Spotlight Costumes, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
c liff allen memorial award for o utstanding fantasy costume
2002 “VooDoo Rada,” Spotlight Costumes, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
2003 “Firefly Fairy,” Center Stage Costumes and Magic, Gainesville, Florida
2004 “Froggye Went a Courtin,” Costumed Occasions
William Zauder memorial award for o utstanding make-up
2002 “Azure Undine,” Center Stage Costumes & Magic, Gainesville, Florida
2003 “Black Magic Revels,” Spotlight Costumes, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
2004 “Suleyamn the Magnificent,” Enchanted Attic
Watch for more entertaining news from the NCA Archives in upcoming issues of The Costumer.
a bright year ahead: Five Steps Costumers Should Take Now
By Ed Avis
As soon as the Halloween season wrapped up, Brian Clark took a long look at his business, Abracadabra NYC in New York City, and considered what they could have done better.
“It’s all about keeping things up to speed and seeing where some of our shortcomings were, like where I could have supplied the store with a little bit more of this or that and just improving upon operations,” Clark says.
Clark’s careful evaluation is not a once-and-done deal — he does it every year. And he’s certainly not alone: An annual business evaluation is one of five key steps that business owners should take as they prepare for the new year, according to experts and successful costume industry players.
Here are some details about post-Halloween evaluations and four other steps that, taken together, should put your costume shop on the path to a successful new year!
steP 1: Post-halloWeen eValuation
Clark’s post-Halloween evaluation is not a one-man endeavor. He sits down with employees and gets their input about how the season went, what problems emerged, and how they might improve going forward.
when they’re trying to ring people up and the bandwidth of the internet is causing issues. The feedback from each individual has brought something a little different to the table.”
Among the issues Clark identified that should be worked on the in the year ahead are improving the internet strength so that customer check-out moves smoothly even when the store is crowded and adding more staff during the busy Halloween season. Fortunately, the season was successful for Abracadabra, and taking these key steps should make the store even more successful next Halloween.
“They’re simple fixes,” he says. “We just have to implement them and be proactive instead of being reactive when a problem arises. I saw what the problems are, and these are the things we’re going to do to fix them.”
steP 2: Plan for comic cons and other nonhalloWeen eVents
You might be happy with your bank account balance at this time of year, with Halloween earnings recently deposited, but remember there is a lot of selling to do before next Halloween. With that in mind, take some time now to consider what other events you can profit from. For example, there are over 100 Comic Cons across the United States, and
“ i ’ve sat with almost each individual that works for the store and in the warehouse and just got their feedback to see what they saw, because they’re in the trenches, right?...The feedback from each individual has brought something a little different to the table.”
— Brian Clark, abracadabra
“I’ve sat with almost each individual that works for the store and in the warehouse and just got their feedback to see what they saw, because they’re in the trenches, right?” Clark says. “They’re the ones that are face to face with the customer and dealing with problems, such as that connectivity issue with the device
countless other festivals, street parties, Renaissance fairs and similar events that attract people interested in dressing up.
“Most people will focus on Halloween, but there’s this whole Comic Con and festival market out there,” says Noel RodriguezOrtiz, sales representative for Manic Panic, which sells hair color
and other products that are ideal for these types of events. “During the festival season NCA member stores could sell masquerade masks, fancy masks, make-up, hair dye and other things like that and really profit.”
Many of these events invite vendors to sell products on-site, which is an ideal situation if the fees are reasonable. But even if selling on-site is not feasible, your store can profit by letting the community know you stock the products they might need as they plan for the next fun event.
However, Rodriguez-Ortiz stresses, it’s important to plan ahead for these types of events and order the stock you want to sell well enough in advance.
steP 4: examine Your i nVentorY
An important step closely related to budget is inventory evaluation. Every costumer should take time at the end of the year to think about inventory — what sold better or worse than expected, what needs to be replaced, what new items might be needed, etc.
“We’re working on inventory and budget issues so that we can properly accommodate each department,” Clark says. “Like
“ most people will focus on halloween, but there’s this whole comic con and festival market out there. d uring the festival season nca member stores could sell masquerade masks, fancy masks, make-up, hair dye and other things like that and really profit.”
— Noel rodriguez-ortiz, Manic panic
steP 3: PrePare a Budget
One of Julie Guarnera’s end-of-the-year tasks is to prepare a budget for the businesses she helps run, Boston Costume and The Garment District, which are co-located in a building in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
“Hopefully by the year’s end we’ll have a budget set up for next year,” Guarnera says. “Our budget shows us approximate spending per month, which can be flexible, depending on if sales are better or sales are worse.”
Many businesses start the budgeting process by looking at current year expenses and estimating how much, if any, they will change in the coming year. Other businesses practice so-called “zero-based budgeting,” which means you set each expense category to zero and build the budget from scratch. Experts say the latter is good if you want to maximize efficiency, because it forces you to carefully consider each expense rather than automatically plug in currentyear numbers. But zero-based budgeting definitely is more work. Regardless of the option you choose, your accounting software (QuickBooks or Xero, for example) should have a budgeting function that allows you to compare your actual situation to the budget whenever you want.
make-up for example — there are things that we sold out of way too soon, but we have a certain budget allotted for that department. So those are things we’re going to have to tweak this year, because we’ve seen demand for make-up increase year over year and I don’t see that changing going into a Saturday Halloween.”
End of year is also a good time to make sure your inventory counts are accurate, Guarnera explains.
“We’ll do an inventory rescan just so we know how much we’ve lost to theft or damage or whatever,” she says. “That gives us an accurate count of what we actually have in the store, which will help in ordering for next year.”
As you plan your inventory for 2026, remember also to consider the NCA Bundle Program, which combines member purchases to get everyone better deals, and the NCA Buyer’s Group, which lists exclusive NCA discounts from about 40 NCA Vendor Members.
steP 5: looK at Your marKeting mix
The four steps listed above will set the table for another endof-year task: Examining your marketing plans and coordinating them with your planned events and budget.
You probably already have a steady Facebook and Instagram presence, and that regular marketing is important. But if you plan to attend certain events, or if other holidays like Easter or Mardi Gras are impor-
“We’ll do an inventory rescan just so we know how much we’ve lost to theft or damage or whatever. t hat gives us an accurate count of what we actually have in the store, which will help in ordering for next year.”
— Julie Guarnera, Boston Costume and The Garment District
tant for your store, consider beefing up your marketing during the preceding weeks.
And maybe look beyond your normal efforts.
Have you considered working together with other local businesses to promote a joint event? Or offering a special discount to customers who mention a social media post you made? Or sponsoring a “Halloween in July” party?
The opportunities are truly endless…but planning them months in advance will surely increase the likelihood of their success.
Plan noW for a great 2026
Obviously, these five steps won’t guarantee success, but they should put things on the right path. The bottom line is that you want to work to make 2026 at least a little better than 2025.
Abracadabra’s Clark was thinking about that already when the smoke cleared from Halloween.
“Our staff did a phenomenal job, and it was a good year. I’m happy with a million things. But I just always like to see what we can do better,” he concludes.
What is your shop planning for 2026? Share your ideas with Editor Kathleen Furore (kathyfurore@gmail.com) and we’ll include the information in upcoming issues of The Costumer.
DoN’T
Forg ET Your NCA MEMBEr BENEFiTS!
Here is a quick summary of some key benefits of being an NCA Member.
Buyer’s Group: A list of NCA Vendors Members who offer discounts to Buyer Members. We recently added several new ones, including Sofi’s Stitches, Music Legs and Foam Party Hats. Bundle Program: This program combines purchases from members, so we all get better deals from the vendors.
Discount Connections: When stores close or otherwise need to unload inventory, NCA members are quickly informed and can get some great buys.
Zoom Fashion Show: Check out the latest products from our Vendor Members from the comfort of your store or home!
Digital Catalog: This giant online catalog offers samples of products from each of our Vendor Members.
Resources: Recorded webinars, back issues of The Costumer magazine, the Plot Service and much more is available in the NCA Member Portal.
creative cosplay
The evolution of a costuming phenomenon
By Kathleen Furore
The year: 1939
The venue: the World Science Fiction Convention in New York City
The scene: science fiction fans dressed as characters from their favorite sci-fi movies.
It was the beginning of the global phenomenon called cosplay.
t he eVolution of the genre
While the underlying concept for cosplay debuted more than eight decades ago, it wasn’t until the 1970s that the practice of fans transforming into a beloved movie or comic book character took hold, starting at sci-fi conventions in Japan.
“Attendees began dressing as their favorite characters from emerging anime and manga series, marking the beginning of cosplay as we know it today,” according to Japambience, an online forum about Japanese culture.
By the late 1990s, costumers worldwide started embracing cosplay, “driven by the growing popularity of anime, manga, and Japanese video games” and “international conventions, such as Anime Expo in the United States and the London MCM Comic Con” — events that provided “platforms for fans to showcase their costumes and connect with others who shared their passion,” Japambience notes.
2026 t rends
While costumers’ choice of characters to emulate run the gamut from superheroes and villains to video game stars, there are some on the cusp of becoming fan favorites in the new year, according to BONHEUR, a fashion lifestyle magazine that stresses the genre “is constantly changing as we move into 2026. It’s not just about costumes; it’s about connecting with
“What is incredibly important to costume shop owners, whether they recognize it or not, is that most of the customers who come through your doors are doing cosplay in one way or another!”
— Brandon lilly, The life of the party & The Theatre House
It wasn’t until a decade later that “cosplay” became part of the costuming lexicon. According to the site, Japanese reporter Nobuyuki Takahashi combined the words “costume” and “play” to create the term after being impressed by the elaborate costumes he saw fans wearing at the 1984 World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon) in Los Angeles.
your favorite characters and sharing your passion for anime and pop culture.”
Cosplay fans, the publication notes, will be turning to “anime series that feature compelling stories and striking designs” for inspiration. Among the trends predicted to “shape the cosplay community” in the new year:
Cosplayer as Asuka Langley Sohryu from Neon Genesis Evangelion
n CA
• cowboy Bebop and neon genesis evangelion. “Comeback characters” from these classic anime series are seeing a surge in popularity. “A recent survey indicated that nearly 60% of cosplayers plan to dress as characters from these classics at upcoming conventions, making these costumes a musthave,” BONHEUR reports.
• demon slayer and Jujutsu Kaisen. Characters including Tanjiro Kamado and Satoru Gojo from these newer anime series “are expected to be
Ask Brandon Lilly if cosplay plays a big role at The Life of the Party and The Theatre House — the two businesses he and his wife Marcia own in Fort Collins, Colorado — and his answer is more nuanced than a simple “yes” or “no.”
“You have to define what cosplay is,” says Lilly, who notes that it often isn’t buying a complete costume, but instead buying individual pieces and creating what he calls “a reference, an homage to a character.
“There are all different levels — it can even just be costumes made with things you find around the house,” he continues. “I have a friend who made a broom gown to create the Ship Serenity from the series Firefly!” Then comes the definitive answer about cosplay’s importance, not only for his shops but for every costume business, too: “What is incredibly important to costume shop owners, whether they recognize it or not, is that most of the customers who come through your doors are doing cosplay in one way or another!”
OptiOns AbOund
Knowing what is influencing your cosplaying customers can help you
among the top choices, with a market trend showing a 30% increase in costume sales related to these series,” according to the trend report.
• gender-bending cosplay. “Cosplayers might take traditionally male characters from series like My Hero Academia and create female versions, or vice versa” — a trend that expands the possibilities for costuming and “also champions inclusivity,” BONHEUR explains.
a cosP laY calendar of eVents
If you’re wondering how popular cosplay has become, one look at the Fancons calendar for 2026 will give you the answer!
Between January 2 and January 31 alone there are 63 events scheduled throughout the U.S.!
Check the calendar at bit.ly/3KJ0DOR to see if there is an event planned for your area — and then plan accordingly!
e mbr AC es COspl Ay in CO lO r A d O
help them craft the most realistic representation of the characters they want to recreate.
“People are influenced by popular culture — for example, Stranger Things and Game of Thrones when those were popular,” Lilly says. “Cosplay, in a lot of ways, is about what’s happening around you.”
That means different characters might be more popular in one area than in others at any given time.
Case in point: An actor/celebrity who has played a particular character or starred in a particular series might be invited to appear at a comic con or other costuming event in your community. That likely will influence
many of your cosplay customers’ choice of costume attire during that time frame.
But it isn’t always about the characters and shows heating up popular culture.
“You don’t have to choose a particular character; you can simply choose to dress for the theme or type of character that would be present at the event in question, like a pirate, fairy, princess, or hunter…” The Life of the Party’s website notes in its “Cosplay101” blog post.
The site also offers other tips customers can tap; “Winter Cosplay: Costumes with Capes & Cloaks to Keep You Warm” is one example.
Those posts not only help cosplayers; they help boost the shop’s profile as the go-to business for all things cosplay in Fort Collins. But for Lilly, it isn’t about business alone.
“My wife and I are cosplayers. And recently, our son said, ‘Can we dress up as Gravity Falls?’” he shares, noting that characters from that cartoon series are experiencing a resurgence in the cosplay community.
The answer, as it always is when it comes to creating cosplay costumes for the family, was “Yes!”
The Lilly family as Rise of the Guardians characters North, Tooth Fairy, Tooth, and Christmas Elf
COstumer
Cosplayer as Tanjiro Kamado from Demon Slayer
V ENDOR N EWS
Big s tep for nca member a bracadabra: Becoming a Prosthetics Vendor
By Ed Avis
Quality prosthetics are the foundation of countless creative looks, and FX Faces Studios has been a leading maker of these for over 25 years. Their products are used by professional makeup artists, haunted attractions, theater productions, and film creators who demand quality prosthetics that bring characters to life.
NCA Member Abracadabra NYC in New York City has sold FX Faces Studios prosthetics for years, and owner Brian Clark appreciates the quality and craftsmanship behind them. So when the owners of FX Faces recently announced they were retiring, Clark decided it was time for Abracadabra to make the leap from retailer to vendor.
“It’s a good brand that has done well for us here at the store,” Clark says. “So we ended up working a deal out where we bought the molds for the prosthetics and the brand itself and the domain for the website.”
At first, Clark considered actually manufacturing the products at his company’s warehouse in New Jersey, but then struck a deal with a quality manufacturer with a lot of experience in that line. It made sense to tap their expertise rather than jump into the world of manufacturing.
The name of the company will remain FX Faces Studios. Clark has created the catalog and wholesale price list, and he’s just completed a wholesale portal so NCA members and other customers can conveniently order products.
extensiVe line
The FX Faces catalog contains seven pages packed with make-up ready latex prosthetics. The line includes “Animalistic” faces such as Termite, Bat and Bulldog; the “Beastly” category including Devil, Troll and Imp; the “Decrepit” line, such as Mummy and Scarecrow; plus a wide range of zombies,
circus characters, and others.
All of the products are prosthetics, not finished masks, which means the creator can add his or her own touches to the look. They are held on to the face of the user with adhesive and, once applied, can be colored with a variety of makeup options.
Naturally Halloween is the biggest season for these products, but some – such as those that can transform someone into an old man – are probably destined for the movies or theater productions.
more designs coming
Clark says he wants to first secure the business of the existing customers – such as haunts, movie makers and key retailers – but then plans to grow the business with new designs. “I think one of the reasons the previous owners started to get out of the business was because they only had so much bandwidth,” Clark says. “It was a husband and wife that were doing it, and those two were doing everything by themselves. Now we have our full team here and everybody’s really excited about this.”
Among the projects ahead is creating effective packaging that will show buyers how the prosthetics can look once they’re colored, and investing in social media content that will highlight well-made finished creations using the prosthetics. “We’re well equipped with all the assets we need to make this thing grow. I mean, we just have a tremendous amount of diverse talent here in the store.”
discount for nca memBers
Clark is offering a 10 percent discount for NCA members for any orders placed before February 27. Visit fxfaces.com for more information.
The “Creature” prosthetic (left); that prosthetic after being applied and colored (right)
PRODUCT PARADE
disguise minecraft costumes. These three officially licensed Minecraft costumes are sure to please all of your Minecraft fans! email info@disguise.com; disguise.com
nderman inflatable c hild costume (105119). The battery-operated fan keeps the costume inflated as kids trick-or-treat, while a transparent vinyl window ensures that the candy is in full view. One Size Child (up to size 8).
minecraft creeper headpiece/Block head (116909). The costume features one full headpiece with an interior headband and a base piece attached to hold its form. Each side is covered with sublimated art with the signature Minecraft pixelated look. Great on its own or to elevate one of our Creeper costumes.
axolotl hooded Jumpsuit c lassic (Purple; 198279g). This costume is a soft unisex jumpsuit with pixel-perfect detailing and an attached hood with dimensional felt gills. Perfect for trick-or-treating, school events, or gaming marathons. Zip-front closure makes changing a breeze. Child S (4-6), Child M (7-8), Child L (10-12).
mehron special fx mini-Pro makeup Kit. This all-in-one Special FX Mini Pro Makeup Kit has everything your customers need to craft professional-quality wounds, scars, bruises, and blood effects for Halloween, cosplay, or film projects! The kit includes a Tri-Color Bruise Palette, Coagulated Blood Gel, Squirt Blood, Liquid Latex, Extra Flesh Wax, Setting Powder, Spatula, Stipple Sponge, Powder Puff, plus a visual step-by-step instruction booklet created by Mehron’s artists. mehron.com
PRODUCT PARADE
hoes men’s footwear. The 119-Bristol Men’s Boot with 1-inch heel and back laces comes in Black and Brown. The 129-Mack Men’s Shoe with 1-inch heel and laces comes in Black/White, and Red. Both items are avail able in Small (8-9), Medium (10-11), Large (714) 771-0015 ellieshoes.com
trick or treat s tudios fallout —The ghoul mask. Based on Prime Video’s hit Fallout series, this full over-the-head latex mask transforms your customers into the post-apocalyptic gunslinger himself —The Ghoul! Sculpted with every sun-scorched wrinkle, grim sneer, and decaying detail seen on-screen, this mask captures the look of a wasteland survivor who’s seen it all... and somehow kept his hat. wholesale@trickortreatstudios.com
Pirate dressing garden s oirée dress c1923. This classic 1950s-inspired piece captures the grace and charm of vintage afternoon teas. The fit-andflare silhouette cinches at the waist with a matching belt, then flows into a full, swaying skirt. Finished with a concealed back zipper and two discreet side pockets. Perfect for garden parties, picnics, and moments that call for old-world femininity with a contemporary touch. thepiratedressing.com
NCA M ARKETPLACE
Advertising in the NCA Marketplace is $35 per issue (10% discount for NCA members). You will be billed upon publication; payment is due upon receipt.
For full details, see the advertising contract available at www.costumers.org. Contact Ed Avis at 708-218-7755 or executivedirector@costumers.org.
toynk sanrio hello Kitty Plug-in night lights. Favorite characters are transformed into comforting, glowing night lights that feature a 0.6w LED bulb, main AC 120v, and convenient on/off switch. toynk.com
2026 nca Buyer’s g roup
A major NCA member benefit is the long list of discounts available exclusively to NCA members. Below is the list of companies that have pledged you these discounts as of press time for this edition of The Costumer. Please be sure you write your NCA member number on all your orders to receive your discounts. Please also thank our Vendor Members for their unique support of the National Costumers Association.
AEROMAX, INC. (SILVER)
www.aeromaxtoys.com
877-776-2291
fax 847-756-4091
jared@aeromaxtoys.com
28079 W. Industrial Ave
Lake Barrington, IL 60010
Contact: Jared Heidenreich
Specialties: Career Oriented Dress for Kids and Adults alike.
Discount: 5% off orders of $300; 10% off orders of $700; 15% off orders of $1,500+. Pre-paid orders $300 and over receive additional 2% discount.
Terms: Orders $2,000 to $3,000 get net 45; orders $3,001 and over get net 60 if shipped by May 1; net 45 if shipped after May 1. Orders under $120 require credit card payment. FOB Lake Barrington, IL 60010. No minimum order. Orders must be placed by 2/16/26 and shipped by 8/1/26.
CAMDEN PASSAGE (GOLD)
www.camdenpassage.com (888) 755-5578 fax (888) 955-5578
info@camdenpassage.com
115 First St., Collingwood, ON L9Y 4W3
Contact: Anuja Mehta
Specialties: Camden is the manufacturer of Loox Cosmetic Contact Lenses and the North American distributor for Moon Makeup. We are an ISO 13485 & MDSAP certified organization. Moon Makeup - leading manufacturer of Face Paints and Fun & Bold Cosmetics. Our extensive range includes Neon UV, Glow in the Dark, Bio Glitter, Face Paints and Halloween makeup. All available in counter-top displays, boxsets or clamshell packaging. Made in the UK to cosmetic grade standards and not tested on animals. US FDA and Health Canada compliant. Loox Contact Lenses - Our cosmetic lenses are a great all year product, we stock over 220 designs. All Loox lenses are ISO 13485 & MDSAP certified, US FDA and Health Canada cleared for safe and legal retailing.
Discount: 5% Off Invoice.
Terms: Net 30 OAC. Working with us is easy. There is no minimum order, we are in stock yearround and offer free shipping on orders over $500. Typically, orders are delivered within two days of receiving them. You will have access to our high-res image library containing thousands of product images, beauty shots and videos. Further, we can work directly with you to create custom POS materials for your store.
CINEMA SECRETS (SILVER)
www.cinemasecrets.com
(818) 846-0579
fax: (818) 846-0431
woochie@cinemasecrets.com
6639 Odessa Ave., Los Angeles, CA 91406
Contact: Paulette Zagaryan
Specialties: Leaders in Halloween latex appliances and makeup kits. Choose from a range of hundreds of styles.
Discount: All members receive 10% off list prices year around.
Terms: Please refer to our price list or contact us for full list of Terms and Conditions.
DISGUISE, INC./DIVISION OF JAKKS PACIFIC (PLATINUM)
www.disguise.com (858) 391-3600 fax (858) 391-3601
info@disguise.com
12120 Kear Place, Poway, CA 92064
Contact: Kevin LeMaster
Specialties: Licensed costumes and accessories.
Discount: Costumes & Accessories: 10% or 7% off list price depending on method of payment. Discounts do not apply to closeouts or special buys. Minimum order to qualify for the Premium NCA Discount: $2500. Opening orders must be received in writing by Disguise by 2/14/2026 to receive full benefits. No extensions will be granted. For Members placing their opening order by 2/14/2026, a 1% Defective Allowance (DA) will apply to all orders placed for 2026. Members placing opening orders by 2/14/2026 will continue to receive full program discounts on all reorder activity for the 2026 season. Members who do not place orders by 2/14/2026 will realize only the benefits of the Disguise Standard Discount schedule and return policy. Please reach out to your sales rep for full NCA program details.
DRESS UP AMERICA TOY INC. (SILVER)
www.dressupamerica.com
(718) 436-0031
fax (718) (718) 775-3200
sales@dressupamerica.com
4709 13th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11219
Contact: Aaron Ackert and Barry Grossman
Specialties: We have excellent quality costumes and accessories for all ages as well as Pretend Play
Dress Up
Discount: NCA members are entitled to a 10% discount. Free shipping for orders above $1,500. Halloween dating (subject to credit approval). Terms: Halloween dating terms applicable only to Halloween orders shipping after June 1, 2026.
ELLIE SHOES INC. (SILVER)
www.ellieshoes.com (714) 773-2995
fax (714) 771-0057
leslie@ellieshoes.com
1050 N. Batavia Street #B, Orange, CA 92867
Contact: Leslie Wandell
Specialties: Ellie Shoes has footwear for all your costuming needs!
Discount: 5% year round – Show specials to be announced.
Terms: Please have NCA membership number included on the purchase order, e-mail, or fax. Halloween dating subject to CIT approval.
ELOPE, INC. (SILVER) www.elope.com (719) 328-1312
customerservice@elope.com
2080 Lookout Dr., North Mankato, MN 56003
Specialties: A diverse selection of creative, licensed, and original costume headwear, eyewear, and accessories.
Discount: On all member orders, 5% discount (excluding Disney and sale items).
Terms: Pay by credit card for the first three orders. After that, Net 30 terms are available with approved credit.
fOAM PARTY HATS (SILVER)
www.foampartyhats.com (713) 264-2364
manuel.rojas@foampartyhats.com 3526 Lang Rd., Suite A11, Houston, TX 77092
Specialties: Foam hats, foam wigs, foam products. Discount: 10% for orders of $2,500 and above.
Terms: Orders can be placed online, email or over the phone. All orders are prepaid before shipping. Terms can be offered on subsequent orders for orders of minimum $1,500.
FUNNY FASHION USA (SILVER) www.funnyfashion.com (719) 260-7744 fax (719) 260-7743
order@funnyfashion.com
1015 Garden of the Gods Rd., Suite 150 Colorado Springs, CO 80907
Contact: Diane Lutz
Specialties: Balloons, balloon accessories, large selection of value-priced Halloween, Masquerade and Theatrical costumes and accessories.
Discount: 5% on orders from $500 to $4,999; 7% on orders from $5,000 to $9,999; 10% on orders from $10,000 to $19,999; and 15% on orders above $20,000. Tradeshow specials to be announced!
Terms: Halloween Dating November 10, 2026 WAC, FOB Funny Fashion Distribution Point.
BUYER ’ S GROUP
FUN WORLD/INCHARACTER (SILVER)
www.fun-world.net
(516) 873-9000 ext. 256 fax (516) 873-9005
alexl@fun-world.net
80 Voice Road, Carle Place, NY 11514
Contact: Alex Losito
Specialties: Halloween: Licensed and Generic Costumes, Wigs, Masks, Decor, Pumpkin Carving, Weapons, Accessories, Make up, Home décor. Harvest Home Décor. Christmas: Santa suits, Beards, Elf on the Shelf, Home Decor, Valentines, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, and Easter Home Décor.
Discount: NCA Members automatically receive 10% off our “List Price” on “ALL” items in our line. Group “SELECTED“ or “RECOMMENDED” items receive an “ADDITIONAL” discount of 10-30%. Additional discount varies, see official FunWorld/NCA and InCharacter/NCA order forms for exact price/discount.
Terms: Seasonal dating (net Nov. 10th) available upon credit review for USA-based customers. We offer free freight on orders over $2,500 (or 300 lbs) per warehouse. FunWorld and InCharacter Costume orders can be combined to make free freight. This is only available to a USA-based shipto address. International members must supply us with their freight forwarder details at time of order. Please call or email for details.
GRAFTOBIAN MAKE-UP (SILVER) www.graftobian.com (608) 222-7849 fax (608) 222-7893 calvincoffman@graftobian.com 510 Tasman Street, Madison, WI 53714
Contact: Calvin Coffman
Specialties: Born of the costume industry, Graftobian has grown to become a high-end professional HD beauty brand that never forgets its theatrical makeup roots and proudly manufactures in the USA. Lines include disguise stix®; ProPaint™ professional face and body paint; f/x aire™ airbrush makeup; luster™ shimmer set; metal mania™; glitterglam™; glittergel™; four types of blood; four shades of modeling wax; liquid latex.; halloween makeup kits and much more. Discount: We love our NCA customers! All NCA buyer members immediately jump to 5% off Wholesale (some exclusions apply). At $5,000 YTD, discount increases to 10% off. At $10,000 YTD, discount increases to 15% off. Discounts apply for the remainder of the year in which they’re earned as well as the entirety of the following year.
HM SMALLWARES LTD (SILVER)
www.hmsltd.ca (514) 244-8492
edith@hmsltd.ca
PO Box 3172, Champlain, NY 12919
Contact: Edith Dempsey
Specialties: Better quality hats, accessories, horns and accoutrements. World renowned leatherlike and supersoft products. Halloween and Christmas décor.
Discount: 10% discount on first time order and 5% discount on all reorders, Minimum order $500.00. Terms: Visa/Mastercard. Halloween orders should be placed ASAP. We stock and ship all year round.
IVY TRADING INC (SILVER) www.cutiecollections.com (626) 442-9008
ivyinc2002@yahoo.com
9853 Max Shapiro Way, Unit A South El Monte, CA 91733
Contact: Wendy Zhao
Specialties: Costumes Accessories: wings, wands, tutus, head wears for babies, kids and adults. Everyday dress ups for fairy parties and birthday parties. Discount: 5% on orders of $500 and up; $10% on orders $1000 and up; $15% on orders $5000 and up.
MANIC PANIC (See TISH AND SNOOKY’S MANIC PANIC)
MEHRON MAKEUP (SILVER) www.mehron.com (845) 426-1700
fax (845) 426-1515
info@mehron.com
100 Red Schoolhouse Rd. Chestnut Ridge, NY 10977
Contact: Kenneth Llambelis
Specialties: 5% off all qualifying orders; increases to 10% off once YTD purchases reach $2,500; 15% off once YTD purchases reach $7,500. Once achieved, the discounts apply for the rest of the year. Discount applies to 2026 Mehron Dealer Wholesale Pricing. $500 minimum first order, $250 minimum on additional orders. Discounts cannot be combined with other offers and apply to qualifying products. Discounts cannot be applied to previous purchases. Proof of membership must be presented with P.O. in order to receive Membership Discount.
MUSIC LEGS (SILVER)
musiclegs.com (626) 588-2633
fax: (626) 588-2643
melvin@musiclegs.com 1088 Westminster Ave., Alhambra, CA 91803
Contact: Melvin Specialties: Wholesale and distribution of Hosiery, Costumes, and Lingerie.
Discount: 8% off for NCA members, for non-sale items.
MUSTACHES (SILVER) mustachesb2b.com
+37-06-992-1066
sales@mustaches.eu
Pramones str. 16F, Alytus 62175, Lithuania
Contact: Tomas Siuipys
Specialties: We manufacture high-quality fake mustaches and beards. We offer more than 1500 SKUs to choose from. We make mustaches in Europe (Lithuania) and ship worldwide. Shipment to the U.S. takes only 4-5 days. Our distributor in the USA is LOFTUS. They sell our products at the same prices as we do. Minimum orders and shipment terms are significantly lower. Please contact LOFTUS for more information.
Discount: We offer a 20 percent discount from our list price. MOQ per item is 6 pieces. The minimum order is $500. There is a $150 shipping fee, but orders above $2,500 get free shipping. Shipping takes 7-9 days.
Terms: Payment terms are 30 days after the order is received. Please request special Planogram orders for Halloween on payment terms.
THE PIRATE DRESSING (SILVER) www.thepiratedressing.com (321) 445-1837 info@thepiratedressing.com 10685-B Hazelhurst Drive #12134 Houston, TX 77043
Contact: Aditya Aggarwal
Specialties: Rental quality pirate, medieval, Renaissance and steampunk outfits.
Discount: Quantity discounts up to 15% offered to all registered customers. Also, NCA members are eligible for an additional 5% discount on orders above $500.
Terms: Discounts are only applicable for orders above $500.
SOFI’S STITCHES, TUDOR SHOPPE (GMACK Designs LLC) (SILVER) sofistitches.com (843) 380-1554 fax: (843) 386-9270
customerservice@sofisstitches.com 2225 Lake City Hwy, Lake City, SC 29560
Contact: Gregory Todd
Specialties: Makers of USA Renaissance Costumes. Also Contract if you have dozens of a garments that you would like made here in the US.
Discount: We also sell to Vendors or Wholesalers. 12 or more units must be ordered of a garment to receive Wholesalers pricing.
Terms: If it is one of Sofi’s Stitches products we ask to give us 2 weeks notice in case it has to be made in our production line. Also, sometimes we have to wait on fabric to be delivered with times the way they are.
SUNNYWOOD, INC. (GOLD)
www.sunnywood.net (815) 675-9777
fax (815) 675-9788
order@sunnywood.net
2750 Barney Ct., McHenry, IL 60051
Contact: Tammy Semiletow
Specialties: Exquisite Tiaras, Headpieces, Men’s Crowns, Period Pieces, Flappers, Costumes, Santa Suits, Bunnies, Accessories and so much more.
Discount: All year long, you receive dozen pricing on single piece items and special promotions exclusively for NCA members. Member Privileges cannot be used in combination with any other special discounts or promotions.
TOYNK TOYS LLC (PLATINUM)
www.toynk.com (609) 682-4261
kerri@toynk.com
Contact: Kerri Angle
Specialties: Licensed popculture collectibles, plush and housewares along with action figures and prop replicas.
Discount: 5%
TISH AND SNOOKY’S MANIC PANIC NYC (SILVER)
manicpanicwholesale.com (877) 516-2642
fax: (718) 937-6172
retail@manicpanic.com
21-07 Borden Ave 4th floor Long Island City, NY 11101
Contact: Noel Rodriguez-Ortiz
Specialties: Semi-Permanent and Temporary Hair Color, and Cosmetics.
Discount: 10% off Wholesale pricing. MOQ for free shipping $500.
Terms: Most customers are on prepaid terms but are welcomed to apply for net terms based on credit application.
TRICK OR TREAT STUDIOS (SILVER) www.trickortreatstudios.com (831) 713-9665
fax (831) 621-4763
michael@trickortreatstudios.com
1005 17th Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA 95062
Contact: Michael Laimo
Specialties: Trick or Treat Studios specialize in the highest quality licensed and original designed masks, costumes, props, replicas, collectables, action figures, decor, wrapping paper, accessories and tabletop games.
Discount: Our discount for NCA members is 5% off orders over $1,000 and any subsequent orders of any size, excluding dolls and figures.
Terms: No deadlines.
UNDERWRAPS COSTUMES (SILVER)
www.underwrapscostumes.com (818) 349-5300
fax (818) 349-7200
info@underwraps.nett 9600 Irondale Avenue, Chatsworth, CA 91311
Contact: Payman Shaffa
Specialties: Children and adult costumes, accessories including weapons, boas, wings, hats & helmets. Discount: Underwraps Costumes offers an early buy program based on volume. When orders are placed by the deadline (TBD:late January), members can receive an additional 8% discount just by placing their order before the deadline as well as an ad ditional 3% NCA member discount on top of the early buy volume discount (from 3%-9%). Overall discount can be 11%-20% off the full Early Buy order.
Terms: Initial order must meet $500 minimum.
WESTERN FASHION, INC. (SILVER)
www.westernfashioninc.com (909) 627-9551
sales@westernfashioninc.com
5236 Bell Court, Chino, CA 91710
Contact: PJ Gupta
Specialties: Rental High-Quality Costumes rang ing from Pirate, Flapper, and Victorian. Also, we specialize in Festival, Rave, and Party Items.
Discount: Free Shipping, please mention NCA Member when placing the order.
Terms: Halloween Dating to credit approved customers.
BUYER
WOLFE FX / DENTAL DISTORTIONS (SILVER) www.wolfefx.com www.dentaldistortions.com (407) 730-9820
sales@wolfefx.com
6210 All American Blvd., Orlando, FL 32810 Contact: Nigel Febland, 917-864-1685
TheFeBlandGroup@gmail.com
Specialties: We focus on professional quality makeup, Dental Distortions movie teeth, and other products. The majority of our products include step-by-step, clear descriptions and images. They are available for the makeup artist as well as the everyday user.
Discount: NCA Members receive 5% off wholesale price all year.
Terms: $300 minimum order, FOB Orlando, Florida. Credit card payment required.
#10 NCA Zoom Happy Hours
Chat with your NCA friends from the comfort of your home!
#9 NCA Mentor Program
Get help from more experienced costumers...or give help to new members!
#8 Help Halloween Happen Campaign
Google Ads that drive traffic to your store’s website!
#7 Halloween for All Campaign
Make sure your store is suitable for all customers, regardless of abilities!
#6 NCA Zoom Fashion Show
Learn about the latest products from our Vendor Members
#5 NCA Webinars
Great information from fellow members and experts, plus always time for questions
#4 NCA Today Newsletter
Your bi-weekly dose of news about the NCA and costuming
#3 Bundle Program Discounts
We all save money when we combine our orders
#2 Buyer’s Group Discounts
Exclusive discounts from our Vendor Members
#1 The Costumer Magazine
The quarterly journal that’s in your hands right now!
M Y F AVORITE C OSTUME
Steve Short
Kansas City Costume Company
Kansas City, Missouri
For more than 90 years, Kansas City Costume Company has been the cornerstone supplier of top-quality musical theatre rental wardrobes.
“Our mission is simple: to offer comprehensive support for your production company, theatre, or school,” says Steve Short, co-owner of this full-service shop in Kansas City, Missouri, who works with business partner Carl Welander and 12 full-time team members to outfit performers and productions from all levels of the industry at venues nationwide.
Whether working on a full ensemble for Les Miserables, helping a college or high school theatre class, or renting to individuals striving to create a specific look, the shop partners with top suppliers, designers, and artists to deliver what Short calls “unparalleled costume apparel and accessories.”
What about a favorite costume he and his team have created?
“Favorite costumes are ones that satisfy the needs, wants, or expectations of the particular customer, whether that’s a suburban soccer mom transformed into ‘Dorothy’ or ‘Belle’; a designer with discerning taste and specific requirements; an actor with allergies or a need for ‘ego reinforcement’; or a production company with last-minute complications,” he says.
Often, creating a favorite “involves inventive manipulation of fabric, trim, and techniques to provide unique looks,” Short explains. “For example, Carl and his team create their own fabric when they can’t find what they want for the application.”
The pictures the team shares here illustrate the process.
“In all of these pictures the fabric has been made to look the way that it does by laying trim on top of trim or adding rows and rows of ribbon, creating his [Carl’s] own texture and the colors that he wanted,” Short explains.
For the Beauty and the Beast tailcoats, small floral heat transfers are worked in closely together with gold braid to create the edge of the tailcoat; other gold heat transfers are mixed in with the floral heat transfers, one atop another, until the look is achieved.
“Then, to ensure they stay there, you sew through the transfers in a swirl design in keeping with the look you have created,” Short adds. “It isn’t difficult — but it takes a good eye, lots of floral heat transfers to work with braid for the edging, a hot steam iron, patience, and talent.”
What is your favorite costume? To be considered for an upcoming My Favorite Costume profile, email Editor Kathleen Furore at kfurore@yahoo.com.
