The Zora Champion, Mipha, is a character that has inspired many Breath of the Wild players. Her sweet and gentle nature brings smiles to all, and the loss of such a soul is heart-breaking. When it comes to which champion touches the most hearts, it has to be the innocent little Mipha, who was taken away from the world too soon. The memory she left is one that will never be erased. From the statue made in her honor to those still alive who once knew the Zora Princess, she will be with us always. For the players, she is a character that has put a mark on our soul, watching over us and ready to heal us when we need her most. Many of us have created art of all forms in her honor. The one that has always stood out to me is Cat Whelan’s (Bambi Lashes Design) Mipha cosplay.
Unlike standard cosplay where creators adopt an exact replica of a character’s design, Cat reimagined Mipha into a beautiful ballgown fit for the princess of the sea. The motivation to create such an extravagant design came to Cat with plans to go to the Cosplay Met Gala at Katsucon 2020. The theme of the event was royalty, and Cat’s love for our Zora Princess and her canon design inspired her to challenge herself and create a ballgown fit for the princess of the Zoras. The results of her hard work and talent are breathtaking and would make Mipha proud.
Cat designed Mipha’s gown to be in mermaid style with a slim-fitting dress that fans out past the waist into flowing ruffles of red, cream, and blue: the signature colors of Mipha. The three colors are used throughout the design capturing Mipha’s spirit. Even the blue champion sash has been sewn into the design of the dress, flowing over Cat’s shoulder like a waterfall straight from the Zora Kingdom. Crystalized beads glimmer like droplets glistening in the sunlight. Together, Cat’s design not only gives Mipha a princess ballgown makeover but also brings forth the various aspects of her race and personality. I applaud Cat for putting so much effort into all the little details of her gown, and she didn’t just stop at the dress and accessories.
No cosplay would be complete without a well-tamed wig and some gorgeous makeup. While Zora’s don’t have hair, being creatures of the sea, Cat’s red wig is styled in a way that mirrors the red scales and tail of Mipha’s design. The bangs come to a central point just like Mipha’s, framed by two longer sets of strands, tying the look together. Accessories weave into the side of the hair, glittering the princess in jewels fit for royalty who lives underwater.
The makeup, too, adopts features from Mipha’s design with a mostly white foundation and gradients of red bringing forth Mipha’s Zora nature. More sparkling droplets, dressed in red, scatter over her shoulders and arms like little scales calling to the sea. Combined with the dress and multitude of accessories, Cat has turned herself into a Princess of the Zora Kingdom, watching over her people with grace and poise.
The level of detail in Cat’s design is, as I said before, breathtaking. One princess-inspired Cat transformed into a princess herself, paying tribute to the girl who fought for her kingdom 100 years ago. There are so many components working together to personify Mipha and her heritage. Cat’s photographers, Felix Dandy and Sara Lynn, captured the design in brilliant light, allowing all of us to lay eyes upon Cat’s masterful creation and remember just how far Mipha’s Grace can go.
