Queen Xenolizabeth I
My submission to the halloween costume contest is my very recent creation- Xenolizabeth the First, a cross between Queen Elizabeth I and the Xenomorph from Alien.
I host a yearly quasi-burlesque themed performance/party, this year's theme was "scared-shitlessque" so the costumes were meant to be terrifying. I grew up watching Alien (over and over again) and wanted to pay homage to the creatures that first showed me the beauty (and horror) of practical effects and wearable sculpture that ultimately helped inspire me to pursue my career as a costume/specialty prop maker and production designer. I also love rhinestoning and really wanted to make a very big dress, so here we are.
I gave myself the gift of time over the last six weeks to take many of the elements as far as I could possibly dream to. The bodice is a custom sculpt of clay-collaged bones and flexible tubing a la Giger. The positive was cast in a semi-rigid urethane resin then scenic painted and eventually rhinestoned after adding dead-stock lace trims. While researching the making of the original Alien I read that Giger meant for the Alien to have a fleshy, transparent look and was immediately inspired to make my casts with this in mind. The crystal eyed silicone casts of my own face on the hips were painted while following along with a Stan Sinston silicone airbrushing class, so extra thanks for that! The elongated headdress features another copy of my face, stretched out while the urethane resin was still pliable. I scoured the LA fashion district for fabrics that felt elizabethan and also a little out of this world to put together the whole ensemble fit for a queen.
thank you for your consideration,
Sara Paquette
Alien Queen & Historic Figure
Some BTS making-of photos:
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