For those who have a passion for cosplay, it’s likely that many have at least once opened the door to a specialty shop that sells and rents cosplay costumes. It can be quite an eye-opening experience for many, especially since this is a field where one can often feel like a “human mannequin” while simply standing by, waiting for customers to rent costumes. Thus, while generating income, there are also countless challenges that people outside this industry may not be aware of. To help our readers gain a better understanding of this relatively niche field within the cosplay community, we visited Chie Cosplay Shop, one of the most long-standing and reputable costume rental shops in Hanoi. Here, we had the opportunity to chat with the charming shop owner, Nguyen Khanh Chi, who shared many fascinating stories about her journey in this field.
Starting a Business with Cosplay Costumes
When asked about her experience in this field, Chi revealed that her journey began back in 2007, when she was only in the 11th grade. Like many other fans of manga and anime, she started sewing her own costumes to attend various festivals. The first costume she ever made was a Rikku costume from Final Fantasy, costing her 950,000 VND, which she saved up for from her allowance.
After that, Chi began to familiarize herself with the cosplay community and noticed a growing demand for rental costumes among her friends. Since she had already become quite skilled, she started to take custom orders for cosplay costumes. When she had sufficient funds, Chi began buying costumes to rent out.
However, the early days of starting her rental business were quite challenging for Chi, especially since she had just entered the 12th grade, a critical time for her studies. This was her final year in high school, and she needed to focus on her exams, which made it difficult to balance her studies with her new business.
Reflecting on that time, Chi mentioned that in her final year, she only had 10 costumes available for rent, and all of them had to be hidden under her bed to avoid discovery. Chi humorously noted, “It was just a fun memory; now I have my own shop, and I can confidently say that customers have started to flock in.”
Currently, after nine years of development, Chie has established her shop as one of the leading and most reputable cosplay shops in Hanoi. The shop has moved from her home to a dedicated space in a four-story building located in the Chua Lang area, with a stock that includes hundreds of costumes available for rent, ranging from dresses to elaborate outfits.
Challenges of Renting Cosplay Costumes
Renting cosplay costumes is not just about sewing new costumes and advertising online; it also involves many risks. The most significant concern is the potential loss of costumes rented out to customers. Chi recounted some challenging experiences with customers who, after renting several costumes, would suddenly stop responding to calls, making it difficult to retrieve the costumes.
One memorable incident involved a customer who rented seven costumes at once but then went missing, making it impossible for Chi to contact them. Fortunately, the customer later returned the costumes and paid for the rental, but it was an experience that left Chi feeling anxious.
Chi also shared her concern about the financial implications of renting out cosplay costumes. The rental price is usually only about one-tenth of the costume’s original price, which means she has to rent out ten times just to break even, and that’s assuming she can keep up with the demand.
Despite these challenges, Chi remains passionate about the cosplay industry and continues to chase her dreams. She believes that if one is truly dedicated to cosplay, they can find a way to succeed, just as she has over the years.
