Conversations with Domo Immortal

Today we’d like to introduce you to Domo Immortal.

Hi Domo, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
It actually started as a joke… I avoided having any social media except for Facebook (to keep up with friends after high school) for the longest time.

We were at AWA in 2017. I cosplayed Esmeralda from ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame.’ Fellow cosplayers and attendees had asked for my socials, but I didn’t have any. It wasn’t until a year later at AWA 2018 after an abundance of requests and photos when I cosplayed as Ursula from ‘The Little Mermaid’ that I started my online presence. Even then, I didn’t take it seriously until June 2019. There was a particular photo I had done that had gotten more notice than I had previously ever anticipated, and that was the moment I began to think, “I can actually do this….”

Before any of this however, I have always been a crafter. Growing up, resources were scarce. So, I was compelled to be imaginative and creative in the items I had available to my disposal– even when it came to school projects. However, it was a blessing in disguise, as it allowed me to continuously hone my skills and become the artist I am today.

One thing for me is that I only ever wanted to have fun in what I portray. Once the fun is out of it, it’s no longer compelling.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Oh, absolutely not!

On top of an ever-changing algorithm, there’s also the battle of burnout. It can be exhausting having to consistently churn fresh content at a regulated pace to keep up.

You’re constantly coming up with looks and outfits. Not wanting to cycle through things you’ve done before. Wanting to represent something or look a certain way but not having the supplies or materials in time for the events you want to attend.

On the other side of outside forces, there’s the mental health that plays a big factor. They say you are your biggest asset, but we spend a lot of time putting ourselves down. Regardless of what anyone says online, no one can be meaner to me than me. 1) If I don’t meet a deadline for myself, 2) If I have an idea, but it doesn’t come out how I imagine it EXACTLY in my mind, 3) If something I illustrate isn’t grasped as well as I thought it would be– plus, more. There’s that voice that is in the back of my mind trying to suppress myself. Plus, life. Everyone goes through it and just has to experience and endure the happenings of day-to-day.

Lastly, there’s the idea of patience when working (or attempting to work) with brands. It’s almost like a “will they/ won’t they?” dynamic. Does this brand fit my aesthetic and theirs? Do they like my work and designs? Is this even legitimate?

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
As I said before, I am a crafter of many mediums.

I am a seamstress: Be it for an event or convention, a themed rave, or just because I want something under my brand, I will either deconstruct/reconstruct something I’ve thrifted or go on a shopping spree to Joann’s and create an outfit I’ve sketched on one of my various yellow notepads. I also make plushies sometimes (but these are still a work-in-progress to be perfected). My grandmother taught me how to sew as a child, and I have expanded on this over the years. New patterns, new tricks, new possibilities.

I am a prop-maker: Any cosplay I do, has to have a prop accompanied. For example at Momo Con 2022, I dressed up in cow print with an enormous hammer with an alien cow face on it. My Ursula cosplay I referenced before was nothing without Neptune’s Trident and crown that I made.

I also am a cake decorator (professionally as well, with over four years of experience). I worked in a bakery, starting as an associate, then worked my way into a cake decorator role after a few months. On the side, I also decorate cakes for occasions; both for family and/or whomever is within the area to deliver to that requests something.

I am a jeweler: I make earrings, necklaces, and rings. It is on a small hiatus for now as I ramp up new products, but in 2020, I launched my brand “Studio Gothic,” which was me officially sharing my imagination for others to wear.

In the digital space, I’m certified in UX Design.

Materializing my ideas in the real world outside of my fascinations is one of my biggest intentions. There’s always a moment for me to look at my notepad and then look at the fabrication I’ve created in real time with my own hands. There’s something about designing something for yourself that gives a feeling you don’t encounter elsewhere, and I think that’s the difference.

I do what I do to put my concepts out into the world. I don’t follow trends, I just do what I feel like.

What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
GO AT YOUR OWN PACE.

In today’s world, everyone is so wrapped up in trying to play catch up, or become the next viral thing.

Sometimes, you get wrapped up in seeing what everyone else is doing and you lose yourself. Trying to be like everyone else is a sure way to lose your identity and sense of self.

Get weird. Try new things. The best thing you can do is have fun with it because if you’re not having fun, it’s just a storm of disappointment.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.studio-gothic.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dearest_villain
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dearestvillain
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/dearest_villain