Meet Ailini Hutchinson of LA and OC County

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ailini Hutchinson.

Hi Ailini, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’m a 25-year-old Polynesian cosplayer born and raised in LA and Orange County. I find my creativity thrives and is mainly found in areas like Cosplay, Video-Games and other various forms of media. Things like pop-culture, TCG’s and anime have had a special place in my heart since my youth and as I’ve grown, I’ve learned to enjoy and partake in conventions, local events, contests and etc.

I’ve always been a very athletic person (Multiple years of Gymnastics, Cheerleading and recreational weightlifting) as well as recently pursuing further education (University), both of which take special and solidified places in my routine and heart. However, despite those things, a freelance modeling career and handling two jobs, I have always found time to participate in various ways to showcase my love for the communities I am a part of.

I started cosplaying on Halloween back in 2021, taking on the task of making and curating my first cosplay for a local competition in my city. I styled wigs, made a cosplay and even crafted a full staff to replicate the Garnet Rod and accessories of Sailor Pluto from Sailor Moon. From that singular event, and from all the friendly faces I came across, as well as the various things I had learned, I decided to pursue Cosplaying on a larger scale. I pursued honing my craft and just having real genuine fun.

In doing so, my professional modeling career also took footing as I began to model at multiple conventions like Anime Los Angeles, Anime Expo, Fanime, Anime Days and etc. while also being able to do photo shoots, events, fan meet-ups and more in the same setting.

It’s all truly been such a blessing and it’s since been 4 years, I’ve gained many skills and friendships as well as travelled, competed, modeled, judged and even guested as various events since. It’s really been such an insane direction my life and my hobbies have taken but I’m no less thankful for any of it.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I struggled a lot with personal beliefs and insecurity within the community. Mainly due to the fact that as I learned and attempting new techniques in my builds and cosplay plans, failure is inevitable but I did not welcome it the way I do now. I struggled with how my work was portrayed, shown, what I looked like in cosplay as it’s very clear I do not look exactly like the characters I choose. It was very difficult at first to deal with my internal thoughts but seeing the outpouring of love and support from those around me, as well as remembering the important fundamentals of cosplay, things have improved. Cosplay is meant to be fun. It’s meant to be enjoyed and it’s all just for the love of the series, games, movies or whatever form of media you choose. It’s not a beauty contest, it’s not about doing things exactly the same as the source material nor is it a place for judgement. It’s a place to find likeminded individuals and just yap about nonsense theories or favorite moments or anything you feel you want to express in a safe space.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m a cosplayer and model within the LA and OC county area. I specialize in crafting, curating, and creating cosplays, imagery, and video content of various characters in different forms of media and pop-culture. I’m most known for my cosplays like Death the Kid from Souleater as well as Chun-Li from Streetfighter.

I’m most proud of myself for stepping out of my comfort zone and attempting new hobbies despite how daunting it is. I’m proud of my progress, my efforts, my work as well as the people I’ve met and worked with.

I think what sets me apart is my background. I’m Polynesian, my mother is Samoan, so I’m one of the few who cosplay and I’ve yet to meet another thus far. I think cosplay is for all body types, shapes, sizes and ages. I’d love to see more Polynesians and POC in the cosplay community.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://beacons.ai/ailiinii
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ailiinii?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Image Credits
@darkjohnnyxd
@ericcarrollphoto
@hiro91765
@thewongimpression.ig