The mission of The Rebel Legion is threefold. First, we offer the costume enthusiast of the Star Wars hero characters a global community to enjoy, express, and share their costume talents. Secondly, the Legion also promotes the quality and improvement of Star Wars costumes. Thirdly and most importantly, we follow the lead of Lucasfilm Ltd. by giving back to the community through works of charity and volunteerism.
So are we a costuming club? A charity? Well, in short, we are what you make it out to be. Each member brings their own aspirations and causes to the legion and there are plenty of opportunities to make the experience your own. Don’t take my word for it… hear directly from our members.
For me, it’s all about the kids. (And the kids at heart ?.) I love Give Kids the World, Camp Boggy Creek, and Hospital troops the most because anytime I can help a child and their family forget, even for just a moment, that life dealt them a bad hand is time well spent. Being a rebel means spreading hope. Especially for those who feel like they have none.
It’s about making a difference in my community. By making a change in supporting those who need it. By using something that I enjoy to make others smile and happy. The Rebel Legion is a group that prides themselves on keeping the spark of light burning.
For me, it’s a great (albeit unconventional!) way to serve my community in a way that allows me to take one of my hobbies (cosplay) and turn it into something good.
When I was in college, my sorority was very active with the Make-a-Wish Foundation, so when I discovered that the Legions do all the charity work they do – for not only kids at Give Kids the World but many other organizations and their events as well – then I knew I had to be a part of it.
I have a bad guy costume as well, but being a Rebel sometimes it’s nice because then I really get to connect to the kids on a more personal note, especially if they’re a little freaked out by the bad guys.
I just absolutely adore kids. I joined the Rebel Legion as a way to give some extra magic to kids. You never know what a character means to a child and to give them the opportunity to give their hero a hug is truly special.
Rebel Legion also affords costumers the challenge to become their heroes.
I’ve always loved creating costumes and dressing up (and ALMOST studied costume design as a profession).
Early last year I was kind of looking for a way to take all the time, effort, blood, sweat and tears I put into a costume, and use it for more than one day or one convention a year. I wanted to do something more with it, something useful.
Combine that with TFA and Rogue One reminding me of my love for Star Wars, which has always been there, simmering, as someone who saw the original in theatres in ’77 at the ripe old age of 5. Realizing I’d never done a Star Wars costume, and being familiar with both the 501st and RL from conventions, what had to happen next was obvious and began the year-long journey of bringing Jyn (Erso) to life.
Four months in and I’m loving the chance to play life-sized action-figure while bringing smiles to the faces of both kids and kids-at-heart.
To say that ‘Star Wars’ had an impact on my life would truly be an understatement. For the longest time, I though I was the only one who was so ‘passionate’ about this saga, until I found out about the 501st and Rebel Legions. Wait, you mean I can actually dress as a character from one (or more) of the movies???? Where do I sign up?? ?
Anyway, my first SW costume was, of course, the classic ANH Leia. I built it many years ago, long before there we had such good reference photos available. It would not be approvable, however, the construction is very close to correct. I still have it in my collection.
For me, being part of the Legions is both love of SW, and the challenge of re-creating these fabulous costumes. I’m primarily drawn to the Royalty costumes from the Prequels. When I first saw that Black Invasion Gown from TPM in 1999, I knew I had to have it! It took many years of research (again, not a lot of detailed photos at the time), several failures, lots of hunting/gathering of materials, until finally, I was able to complete it in February 2012. It is in fact, my first RL costume. I have several Prequel costumes in various stages of completion, with Queen Jamilla the next one to finish. I approach these costumes as art pieces – sculptures created from fabric.
However, the best part of being in these organizations is working with all of you amazing folks, and sharing our love for SW with everyone. Smiling faces!!!
The first costume was gifted to me, the second I made. It started because I was at the final Star Wars weekends watching my uncle marching with the Rebel Legion as a Jedi when I saw a clone carrying a heavy repeater blaster and I was bitten. I just KNEW I had to be a part of it. Once I asked my uncle what I had to do, he got excited and made me the soft parts to my current Jedi, and I sourced the rest of it. After a few years as a Jedi I wanted to try something a little different and started looking at armored costumes. After lots of consideration and soul searching I decided on a Mandalorian merc and set off building that particular costume. Along the way, I learned the art of working with Sintra, modifying toy blasters to look real, and basic sewing skills. And now I happily split my time between these two groups.
