Sammy Van Wye

Sammy Hoku’s love for cosplay started when she was at a young age; unbeknownst to her two mothers, giving their daughter a sewing machine for her thirteenth birthday would send her on an exciting and creative journey that she is still on to this day. This passion for cosplay and sewing eventually led Sammy to study fashion and costume design for her higher education, which helped her secure her first industry job at the Disneyland Resort, working in entertainment costuming. There she worked on various parades, special events, and her favorite show, Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular. Sammy parted ways with Disney after almost five years but continued to fulfill her passion for creating costumes in her free time. She began cosplaying with Chad in 2015 and, through him, learned how to create props and armor out of a variety of materials. In 2016, Sammy, along with Chad and Jason of Hoku Props, competed in TwitchCon’s very first cosplay contest; they took home grand prize with their “Larger than Life” Lionhardt cosplay from Blizzard’s Overwatch. Cosplay has played an integral role in Sammy’s life, and without it, she never would have met her husband or developed some of her longest-lasting and strongest friendships. As the community continues to grow, she hopes to help others on their own journey into the cosplay world through the power of teaching and the written word. Website: hokuprops.com - Facebook: facebook.com/HokuProps/ - Instagram: @hokuprops - Twitter: @hokuprops