[Collaboration Set Showcase · Herta cosplay] Stepping onto the "Reversed Chessboard" in this outfit, my entire aura instantly felt enveloped in mystery. This shoot revolved around the collaboration scene at Daju Mansion, and a lot of effort went into recreating the character's Witch costume cosplay look.
Let's start with the costume details. The signature wide-brimmed purple witch hat on top features natural wavy ruffles along the edge, which frame the face beautifully when worn. The main body of the dress is tailored with a dark navy and black corset cut; the padlock element on the chest echoes the black pendant at the neck, cinching a crisp, defined waistline the moment it is worn. The sleeves adopt a two-piece detached design, with dark leather-textured armguards on the upper arms and voluminous pure white flared bell sleeves on the forearms. These wide sleeves dramatically enhance action tension when brandishing the staff or raising hands, giving the entire visual a more ethereal flow. The skirt is a multi-layered spliced structure—the outer layer is a short black pleated skirt accentuating the inner white ruffles, while the deep blue-purple train at the back drapes gracefully, with its white totem patterns creating gorgeous curves when twirling.
For the lower body, I opted for a semi-sheer Black tights outfit paired with thigh strap rings, and the black high-heeled lace-up boots featured intricate metallic buckles and crisscross straps. Compared to a plain puffy skirt, this Black tights outfit combined with lace-up boots adds a touch of sharpness, further accentuating the character's mysterious presence. Although the magic staff in hand was heavy, it was an indispensable tool for the styling. The staff body is painted in alternating deep navy and silver-white, with an intricate metal and wooden structure at the tip featuring cross-shaped and circular cutouts, feeling delightfully substantial in hand.
Shooting this look meant hair and makeup couldn't be overlooked either. This time, I wore reddish-pink contact lenses to help focus the gaze while slightly softening the distant feel brought by the overall cool-toned attire. The long silver hair was texturized for volume in advance, and the curvature of the bangs and sidelocks nicely contoured the face. During the shoot, utilizing wind or movement to create floating hair dynamics was a great technique to keep the composition lively.
Regarding the set design, immense credit goes to the photography and staging crew. A massive vintage clock face served as the low-key backdrop, with Roman numerals and neon tubes glowing faintly in the background. The floor was paved in classic black-and-white checkerboard tiles, surrounded by scattered oversized black and white chess pieces, accompanied by withered white flora and thorn decorations, plus that dramatic black high-backed throne—this setting was practically a tailor-made stage for this look.
Throughout the shoot, I explored various poses—such as sitting upon the black throne, where the photographer guided me to adjust knee angles so the Black tights outfit and high heels could better catch the ambient side lighting. There were also languid floor-seated poses touching the hat brim, as well as poised standing stills brandishing the staff. The photographer primarily used cool-toned side lighting and purple ambient light to enhance the distinct textures of fabric, leather, and metal.
The voluminous white sleeves and magic staff looked exceptionally photogenic in low light, with a wide aperture blurring the foreground chessboard pieces to focus visual attention entirely on the subject. Combining comprehensive High-quality cosplay costumes, makeup, props, and lighting accurately captured this character's aloof, mysterious, yet proudly poised temperament in Honkai: Star Rail. For such detail-rich styling, the greatest joy lies in the pre-shoot preparation and the immersive process of unearthing the character's persona during the shoot—a thoroughly fulfilling High-quality cosplay creative experience.