[Ganyu Cosplay] Secretary of the Liyue Qixing in Genshin Impact: How Is This Traditional Chinese Style Robe?

Prior to the shoot, a lot of thought went into the tailoring and accessories of Ganyu's outfit, choosing an indoor set constructed with an ethereal ancient style. The light blue wig was specially tweaked with two strands of air bangs; the iconic ahoge on top and the black-white-red horned accessories on both sides are key to restoring the character. For the material, a matte-finish foam was selected so it wouldn't create too much glare under studio lights, blending seamlessly into the overall look.

Regarding the costume, the inner layer is a dark brown halter top. To ensure the bust line fit snugly without shifting, press studs were added at the back. The white-and-blue wide outer sleeves and the white gold-trimmed ribbons hanging at the waist were made from fabrics with a certain degree of stiffness, ensuring clean, upright lines even during large movements without collapsing against the body. The irregular geometric diamond patterns on the leg sleeves are a visual highlight of this outfit; made from high-elasticity printed velvet, skin-toned and dark brown geometric blocks were pieced over a purplish-red base, creating both design flare and flattering leg contours. The white tone of the shoes, paired with red ankle ties and bows, creates a color harmony with the golden waist accessories.

Two props were prepared: a small metal pendant at the neck and a golden folding fan in hand. The fan was custom-crafted from wood with a golden lacquer finish; though slightly heavy in hand, it serves perfectly as a visual anchor in the frame. To match the character's disposition, the scene incorporated red maple branches, semi-transparent white and purple drapery, and bamboo lamp stands. The paper lanterns on the bamboo stands acted as background light sources during shooting, casting warm yellow light to contrast with the cool white main light, making the image clearer and more translucent. The drape of the curtains framed the foreground beautifully; in the third reclining composition, the curtain masking in front of the lens created a subtle, ethereal haze.

During this photoshoot, the photographer guided me toward natural movements rather than rigid poses. For instance, in the seated pose holding the fan in the first and fourth photos, the key was keeping shoulders relaxed and tilting slightly to one side, lengthening the neck line while creating a distinct light-and-shadow boundary between the dark inner lining and white outer robe to highlight silhouette depth. The second kneeling composition displaying both arms was more complex, balancing sleeve flares, looking up, and holding the drapery; it took over ten tries to find the perfect hand angle that wouldn't obscure facial contours. The third side-lying pose was actually executed on the edge of a narrow wooden platform, extending diagonally to utilize wide-angle lens distortion to visually lengthen the legs, allowing the geometric tights pattern to richly fill the frame.

In post-processing, a low-contrast soft tone was maintained throughout, preserving the vibrant red leaves and white translucency of the curtains without over-smoothing the skin, retaining natural skin texture and glow. The overall lighting approach used a key side light and a front reflector fill to give three-dimensional facial texture with subtle cheek shadows. Trying various movements tested the outfit's stability—especially since the dark inner lining was form-fitting, requiring back adjustments with every pose shift to keep the front fabric smooth. The fan usage was also crucial: to capture the fluttering sleeves in the second photo, a standing fan blew outside the set, while ensuring bangs stayed in place by having someone hold the wig roots off-camera.

With a compact indoor set, I discussed composition details thoroughly with the photographer, such as avoiding a cluttered mix of background maple branches and curtains by increasing the distance between foreground drapery and the model, using a wide aperture to blur overlapping fabric fibers. Red maple leaves decorated the top shadow and foreground in the fourth composition to prevent a monotonous frame. The gripping angle of the closed fan was adjusted—holding the handle directly looked stiff, so letting the fan's end rest on the palm with fingers curling naturally showcased the fingerless glove lines. Once the final photos came out, the overall texture met expectations, preserving the character's graceful composure while delivering our own Roleplay interpretation tailored to the scene.