The temperature in Hangzhou over the past couple of days has been truly suffocating—stepping outside for five minutes means sweating for two hours. But looking at this set of backlogged photos, I feel the shoot was completely worth it. As the head of the Cunning Hares in Zenless Zone Zero, Nicole Demara's signature light-blue faux-fur trimmed cropped jacket combined with fishnet stockings cosplay was, frankly speaking, a double test of physical and mental endurance in the summer heat. Although the jacket is cropped, once the fur collar touches your neck, sweat just rolls down your back. Fortunately, we chose a covered indoor studio setting, and combined with a single side-backlight setup, we managed to suppress that sweltering summer heat in the shot, perfectly capturing the character's inherently relaxed, confident vibe.
For makeup, I specifically emphasized the clarity and brilliance of the green contact lenses to create a color contrast against the pink twin tails. The eyeliner was slightly winged upwards to accentuate Nicole's cunning sharpness. The wig features the pink twin tails hairstyle, where the yellow bow on top and the dark animal ear decorations had to be secured precisely, or the whole vibe would feel off. I didn't overlook the gloves and arm sleeves either: white fingerless gloves paired with pink-and-white color-blocked wrist guards. To replicate the in-game texture, I had a tailor add concealed snap fasteners to ensure they wouldn't slide down when raising my arms.
The hardest part was actually the black fishnet stockings paired with the heart-studded belt. As gorgeous as it looks, wearing it in summer is practically asking for heat rash. However, to faithfully recreate the character's complete look, I just had to endure the physical discomfort. I usually do several stretching sets before shooting to prevent my arms from stiffening up; after all, the reaching gesture in this shot has a large range of motion, and without opening up the shoulders, the pose would look cramped.
Many fellow fans asked why I didn't cosplay a breezy summer modification. Personally, I feel that while the original cropped jacket and fishnet stockings combo is hot, that exact contrast of "staying cool and swaggering even when sweltering" matches Nicole's personality as a drifter—casual, free-spirited, yet calculating. For the grasping gesture toward the lens, I deliberately spread my fingers a bit dramatically; paired with a low-angle shot, it elongated the arm lines and gave the visual much more tension.
A little mishap happened during the shoot: the studio air conditioning suddenly broke down. My facial expression management almost fell apart, but thanks to the photographer's encouraging words and fast-paced shooting, we managed to nail the key visuals and half-body close-ups within ten minutes. Looking back at the shots now, the details in the gaze and fingertips are on point, and the highlights are balanced just right to clearly reveal the diamond quilting on the jacket and the reflection of the golden chain.
Having cosplayed for so many years, I've always believed that accuracy is not just about costume sizing and colors, but more importantly about body language. For example, Nicole Demara typically shifts her weight to one side and tilts her head while sizing someone up; this effortless ease is the true soul of the character. To nail the gaze in this photo, I practiced in the mirror for a long time—not just widening my eyes, but conveying that nonchalant, calculating look of: "I'm looking at you, but I'm already figuring out how to squeeze some Dennies out of you."
Hangzhou's summer will drag on, but for the Cunning Hares of Zenless Zone Zero, it was worth every drop of sweat. I plan to store this costume in a garment bag for now, waiting for the crisp autumn weather to take it out again for a wide-scale shoot. While stockpiled photos are nice, my next outdoor shoot will probably have to wait until the weather shows some mercy. As for the detail accuracy of this look, I am quite satisfied—especially the faux-fur trim, which avoids looking cheap, and the texture of the fishnet stockings, which shows rich depth on camera. The makeup was set with multiple layers of long-wear foundation, so it stayed shine-free and fresh even under strong lights.
All in all, the character of Nicole Demara is not only a fan-favorite in Zenless Zone Zero, but also quite a challenge for cosplayers in terms of stamina and styling precision. I hope the shoot insights and outfit tips shared here can provide helpful reference for everyone. If you're doing outdoor shoots in summer, always remember to bring portable fans and cooling sheets—don't end up nearly getting heatstroke like me!