Halloween is a big day for costumers in the U.S., and it was also a big day this year at the U.S. Supreme Court. No, the judges didn't exchange their robes for Jedi costumes, but they did hear a case that is very significant for costumers, dealing with whether elements of clothing and costumes can be copyrighted.

At issue in Star Athletica v. Varsity Brands is whether the geometric shapes found on every cheerleading costume, like circles, squares, triangles, and waves, can be copyrighted. Varsity Brands, the dominant player, is trying to lock upstart Star Athletica out of the market by using copyright law to claim ownership of every conceivable arrangement of shapes on a cheerleading outfit. U.S. law does not allow copyrighting things that are mainly utilitarian, and it specifically excludes copyrighting elements of clothing and costuming.

Public Knowledge, a public interest law firm, filed a "friend of the court" brief on behalf of Star Athletica, One of the attorneys is also a costumer who knew about the ICG, and contacted me to consult about the impact on the costuming community. They incorporated the information and suggestions that I offered, and were kind enough include the ICG in the brief. I think that Public Knowledge has done a great service to the costuming community in filing this brief.

The ICG has always had a mission to educate and advocate on behalf of the costuming community. This was a rare opportunity to do that in a case before the U.S. Supreme Court. I'll provide more details in an upcoming issue of The International Costumer newsletter, but I wanted to let everyone know since the ICG is mentioned a number of times in reporting on the case. Here are a couple of examples:

https://origin-nyi.thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/303599-justice-weigh-cheerleading-uniform-designs

-- 
Philip Gust
ICG President
icg-president@costume.org

This looks like a spammer has gotten in or someone was hacked.

Jeanine

 

Hello!

I've got that nice stuff for you, it is awesome. Just take a look at it <http://helpful.bollingapothecary.com/e4xn/83>

Thanks for your consideration, h.yoshida@dentsu.com

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

> On Nov 9, 2016, at 8:35 AM, randwhit@aol.com [ICG-D] <ICG-D@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> Got the same thing this morning. Deleted it without even looking at the address.
>
> In a message dated 11/9/2016 9:34:39 A.M. US Mountain Standard Time, ICG-D@yahoogroups.comwrites:
> Saw that this morning. Thought it looked suspicious and deleted it.
> Susan Smith
>
> "Jeanine Swick jeanine@woollycat.net [ICG-D]" <ICG-D@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
>
>
> This looks like a spammer has gotten in or someone was hacked.
>
> Jeanine
>
>
> On 11/08/2016 05:16 PM, h.yoshida@dentsu.com mscip@sonic.net [ICG-D] wrote:
>>
>> Hello!
>>
>> I've got that nice stuff for you, it is awesome. Just take a look at it <http://helpful.bollingapothecary.com/e4xn/83>
>>
>> Thanks for your consideration, h.yoshida@dentsu.com
>>
>> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>>
>>
>
>
>
>
>
>

> On Nov 18, 2016, at 11:21 AM, Carole Parker mscip@sonic.net [siliconweb] <siliconweb@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
>
> The Peninsula Wearable Arts Guild (PenWAG) has a Stash Sale at its December meeting to raise money for its scholarship fund. One high school and one college student are given a significant amount of money to help them with their design education.
>
> PenWAG members donate stuff from their stashes that they find they are not going to use. In the past, we’ve have some really excellent fabric yardage and special items available. This year, PenWAG has a few kimono, some excellent garments made by PenWAG members, and I am told that we have a professional quality steamer that is going to be available.
>
> The usual pattern for the day is:
>
> 9:00 a.m. - Setup. The more people we have helping to bring in stuff and set it up, the sooner sales can start happening. Ideally, we hope to open for a short sales period before the official meeting by 9:30 a.m.
>
> 10:00 a.m. - PenWAG meeting. Sales are suspended during the meeting. At this short meeting, we will have the 2017 PenWAG Officer Elections. Show and Tell follows the meeting, where you get to see what people have made. Everyone (including guests) is encouraged to show off what they made recently.
>
> After Show and Tell - Auction of Special Items
> These are the items that are the “oh my!” items that we believe people will be most interested in.
>
> After Auction - Potluck lunch setup not already done and Stash Sale.
>
> Potluck Lunch
>
> More sales until it’s time to go.
>
> PenWAG is a very friendly group that is very accepting of costumers. Besides myself, Kevin Roche and Andy Trembley are active members. Phil and Kathe Gust have been members in the past, and even a few Steampunkers are current members.
>
> I hope that many of you will consider coming to PenWAG soon. If you go to:
>
> http://www.penwag.org/2017-speakers-and-workshops/
>
> You can find out who is going to be at PenWAG in 2017.
>
> Until later--
>
> Carole
> Outgoing Vice President
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------
> Posted by: Carole Parker <mscip@sonic.net>
> ------------------------------------
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Yahoo Groups Links
>
>
>
>

Carole,

Wolfcat here, I am interested in possibly helping with programming and workshops.

Wolfcat

"Hair, Hairstyles and Accessories" shares the many ways that historical costumers as well as those in scifi, fantasy, anime, and other genres, use hair, hairstyles, and hair accessories to accentuate their costumes. 

To read the issue go to:

http://www.SiWCostumers.org and select Virtual Costumer, then Current Issue.

Look for the Community issue on the lower half of the page.

Enjoy!

Phil Gust

editor

 

Now I want to Photoshop a picture of Mark Watney (The Martian) in a tartan space suit...

CS

On Fri, Dec 9, 2016 at 5:40 AM, <ICG-D@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

Official list of the ICG. All welcome! Group

1 Message

Digest #6298

1

unique fabric by "Dana MacDermott" dana_macdermott

Message

1

unique fabric

Thu Dec 8, 2016 1:53 pm (PST) . Posted by:

"Dana MacDermott" dana_macdermott

I just received he folowing information from my brother courtesy of a
friend of his who works with the Mars rover. I figured I should forward it
to the ICG, just in case someone is interested in taking advantage of it
for some project ooor purpose.

An official tartan for Mars exploration has been registered in Scotland (by
an Astrobiology professor at the University of Edinburgh):
https://www.tartanregister. gov.uk/tartanDetails.aspx?ref= 11658

A friend at JPL is taking orders. I just found out today, and they need
order amounts today (Thursday). Money is due on 12/15.

*Cost*: Approximately $125/yard (includes shipping) — can be ordered in 1/4
yard increments. (The exact cost will be determined once the final order
is placed, which will fix the exchange rate and shipping cost.)

Reply to sender . Reply to group . Reply via Web Post . All Messages (1) . Top ^

Visit Your Group

• Privacy • Unsubscribe • Terms of Use

--

"I'm a Material Girl...want to see my fabric collection?"

On Fri, Dec 9, 2016 at 5:40 AM, <ICG-D@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

Official list of the ICG. All welcome! Group
1 Message Digest #6298 1 unique fabric by "Dana MacDermott"
dana_macdermott Message
1 unique fabric Thu Dec 8, 2016 1:53 pm (PST) . Posted by: "Dana
MacDermott" dana_macdermott I just received he folowing information from
my brother courtesy of a
friend of his who works with the Mars rover. I figured I should forward
it
to the ICG, just in case someone is interested in taking advantage of it
for some project ooor purpose.

An official tartan for Mars exploration has been registered in Scotland
(by
an Astrobiology professor at the University of Edinburgh):
https://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/tartanDetails.aspx?ref=11658

A friend at JPL is taking orders. I just found out today, and they need
order amounts today (Thursday). Money is due on 12/15.

*Cost*: Approximately $125/yard (includes shipping) � can be ordered in
1/4
yard increments. (The exact cost will be determined once the final order
is placed, which will fix the exchange rate and shipping cost.)
Reply to sender . Reply to group . Reply via Web Post . All Messages (1)
. Top ^ Visit Your Group
� Privacy � Unsubscribe � Terms of Use


--

"I'm a Material Girl...want to see my fabric collection?"





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

> On Dec 8, 2016, at 1:53 PM, Dana MacDermott DMacD@MNouveau.com [ICG-D] <ICG-D@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> I just received he folowing information from my brother courtesy of a friend of his who works with the Mars rover. I figured I should forward it to the ICG, just in case someone is interested in taking advantage of it for some project ooor purpose.
>
>
>
>> An official tartan for Mars exploration has been registered in Scotland (by an Astrobiology professor at the University of Edinburgh):
>> https://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/tartanDetails.aspx?ref=11658
>>
>
> A friend at JPL is taking orders. I just found out today, and they need order amounts today (Thursday). Money is due on 12/15.
>
>> Cost: Approximately $125/yard (includes shipping) — can be ordered in 1/4 yard increments. (The exact cost will be determined once the final order is placed, which will fix the exchange rate and shipping cost.)
>
>
>
>

On December 15, 2016, the International Costumers’ Guild’s Marty Gear Costuming Arts and Sciences Fund approved a $1,000 (US) continuation grant in support of ICG member Richard Man’s Transformations Cosplay Project. The project will examine "how costumers/cosplayers transform themselves from their ‘mundane' daily appearance to temporarily ‘become' the characters they portray.” The Fund made an initial grant in support of the project in 2015 and Mr. Man is about 75 percent of the way toward meeting the project’s first milestone of developing a book suitable for publication.

Mr. Man’s project consists of "traditional-style portraits . . . with an eye toward gallery exhibition and large-format book publication … accompanied by textual excerpts of audio interviews . . . with the costumers to give further insight into the people behind the costumes; for example: what sparked their interest in costuming, the reasons behind particular choices of costumes, challenges and details they enjoy about costume creation. . . .”

Because one of Mr. Man’s goals is to photograph “cosplayers/costumers from as many regions as possible” the Fund has made this continuation grant to enable him to take additional photographs at new venues, such as Anime North (recognized by the ICG as offering an international-level costume competition), resulting in more photos and interviews over a wider range of venues.

Mr. Man sees the purpose of Transformations Cosplay as to "raise the awareness of and respect for costumers and our costuming arts and techniques . . . in the general public and the greater art community as a whole.” "The juxtaposition of the costumers both in costume and also in their 'regular lives' (in regular clothes, often with some representation of their daily jobs) is intended to show costumers as ‘regular' people of all ages and from all walks of life who also happen to engage in this amazingly fun and highly creative hobby; costumers/cosplayers are not a 'bunch of crazy fringe weirdos' or 'just skimpy soft-core exhibitionists' that media portrayals often make them out to be.”

Mr. Man intends to present the project at Costume-Cons and other science fiction, anime, and genre conventions.  He seeks to publish the results in book form and to display the photos on websites, at convention art shows, and in galleries.  He will submit web-sized images for permanent retention in the Pat and Peggy Kennedy Memorial Archives.

The ICG established the Marty Gear Fund to provide modest financial support for projects or activities by ICG members that advance the art and science of costuming and benefit the costuming community.  It is named for the late Marty Gear, a founder of the ICG.

For more information, go to www.costume.org and select “Marty Gear Costuming Arts and Sciences Fund” in the menu, or contact the Fund at icg-grants@costume.org  

Byron Connell, Chair, Administration Committee, Marty Gear Costuming Arts and Sciences Fund

The ICG presents its highest honor, the Lifetime Achievement Award each year at Costume-Con. The award recognizes "a body of achievement in the costuming art and service to the costuming community." Thirty two recipients, including five couples, have been honored since 1990. Nominations for 2017 are now being accepted.

The ICG President oversees the nomination and election process. Nominations can be made by any ICG member, chapter, or SIG in good standing, and are due no later than March 3, 2017. ICG chapter presidents and the five elected officers vote on the nominations. Send nominations to laa-nomination@costume.org and use "LAA Nomination" as the subject line. 

Preparing a good nomination really does take time so I strongly recommend starting now. Visit http://www.costume.org/lifetime for qualifications and to read past recipients' citations. Citations are based on information provided in recipients' nominations.

Here are some tips for preparing an effective nomination:

• Not all chapter presidents and officers who vote on the award are familiar with the person you are nominating. Give them a good understanding of your nominee's qualifications and accomplishments.
• Start with a one- or two-paragraph "executive summary" that addresses all the qualifications for the award. This is your best chance to make your case, so spend some quality time on this.
• Follow that with some notable accomplishments that support what you said in your "executive summary." A few well-chosen examples are usually enough.
• If you are describing costuming skills, include a couple of URLs to photos in the ICG's International Costumers' Gallery or other photo sites as examples.
• Nominations typically run from several paragraphs to a full page (200-500 words). Quality is more important than quantity.

Thanks in advance to those who submit a nomination for your efforts on behalf of a fellow costumer who deserves this special recognition.

Philip Gust

ICG President