Yaya Han is a costume designer, cosplay entertainer and author based in Atlanta, GA. She discovered cosplay at Anime Expo in 1999 as a young fan, with no prior trained skills in sewing or crafting. However, Yaya has always been artistic, especially with pen and ink illustrations, so she quickly absorbed the heart and soul of costume making. Completely self-taught (mostly due to lack of funds and resources) Yaya started sewing with a used $40 sewing machine and a thrift store sewing book. Yaya credits persistence and repeated failure as her greatest teachers in costume creation. To this day, she has made 450 costumes in the genres of anime/manga, comic books, video games, sci-fi and her own original designs.

Over the years, Yaya's intricate and lavish creations have won awards and acclaim nationwide, and she has become one of the most well-known cosplayers in the world. Not only has she been a Programming Guest at more than 300 conventions world wide, Yaya has also made numerous TV appearances, worked with some of the biggest companies in the world, designed a myriad of products for mass retail and she also wrote the first book about the modern cosplay culture.

 

Through hard work, unmatched passion and infectious enthusiasm, Yaya has helped cosplay gain respect and integrity as an art form in the fandom world and art communities. Every day, Yaya continues to pave the path for the beloved art and lifestyle we know as Costume Play.