M’sian Cosplayer Hakken Fuses Modernity, Nostalgia in New Vogue SG Cover

By Danial Martinus  •  04 Mar 2024 in Fashion

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Say hello to Malaysian cosplay sensation, Hakken, who now graces the cover of Vogue Singapore’s latest March issue. They channel American model and fashion icon, Tina Chow, who according to Hakken, draws distinct parallels with their work.

Embracing duality in all its forms

Speaking to Vogue Singapore, Hakken reveals they love to cosplay as “characters that are mature and elegant”, like Zhongli from Genshin Impact. But there’s also a lot of room for villains, they say. “They know what they want even though they’re screwed up in their own way, but I think that’s what makes them different and interesting,” Hakken says.

Combining their exciting personality with the more thorny roles they choose to cosplay, Hakken sees it as embracing duality, much like Tina Chow did with her frequent combination of sartorial pieces with more rugged elements back in the ’70s. She was loved for her androgynous silhouettes, after all.

“Tina, to me, was way ahead of her time. She was never afraid of the way people perceived her style and that’s something I deeply relate to,” says Hakken.

On cosplay, Hakken says the characters they choose don’t necessarily represent what they want for themselves in reality. Instead, Hakken sees the characters they cosplay as qualities they’re attracted to.

“You know, I never really struggled to form my own identity. Or put in a lot of effort to find my own identity, for that matter. It just came to me naturally and I felt so comfortable. I just kept going from there.”

Family matters

Hakken’s love for cosplay was nurtured by their parents, who both instilled a deep appreciation for anime in the cosplayer.

“My mother and father were huge fans of anime. I was brought up in this type of family,” Hakken says. “They watched the classics like Slam Dunk and Bei Dou Zhi Quan, so that just sort of passed down to me.”

While cosplaying initially started out as a hobby for Hakken, it gradually became a full-time gig when jobs started coming in. But it might not have turned out this way if it weren’t for the support of their parents.

“My mum is a tailor and she used to make some of my clothes. She is a super fashionable person and would always be dressed in stuff from the ’70s or ’80s. I learnt to sew from her,” Hakken recalls.

“And I’ve just been so inspired recently by these vintage men’s suits from that era, and even some pieces from the ’20s and ’30s. It’s something modern fashion can’t quite replicate. It’s something from the past that is so captivating.”

This kind of style inspiration is clearly evident on their Instagram page, which currently boasts nearly four million followers at the time of writing.

New adventures await

Hakken says they want to branch out and do more beyond the confines of cosplay. As to what that is exactly remains to be seen. But they’re excited and full of energy. The cosplayer plans to kick off a series of in-person events that allow for more interaction with fans and supporters.

“I do a lot of conventions and public appearances where I get to meet my fans. They queue for hours, or sometimes even days, just to meet me for 30 seconds. It makes me feel bad because I want to interact with them more,” they say.

“I want to create memories that both me and my fans can treasure.”

Pre-order your copy of Vogue Singapore’s March ‘Dualism’ issue here.