It was in early 2017 that we first saw our outfits at this event. We made a number of standard and custom mirror man costumes (“Wizards” with long beards and fantasy-style caps), but we had no idea where these costumes would end up. This was a complete surprise to us. Over the years, we have made more than 100 costumes for the various bands that participate in this event.

Here is the list of costumes the ETERESHOP team was created for Mummers Parade in Philadelphia over the years:

• 2016: 16 silver mirror men costumes (“Wizards” and standard costumes with hats)
• 2017: 40 custom LED suits (marine theme) and 6 non-LED peacock tails with custom print patterns
• 2018: 5 LED suits on black EVA foam and LED mesh on the client’s raincoat
• 2019: 8 LED cage “Alien” vests
• 2021: 7 Beetlejuice mirror costumes 
• 2023: 10 gold mirror Christmas tree baubles
• 2024: 10 mirror pirate costumes & 10 broken bottles mirror costumes

All in all 114 custom costumes + 1 client’s costume modification as of now (the beginning of 2025).

2016

In 2016, ETERESHOP received two major custom orders for the Mummers Parade: 8 Mirror Man costumes for South Philly Vikings and another 8 for Fralinger String Band. We modernized our production technology, attaching mirrored tiles to breathable fabric with removable, washable linings for added convenience. The South Philly Vikings used our suits in their award-winning “It’s All In Your Mime” performance. They took 1st place in 2017, showing us how well the costumes could handle dancing. Fralinger String Band tailored the suits for their “Spellbinding” performance, adding mirrored beards and mouth cutouts for their trumpeters. These collaborations marked the beginning of our work with the Mummers Parade teams and showcased the versatility of our designs.

“Its All In Your Mime” performance by South Philly Vikings in 2017

You can watch the performance HERE.

“Spellbinding” Performance by Fralinger String Band in 2017

You can watch the performance HERE.

2017

In 2017, ETERESHOP received a large custom order from the South Philly Vikings for 40 LED suits and 6 peacock tails for their performance at the Mummers Parade. Following the client’s sketches and nautical theme, we created costumes in specific color schemes featuring coral patterns, LED fans, and skirts. Despite limited experience with festival costumes at the time, we successfully produced the order, including the peacock tails, which later became one of our signature designs. The intricate process required significant time and effort as our workshop was smaller then, but the results exceeded expectations. The South Philly Vikings’ 2018 performance, “King Neptune’s Return to the Reef,” earned 2nd place, showcasing the impact of our designs. This order marked a milestone in our growth and collaboration with the Mummers Parade teams.

“King Neptune’s Return To The Reef” Performance by South Philly Vikings Fancy Brigade in the Mummers Parade 2018

You can watch the performance HERE.

2018

In 2018, ETERESHOP collaborated once again with the South Philly Vikings on a custom order for 5 LED suits and a unique LED raincoat for their performance at the 2019 Mummers Parade. Using EVA foam reinforced with regilin, we integrated pre-programmed LED strips into the suits, allowing synchronized light effects during the performance. For the captain’s raincoat, we designed and soldered an LED mesh capable of displaying effects and text, adding a striking visual element. The project, themed “The Galactic Circus: Coming To A Planet Near You,” showcased innovative use of materials and technology, highlighting our ability to bring creative concepts to life.

“The Galactic Circus: Coming To A Planet Near You” Performance by South Philly Vikings in the Mummers Parade 2019

You can watch the performance HERE.

2019

In 2019, the Fralinger String Band approached ETERESHOP after being inspired by our designs at the Avantgardista exhibition. They commissioned eight custom LED vests for their “Lunar Effect” performance at the 2020 Mummers Parade. The vests, crafted from LED strips secured with regilin, featured large central LEDs for added impact. The order showcased our ability to adapt designs to clients’ visions and marked another successful collaboration with the Mummers Parade teams.

‘Lunar Effect’ Performance by Fralinger String Band in the Mummers Parade 2020

You can watch the performance HERE.

2021

In 2021, ETERESHOP collaborated with the South Philly Vikings to create 7 custom Beetlejuice-inspired mirror costumes for their “It’s Showtime!” performance at the 2022 Mummers Parade. Following an approved sketch and budget, we crafted striking designs featuring intricate mirror work to align with the performance’s theatrical theme. The South Philly Vikings took 1st place that year, showcasing the impact of our costumes and strengthening our ongoing partnership with the team.

The costumes were decorated with lots of feathers and had an exaggerated silhouette with huge shoulders and flared pants with fringes. Performers’ personalities were to be completely disguised under mirror balaclava masks, just like it’s common for Mirror Parade participants. They just needed to add Beetlejuice’s acid green wigs to complete the look.

“It’s Showtime!” Performance by South Philly Vikings in the Mummers Parade 2022

You can watch the performance HERE. 

2023

In 2023, ETERESHOP created twelve custom gold mirror costumes for the South Philadelphia String Band’s “Christmas Bizarre” performance at the 2024 Mummers Parade. Inspired by Christmas tree decorations, these dazzling costumes featured reflective golden tiles, spherical ornaments resembling baubles, and intricate detailing to capture the festive theme. The standout designs helped the band secure 1st place at the parade. These costumes combined elegance with whimsy, cementing their success in the Mummers tradition.

“Christmas Bizarre” Performance by South Philadelphia String Band the Mummers Parade 2024

2024

This year (2025) was the 124th Mummers Parade in Center City Philadelphia. Two bands ordered 20 custom mirror costumes from ETERESHOP last year to perform on the 1st of January. The South Philadelphia String Band tied for 1st place with ‘Castlevania’ theme, while the Fralinger String Band secured 3rd place with ‘Junkyard Jam’ theme.

Costumes of Mirror Pirates for the South Philadelphia String Band

The order and start of the work

Colorful mirror costumes of pirates were to become part of the performance with the theme called “Castlevania” for the South Philadelphia String Band.

The original design has been worked out by Sean Graser on his sketch we got as a starting point for the costume. Later we generated designs with AI to choose the final variant. We’ve discussed several versions of design, including the darker and the brighter one with lots of alterations based on peculiarities of materials and the overall idea of the look. Moreover, we needed to take into account the use of costumes: not just posing or parading, but active movement and playing musical instruments during the show.

Each pirate costume included a frock coat of a complex cut decorated with hundreds of mirror tiles and it also included a cloak. Those costumes were really colourful (7 colors of mirror tiles!) It was the first time we used so many colours in one costume at once) and just like all mirror costumes, were to produce a disco ball effect in natural lighting. To maintain its shape, the frock coat had an additional layer of regilin, reinforced with metal inserts.

The costume had to be voluminous and hold its shape, like the costumes of anime or computer game characters, with exaggeratedly massive shoulders, sharp angles on the frock coat, tails, boots and hat.

Alterations in the design and construction

Although we decorated the costume with plumes, clients decided to perform without them. Other alterations concerned mouth holes and gloves. Since our clients are real performers, they perform tests before performing and may suggest some changes in our costumes for more convenient usage.

We’ve also created light-up chandelier costumes for the same show. Originally, they consisted of luminous chandelier headpieces and light-up skirts. The artists transformed the look and decided to use the headpiece part of the costume set only.

Costumes with Broken Bottles for the Fralinger String Band

The order and start of the work

10 costumes of broken bottles decorated with silver and green mirror tiles were designed for the Fralinger String Band for their performance with the theme “Junkyard Jam”.

Just like with other costumes for the Mummers Parade, the design of costumes with Broken Champagne Bottles was based on a clients’ sketch. Then we rendered it in Clo3D to visualize the details and see how it would fit. This helped us make some corrections in the design and choose the materials and techniques necessary for production of the mirror outfit.

Challenges and alterations

One of the main difficulties was to create broken bottles for the costume. They needed to look like real bottles, but to be lightweight as they were the main decoration of the costume. Eight of them were placed on the hat, looking like a giant bottle cap. After tests and lots of calculation, it has been decided to make bottles out of EVA foam and decorate it with mirror tiles with broken mirror effect. This material is lightweight and we have lots of experience in creating different forms with it.

At first we tried to partially cover the face of a performer with a glittery cloth according to the original sketch. But after tests it has been decided to remove it and keep just a mirror mask as it would be difficult to move with limited vision. Clients added protective knee pads, green bags and green & silver shoes for the show. 

Apart from production challenges, the costume was rather complicated in its construction. So it needed to be collapsible to transport it. The Broken Bottles costume consisted of many parts: tights, feathers, leg and arm pads, a cape with long sleeves, voluminous shoulder pads, a balaclava, a mirror mask and a large mirror hat in the shape of a bottle cap with bottles on top.

Conclusion

We are looking forward to upcoming collaboration with the Mummers Parade in future as well as with other festivals and venues. Every time it’s a wonderful journey and a great test for creativity and skills of the team.

The post Costumes for The Mummers Parade Through the Years appeared first on Light Solutions ETERE.

Our work has always been centered on innovation. We introduced 75 brand new products in 2024, making sure our designs satisfied our customers’ particular requirements. Mechanical tails and wings, complete cosplay costumes, masks and more.

Read more on unique products from 2024 and stories of their creation here:

Among our achievements were the creation of over 270 mirror costumes and non-LED wings, as well as 450 LED costumes and non-LED peacock fantails. These numbers underscore our commitment to pushing boundaries and providing our clients with unforgettable, standout creations.

This year was challenging, yet it showcased the resilience of our team and our steadfast commitment to achieving excellence. Each hardship reinforced our resolve to adapt, innovate, and thrive. As we approach 2025, we stay hopeful and prepared to face challenges, motivated by the confidence and backing of our clients and partners globally.

Thank you for being a part of our journey. Here’s to a brighter, even more productive year ahead!

Contact us if you have any ideas or questions. We are always open to new requests.

The post ETERESHOP’s Highlights of 2024 appeared first on Light Solutions ETERE.

Three years ago we’ve already designed three costumes for the Mrs. America and Miss America pageant 2022 and you can read the story of their creation  HERE.

Custom Order and The Client’s Moodboard

The client was Mrs Florida 2024 Amber Uhler and she came to us with her own vision of the future costume and even a moodboard to get inspiration from. This moodboard included AI-generated designs and a sketch. One more source of ideas was the NASA-inspired outfit R’bonney Gabriel wore on Miss Universe 2023 National Costumes Competition.

This moodboard was the starting point for the further design development of the costume. 

Then we turn to AI to generate a blend of these ideas including our own suggestions and alterations that inevitably arise on the way of designing such an outfit.

Then we turn to AI to generate a blend of these ideas including our own suggestions and alterations that inevitably arise on the way of designing such an outfit. Our designer suggested different style alterations to the client, including futuristing, retro and more open and sexy fashion.

Initially, the look included a white or a silver cape or a train and flared trousers, but the client declined these details. Pants were to be super slim fit and decorated with rhinestones.   

Rendering and Selecting Materials and Technologies

Following the selection of the future costume design, the next step was to render every aspect in the CLO 3D software program. This was done to showcase and test how it will look in 3D on a body. As well as how it should be constructed and decorated to get the actual costume based on an AI-generated image.

At that point, changes are all but unavoidable. We may decide what to exclude for comfort and aesthetics when we model how the item will fit and move on a body and in various positions. For example, the team together with a client had decided where to place gemstones, color accents, decoration details for the halo.  

Materials used for the Custom NASA Costume for Mrs Universe USA 2025 costume project:

• The jumpsuit: metallic silver fabric, white elastic band, flesh-colored mesh fabric, NASA and the American flag patches, rhinestones, zipper, blue belt with blue rhinestones, blue fabric for cuffs
• The helmet: EVA foam, metallic silver fabric, LED strip, wires, controller, red mirror tiles 
• The back halo: large rhinestones, fabric strap, sequined fabric, EVA foam, metal frame, zipper, bolts, striped fabric, pocket, metallic silver fabric

The Creation Process: Design of a Custom Costume in Detail

Custom Costume Creation for Mrs. Universe USA 2025: 

The Jumpsuit:

Sewing: To ensure a sleek, body-hugging fit the sewing department tailoerd the jumpsuit with precision.

Decorating: The cleavage area was enhanced with a mix of fabrics in varying colors and textures for added depth and detail. The team applied gemstones across the jumpsuit to create a dazzling, space-inspired finish.

The client had decided to make the jumpsuit in metallic silver fabric and adorn it with large rhinestones for a more glam look. Since the jumpsuit was inspired by NASA, we adorned it with NASA and the American flag patches. The jumpsuit cuffs were made of blue fabric, and the blue belt was embellished with the same-colored stones. We also added small striped wings on the shoulders, and the cleavage featured white and nude sheer fabric insertions to underline the curves yet keep the look reserved.

The Back Halo with Stars:

Metal Construction: A lightweight metal frame was crafted to hold the cosmic design securely. It needed to be voluminous yet not massive, lightweight and looking weightless.

Sewing Backpack Details: A functional backpack mechanism was sewn to comfortably attach the halo to the body for wearability. It also included a little pocket for a battery case that came with the light-up helmet.

Decorating: EVA foam stars and a crescent moon were designed and adorned with tiny sequins for shimmer. Gemstones were strategically placed on the frame to amplify its cosmic sparkle.

The Helmet:

Gluing EVA Foam: We shaped and glued EVA foam to form the helmet’s base.

Sewing the Fabric Cover: A smooth fabric cover was added for a polished finish.

Adding Electronics: We integrated an LED wire, power box, and controller to give the helmet a futuristic glow.

Decorating: The iconic NASA sign was created using red acrylic mirror tiles for a bold, reflective statement.

The cosmic-style helmet for Mrs. Universe USA 2025 was crafted from EVA foam and covered with sleek metallic silver fabric for a futuristic look. A dazzling NASA logo in red mirror tiles adorned the front. While a glowing LED strip along the edges added a dynamic effect. Despite its innovative design and seamless finish, the client didn’t wear it on the runway, leaving its galactic elegance as an off-stage highlight.

The Final Result

Although the client opted not to include the helmet for the competition runway, the jumpsuit and halo came together seamlessly. It’s created a stunning and functional representation of celestial and futuristic fashion.

Watch Amber Uhler in a cosmic NASA-Inspired pageant costume by ETERESHOP team on a national costume round for Mrs. Universe USA 2025 competition.

Check out our ‘How We Did It’ blog section to see more examples of custom made costumes ETERESHOP team has designed and produced recently. Contact us if you have any ideas or questions.

The post Custom NASA-Inspired Costume for Mrs Universe USA 2025 appeared first on Light Solutions ETERE.

The Story Behind the Creation of the Geodome

The development of the LED Geodome was driven by the need for a versatile, glowing “Lego-like” system for large-scale installations. Initially, the ETERESHOP team aimed to create custom LED tubes from scratch, focusing on mobility, battery operation, and independent controllers for quick and flexible designs at events and festivals. After over a year of effort and multiple iterations, the high cost made this solution impossible.

Rather than abandoning the idea, the team pivoted to existing LED tube solutions, modifying them to meet our needs. We redesigned the mounts, integrated a complex wired control system, and ensured the tubes remained strong yet lightweight to fit architectural forms. This blend of innovation and adaptation resulted in a robust, eye-catching structure that brings the LED Geodome to life.

Technologies and Materials

Custom Joints for Polygonal Structures
The project required unique joints to connect LED tubes into architectural and polygonal forms. Since no suitable options existed on the market, we designed and produced these joints ourselves. The team has used precision metalworking to manufacture them, but this came at a high cost, especially compared to the affordability of the LED tubes. The challenge was to balance durability and functionality without making the joints prohibitively expensive.

Power and Control Transfer
A major challenge was hiding all power and control wiring to preserve the Geodome’s sleek, luminous design. To achieve this, we integrated cables inside the LED tube structure itself, ensuring both power and signal could be transmitted seamlessly without disrupting the visual integrity of the installation.

Custom Software for Mapping
The Geodome’s hemisphere structure consists of triangular faces, each outlined by three LED tubes. Existing software couldn’t map these triangles effectively, so we developed our own solution to identify and illuminate individual sections. This custom software allowed precise control over lighting effects for the installation.

Power Supply Challenges
Standard LED tubes have strict power limits (up to 48 watts) to prevent overheating, fire risks, and brightness loss. To address this, we incorporated additional “conductor” tubes to transfer power across the structure, ensuring stability and consistent illumination, especially in large-scale designs like the Geodome.

Complex Control Architecture
Power restrictions also required multiple controllers, leading to a complex, branched network architecture. Ultimately, we opted for a wired control system to ensure reliable signal transmission without interference, which is critical for such intricate, large-scale installations.

The final set of the Geodome LED Installation consists of:

LED tubes, connecting rings, legs, control units, LAN wires and 15 PowerCon wires for connecting control units to each other, assembly instructions, software and a ready-made customized project.

Main Characteristics of the LED Tube GeoDome Installation project:

Amount of LED tubes: 165 LED tubes
Size: 8 meters diameter and 4,5 meters height
Operating time: as long as you need
Energy consumption: 8 kW/h
Technologies: programming microcontrollers, control using Madrix and TouchDesigner programs, architectural design, development of all kinds of joints, assemblies, metalworking. All in all, these are standard and already familiar areas of knowledge for us.
Light effects: effects are created using software and downloaded via wifi
Real-time control: available

Usage Possibilities and Limitations

The Geosphere installation is made of modified LED tubes designed by ETERESHOP. These glowing tubes are intended to act as structural components for substantial architectural shapes. Therefore, it is feasible to design and fabricate any polygonal forms with LED tubes functioning as the edges of these polygons; these can be any 2D or 3D objects based on your preference.

Possibilities:

– Installations utilizing our LED tubes are excellent outdoor options because they are waterproof, allowing for the creation of large-scale items. But you can also install them inside spacious locations like gyms (for sport events, exhibitions, low-key concerts), large concert venues, spacious nightclubs, stages (low-poly planes) plus as large standing structures like letters, on walls, along pathways/halls (similar to what we accomplished with LED columns). 

– The main interaction possibility advisable for the Geodome LED project is to walk inside/ outside it as it’s spacious enough to chill or dance inside, depending on the purpose you intend for your project and its form.

Restrictions:

– Even though our LED tubes are constructed from extruded polycarbonate, known for its high durability, it is not recommended to climb over the luminous hemisphere or any other items made with these LED tubes, because while they won’t shatter, they could possibly bend and become irregular, which may ruin their appearance.

– The current version of our LED tubes is all wired, so it won’t be possible to take a separate tube away and/or play with it as if it’s a lightsaber, for example.   

Conclusion\ Final Result

The LED Tube Geodome combines modern design with dynamic lighting, making it a versatile feature for events. We crafted this eight-meter-wide, five-meter-tall geodesic structure from durable LED tubes and it offers customizable light displays to suit any theme or branding.

Ideal for festivals, concerts, exhibitions, or private events, the Geodome serves as a striking centerpiece or functional space for performances and interactive setups. Its spacious design, immersive 360-degree visuals, and easy assembly make it a practical and engaging addition to any occasion.

Check out our ‘How We Did It’ blog section to see more examples of custom made costumes ETERESHOP team has designed and produced recently. Contact us if you have any ideas or questions.

The post LED Tube GeoDome Installation by ETERESHOP appeared first on Light Solutions ETERE.

Custom Order

Client’s request was to make an outfit of an angel consisting of a white dress, wings and a train. And it was supposed to be worn by several performers in different weather conditions.

Again, we’ve suggested several AI-generated designs based on client’s descriptions of the desirable light-up angel wings dress. The client has chosen the design he liked and ordered to make an outfit that would as much as possible resemble it.

AI- generated Design Chosen as the Basis for the Future Costume:

Rendering, First Design and Alterations

Since this white fairy costume with wings was supposed to be worn by four different girls, the client’s request was to make a solution that would fit all of them. The client also wanted to wear this angel wings dress often enough and in different weather conditions, including performing in winter outdoors. So it was meant to be a combination of functionality with an appealing angelic look.

As for functionality, performers wanted to put on thermal underwear in winter, but it still needed to be a white feminine dress, not a jumpsuit. Since the client wanted to have a train, there was a request to think on how to protect it from street slush, etc. 

First decision was to make a costume that would consist of the following parts: a stretching bodysuit, a corset with side lacing and a skirt with an elastic belt. 

Changes on the way:

We’ve decided to lengthen the corset and add a wedge in the front lower part and remove the bodysuit. There was an idea to use a kind of a bolero, but later we dropped it.  

The first part of the costume turned into a kind of a transparent undergown with embroidered shoulders. Then came the corset with lacing, embroidery, beads and sequins. 

The skirt was divided into two parts\layers – the one of the ‘undergown’ and a lush clip-on train. 

The wings had to be attached to a small backpack with harnesses and a belt.

Production and Materials

Production of such a complex costume included multiple steps made by different departments as well as by the third party. 

Materials used for the LED angel dress with wings:

• fabric (tulle, organza, geotextile)
• foamiran 1 mm
• lace
• lacing
• sequins
• LED strip
• wire
• metal-plastic pipe

The sewing department was busy creating the fabric part of the costume – the undergown, the corset, the backpack, fabric base of wings and the train. It included numerous approval steps and changes on the way.

We turn to the third party for laser cutting of organza for feathers and creating the wing frame made of metal-plastic pipe. 

The soldering department’s task was soldering and firmware of the controller, preparing boxes and the common wire for each wing.

Creating wings wasn’t an easy task which was assigned to the mirror department. Initial idea was to make a wings base made of EVA foam, but it was changed to geotextile. The next issue concerned feathers. The team tried out and tested several variants of materials:

• Two layers of mesh fabric – it didn’t keep its shape well 
• Three layers of tulle – it looked untidy, although kept its shape
• Isolon 2 mm – it changed shape well when heated and its white color had a milky tint
• Foamiran 1 mm – the final variant

So feathers were made of thin foamiran and along the contour there were feathers made of thin transparent organza reinforced with wire. We needed to wrap wires in thin white paper as dark wire would look sloppy.

Once all the construction parts for the wings of the angel cosplay costume were ready we moved to assembling: metal-plastic frame with the fabric base were attached to the backpack, organza and foamiran feathers were glued to the fabric base in accordance with the scheme. The train of the dress was attached to the whole construction with the help of snap fasteners. The soldering department soldered controllers and boxes. The team has attached LED strips to wings, the skirt and the train. Customized light effects match the overall angelic look.

Challenges of the Project

Since this LED angel dress with wings is custom and we made it for the first time, naturally, we experienced some challenges on the way.

When gluing LEDs, it was necessary to put parchment paper between the layers, otherwise they might stick together. 

The size of belt loops must be made with a margin, so that belts with a buckle can be threaded through them freely. And when putting up the LED strip, you need to carefully bypass these holes so that there are no further problems when putting on the suit. It’s also important to think about the belt itself and how to arrange it on the belly, not to cover or damage the corset.

Besides it all, transportation of the whole set isn’t an easy task, since the costume includes materials with different characteristics. Wings aren’t small either, so packing not to damage them represented another challenge.

The team decorated this angelic outfit with various fabrics with different characteristics, including very thin and subtle, embroidered and with lace. This needed to be taken into account when creating as well as assembling the whole costume, e.g. wings holders on shoulders when shoulders on the dress was decorated with sequins and beads.    

These and some other shortcomings are to be taken into account when creating the next version of this costume.

Product set:

Transparent dress, corset, wings (fabric base + feathers + metal frame + backpack + LEDs) with straps and belt, train with buttons with LEDs.

The Final Result

This custom angel costume includes large wings with addressable LEDs, creating a soft, glowing effect. Paired with a flowing train also lit by LEDs, it adds movement and depth to the design. The client can program lights for different effects, making it perfect for performances or events. This angel wings dress combines elegance with technology for a striking visual impact.

Check out our ‘How We Did It’ blog section to see more examples of custom made costumes ETERESHOP team has designed and produced recently. Contact us if you have any ideas or questions.

The post Light-up Angel Dress with Wings appeared first on Light Solutions ETERE.

We create designs using Midjourney to help clients visualize their ideas. Midjourney allows them to envision these concepts and then we can start working on realisation of the chosen design. 

We also get inspiration from Midjourney for our new product designs, taking some elements and blending them together.

The final image never looks 100% exactly like on the generated image due to inevitable client’s corrections during the production process. As well as because of design peculiarities (e.g. material restrictions, etc.). And that’s why it’s great to have an AI-generated image, as most of the design changes can take place at the stage of generating AI designs and rendering, which saves money and time.

From AI-generated inspiration to the Product

AI-generated design inspirations:

AI-generated designs chosen as the main inspiration for the final product:

Finished products based on chosen designs:

At ETERESHOP, we have already brought to life several costumes inspired by AI-generated images. Using services like Midjourney allows us to visualize and refine our clients’ ideas, turning their creative visions into reality. As we continue to innovate and experiment, it’s great to use these tools for future projects and draw inspiration to create even more eye-catching designs.

Check out our ‘How We Did It’ blog section to see more examples of custom made costumes ETERESHOP team has designed and produced recently. Contact us if you have any ideas or questions.

Ready to see your ideas come to life? Contact us today to start visualizing your next costume, accessory, or decoration!

The post ETERESHOP Designs Inspired by Midjourney appeared first on Light Solutions ETERE.

Custom Order & Rendering

Customer’s request was to make a large 3D crocodile mask in white color. He didn’t specify the materials, so the team needed to decide how to realize the idea in the best way. 

From the AI-generated design we suggested to the client it was clear that it’s a full-head mask with an open mouth. So the person wearing it will look through the hole inside the mouth. 

Next came the rendering stage to get a clearer vision of how the crocodile head mask was to look from all sides.

Selecting Materials and Technologies

The majority of 3D animal masks we’ve made at ETERESHOP were decorated with silver and gold mirror tiles. Although we can add different other colors to client’s masks and helmets (including scarab green, for example), white color was used for the first time for such a 3D mask. We needed to think of the material that could fit our requirements: it needed to be lightweight like acrylic mirror tiles, yet strong enough and shiny, if possible. White and shiny polystyrene turned out to be the best option this time.

Materials used for the project: 

• EVA foam
• white polystyrene
• glue
• fabric belts
• plastic belt buckle
• white plastic

Technologies used for the project: 

• 3D modeling
• 3D printing
• cutting (EVA foam, polystyrene)
• gluing
• sewing

Cutting of large sheets was delegated to outsource, we just needed to provide the exact schemes. The rest was done on our side by our mirror and sewing departments. 

The Creation Process of the White 3D Crocodile Mask

Following that came the stage of realization of the design in materials. 

We printed the model on paper and tested how the mask would look by cutting and gluing all parts together. After that EVA foam sheets were cut according to the scheme and we started gluing the base of the 3D crocodile mask. EVA foam edge joints were additionally cut manually if necessary to get the precise and even junction.

After that we glued previously cut white polystyrene tiles over the EVA foam base. They also required additional trimming and sanding for closer fit.

Sharp crocodile teeth were 3D printed from plastic and then glued inside the crocodile mouth with all the necessary trimming.

We glued the EVA foam cap inside the custom crocodile mask for stability and comfort. The construction also included the plastic headband. But that still wasn’t enough. Since the crocodile’s head isn’t round, the mask was really unstable. So the team was thinking on how to fasten the crocodile helmet mask so that the person could move in it freely. 

That’s how we came up with the idea of equipping the mask with belts. Fabric belts were sewn to the EVA foam cap and seams were again covered with small pieces of thin EVA foam to make it more comfortable to wear.

The Final Result

The White 3D Crocodile Mask offers a practical and versatile solution for performers. Made from EVA foam and white polystyrene it is equipped with adjustable belts to ensure a secure fit for various wearers. Its glossy surface catches the light well, especially in brighter settings, highlighting the geometric design in a subtle way.

The crocodile mask’s simple, yet eye-catching design allows it to blend into different styles, while fully disguising the wearer’s identity, making it a custom, unisex piece suitable for a range of performances.

Check out our ‘How We Did It’ blog section to see more examples of custom made costumes ETERESHOP team has designed and produced recently. Contact us if you have any ideas or questions.

The post <strong>How We Made a White 3D Crocodile Mask</strong> appeared first on Light Solutions ETERE.

Custom Order and Inspiration for a Silver Mirror Cosmo Girl Costume

As always, the costume starts with an idea. Our customer contacted us with a desire to make a mirror costume that can be used in the air for an aerial show. We’ve already made lots of variations of aerialist costumes, both flexible mirror leotards and suits with LEDs. But we’ve never made an aerialist mirror astronaut costume with additional LEDs plus a spaceman helmet with LEDs.

The client came up to us with AI-generated ideas of a cosmonaut girl costume and asked to make a blend of them and create something similar but also add bright LEDs covered with lenses like on gloves we’ve made several years ago. 

Specifications of the custom order included:

• add a couple of bright diodes with lenses
• it should be possible to attach a rope for hanging (a hole in the lumbar area) and the costume should not sag on the body when the artist is suspended – it should keep its shape
• a mirror astronaut helmet with LEDs
• add ventilation so that the artist can breathe normally and the helmet does not fog up from the inside
• chin strap, because performances take place in the air
• removable shiny silver backpack
• the inner part of the gloves should have been without mirrors
• color – silver
• the ability to use the suit by several people (average height – 168 cm, shoe size – 38-39)

It was really important to take into account that artists would be wearing climbing equipment and to make slits for hooks by which they planned to hang during aerial performances. And this suit should hold its shape when stretched.

Rendering and Selecting Materials and Technologies

The spacesuit was to be all covered with silver mirror tiles which were cut in an elaborated pattern designed specifically for this suit and all the details on it. For example, the silver costume of a sexy cosmonaut girl had volumetric pads on shoulders and hips, and the front part of both the silver astronaut helmet and the shiny mirror spacesuit included seven bright LEDs with lenses and LED strips. All this was to be taken into account white designing the mirror tiles pattern. The removable backpack was to be all silver too.

Materials used for the custom silver astronaut costume:

• ultra-bright LEDs
• MGTF wire 0,50
• lenses for laser diodes
• LED housing
• superglue
• Technomelt AS 9268 glue
• EVA foam 5 mm
• plastic lampshade
• silver fabric
• acrylic silver mirror tiles
• axial fan Rexant RQD 5015MS 12 В DC

The Creation of the Astronaut Girl Costume

The production process includes multiple stages, some of them the team delegated to the third party, like cutting acrylic mirrors to small tiles of necessary sizes. But the majority of procedures are done by our sewing, mirror and soldering departments.

We took a plastic sphere as the base of the cosplay cosmonaut helmet and glued EVA foam coating over it. Initially we prepared EVA foam top by cutting and gluing all parts together. This required precision and additional correction on the way. The helmet was equipped with cooling fans and lenses, and all this presupposes wires, and a switching system which were soldered together and then covered with small EVA foam parts to protect it all.

The sewing department worked on overalls sewed from the supplex and acrylic mirror sheets were sent to cutting according to our schemes. 

Once the helmet base was ready the soldering phase followed. The team needed to cut, solder, test and heat shrink the common wire, solder diodes and lay the common wire inside the helmet. Two diodes, two fans and a voltage converter were installed and secured, checked and adjusted, the switch was connected, the wire was fixed with glued pieces of EVA foam. After assembling all this inner ‘filling’ the cosmonaut helmet was glued with silver mirror tiles as well as the sexy cosmonaut suit. 

The cosmonaut suit had 5 more LEDs with lenses that shine forward. The silver mirror space girl costume had shoulder and hips pads made of EVA foam. Those round shoulder pads included lenses, we placed one more LED in the middle of the chest and two more lower, on the hips. To add even more futuristic touch, we sew in LED strips on the legs and chest of the front part of the silver mirror space girl suit. 

Ergonomics of the Space Girl Suit

Since it’s a mirror costume that was supposed to be used both in aerialist shows and on the ground, the question of ergonomics was of top priority. Hips pads were removable with slits for belts. We didn’t cover armpits, back of knees and elbow bends with mirror tiles.

The backpack was removable, it was attached to the futuristic space suit with the help of carbines sewn in near the zip on the back. Artists can also remove the space helmet and wear the suit eparately as just a silver futuristic costume.

The Final Result

Creating a mirror space girl costume with LEDs and a custom space helmet was a rewarding challenge for the team. We achieved a perfect balance between an elegant, form-fitting silhouette and the practicality required for an aerialist’s performance. The space girl costume’s versatility allows it to shine both in the air and on the ground. Artists can transform the silver mirror space suit by removing the helmet, hip pads, overshoes, and a backpack. Client tests confirmed that this sleek, silver astronaut suit is not only visually striking but also ergonomic enough for dynamic performances.

Contact us if you have any ideas, generations or sketches of you future custom outfit or installations. We are open for creative propositions. Check out our ‘How We Did It’ blog section to see more examples of custom made costumes ETERESHOP team has designed and produced recently. Contact us if you have any ideas or questions.

The post How We Made a Mirror & LED Space Girl Costume with a Helmet appeared first on Light Solutions ETERE.

This blog post from our “How We Did It” series takes you behind the scenes of the process of making a custom Human-Sized LED Infinity Mirror Crystal.

Custom Order

We took previous Infinity Mirror projects as the basis and made required adjustments. The shape of an installation was changed from a dodecahedron to a crystal, but it still needed to be human-sized. 

The new Infinity Mirror Crystal Installation was to fulfill the following specifications: 

• The Infinity Mirror construction needed to include small wheels to move it freely from one place to another inside an art space. 
• It must be human-sized so that a person of an average height could fit inside to pose for photos/videos or even dance.
• The construction needed to have the size that could move through the 150-155 cm doorway.

Rendering and Selecting Materials and Technologies

The creation process started with rendering the idea of the Infinity Mirror Crystal to see how it would look including the look with a person inside.

Materials and technologies repeated the project of the Giant Infinity Mirror Dodecahedron with some changes.

The difference between the Infinity Mirror Dodecahedron and the Infinity Mirror Crystal was not only in the form, but also in fastenings used to attach the profile – they were 3D printed for the Infinity Crystal, and on the Infinity Mirror Dodecahedron there were bent metal parts.

Materials used for the Infinity Mirror Crystal Installation project:

• EVA foam – for gluing to the top cover of the base, for laying in the profile  
• laminated plywood (12 mm)
• plexiglass with mirror coating
• MGTF wire of different thicknesses (1, 0.5, HB black)
• metal and plastic 3D-printed corners – for assembling the base of the crystal
• Shift 50 wheels (8 pcs.) – for free movement in the art space
• power button and power cable
• welded pipes
• double-sided tape, super glue, silicone – for gluing wires (in profile)
• 2 coolers 12 V 120×120 – for installation in the base of the Crystal
• converter from 5V to 12V to blocks – for connecting coolers located at the base of the chip
• plastic fasteners, housing (3D-printed)
• cables (1 16 pin for data, 4 pin for power), shielded cables
• M3x16 screw, bolts
• controllers
• memory cards
• LED strips
• resistors 4.7 kOhm 
• modules and boards – main and panel

The main board contents: ESP 32, Arduino nano, Radio HC12, 4 resistors 10kOhm, MAX485 module, 16 connector male, 4 pin male connector

The panel board included: 2 buttons, encoder, OLED display

The remaining equipment, which is mounted on a plexiglass panel:

• NODE MCU expansion board + SD slot
• Mount for an expansion card and for a LAN module
• LAN module
• XLR female-male 
• 220V power connector with a button

Technologies and operations used for creation of the Infinity Installation:

• cutting with a miter saw – for aluminum profiles
• trimming laminated plywood parts
• machine cutting of MGTF wires and laser cutting – for laminated plywood, plastic parts and EVA foam
• 3D printing of Infinity Mirror Crystal parts (mounts, frames and other Crystal parts)
• drilling 3D parts and profiles
• controller firmware
• soldering of elements (controllers, power supplies, common wire)
• stripping and tinning wires 
• setting up the power supply 
• creating/recording light effects to the card
• rolling of mirror film
• gluing the tape to plastic and EVA foam

The Creation and Assembling Process of the LED Infinity Crystal

Creation of the LED Infinity Mirror Installation takes lots of hours and stages of work. Very briefly it can be described in the following way:

1. Cutting the profile to size
2. Cutting parts made of plastic, EVA foam, plywood and metal
   • rolling of mirror film
3. Preparation of LED strip
   • gluing tape to plastic and EVA foam
4. Soldering of controllers, power supplies, common wire
5. 3D printing of parts
6. Creating/recording effects to the card
7. Checking semi-finished products
8. Assembly
9. Testing

The detailed description and a video of designing human-sized Infinity Mirror installation (Giant Dodecahedron) can be found here:

https://www.etereshop.com/how-we-did-it-giant-human-sized-led-infinity-mirror-dodecahedron/

Assembling of the Infinity Mirror Crystal

We have a detailed instruction on assembling the Infinity Mirror Crystal with pictures and comments that we send with an order of this product.

Briefly the assembling process includes the following steps:

1. Place the base on the ground or flat surface.
2. Assemble the bottom layer of the frame: insert connectors into profiles, secure the connectors with screws according to numbers on rofiles and on connectors.
3. Insert and secure the vertical profiles according to the numbers on the connector.
4. Insert the mirror sheet and secure it with a connector and profile.
5. Repeat the assembly process for the middle and top levels.
6. After assembling previous parts, insert and secure the top connector.
7. After completing the assembly, insert LED strips.
8. Once you’ve inserted all LED strips, connect the strips to the connectors coming out of the crystal base.
9. Insert the power cable into the socket on the control panel and turn on the switch.
10. The LED Crystal is ready for use.

The Final Result

With its wide range of effects, Infinity Mirror Crystal can be used as a stand-alone piece of art, a visually striking installation, or the ideal background for taking photos and shooting videos as you can come inside and pose or dance.

Specifications of Infinity Mirror Crystal Installation:

• Number of LEDs: 3238
• LED Density: 144 LEDs per 1 meter
• Dimensions: Height of 2.7 meters (6.6 feet) and width of 1.2 meters (3.2 feet)
• Operating Time: it’s powered by mains, so it can operate for as long as needed
• Power Supply: 3 pieces, 5V, 70 amp
• Operating Mode: stand-alone. Auto-switching and show modes are available. Remote control via 433MHz Remote control with 15 buttons.
• LED Colors: 256,000
• Switching Effects: Using two small buttons (forward/backward) or an external switch.
• Light Effects: Effects are created using any ArtNet Software. 
• Instructions for effect creation in Madrix and Etereshop Screen Grabber available.

Conclusion

From the initial concept to the completed work, creating the Infinity Mirror Crystal display was an exhilarating experience. This project also demonstrates our commitment to bringing creative ideas to life and ensuring our clients are satisfied with the outcome. We would love to work with you to transform any original ideas you may have into something truly amazing.

Check out our ‘How We Did It’ blog section to see more examples of custom made costumes ETERESHOP team has designed and produced recently. Contact us if you have any ideas or questions.

The post <strong>How We Made a Giant Infinity Mirror Crystal Installation</strong> appeared first on Light Solutions ETERE.

Custom Order and Inspiration for a Custom Gold Tree Costume

One of our customers recently asked us to make a custom gold mirror tree costume. The original inspiration photos featured fantastical animals that resembled Ents, male version of dryads, elf acolytes, and other tree-like creatures.

And just like it was with a Custom Pink Dragonfly costume, the client has chosen one of the images and expressed the desire to get the physical embodiment of it. However, changes had to be made because the outfit had to be wearable in addition to being visually striking. Usually we combine several AI-generated concepts and add client’s requests to get the final sample to follow when creating a design. And that’s what we did this time as well. 

At the start we planned to cover all the costume, including the helmet, with gold mirror tiles. Later we discarded this concept and resolved to a more elaborated image with gold edging in addition to acrylic mirrors. 

This led to the creation of a gold walking tree costume. It includs shoulder pads, a catsuit with flared pants, platform boots, and a full-piece helmet with lenses.

Rendering and Selecting Materials and Technologies

As soon as we had a picture that we could use as a desirable design, the team set to work turning the concept into reality. The initial stage was to render a picture in Clo3D so that the features (such as mirror tiles and gold edging pattern) on a 3D model could be edited and the cosplay Golden Ent tree outfit could be seen on a ‘real’ body. This made it possible for us to confirm that each design component reflected the client’s vision and alter features that did not.

Materials used for the custom gold tree costume project:

• EVA foam – for the cosplay helmet, platforms of boots and shoulder pads.
• Gold fabric – to cover EVA foam on the hemet, shoulder pads and golden gloves.
• Dark-brown velours fabric – for the suit.
• Gold fabric edging – for roots effect.
• Mirror tiles – to decorate the gold tree costume, cosplay helmet of a tree and platform boots.
• Yellow snowboarding goggle lenses for eyes on the tree costume. 

Technologies used for the custom golden Ent tree outfit:

• 3D modeling for making patterns for EVA foam.
• Covering EVA foam with dark-brown velours and gold fabrics. 
• Laser cutting of EVA foam for small decorational element on the golden hamadryad cosplay helmet and the suit.
• Grinding of EVA foam platform – to get the beveled edge effect.

The ETERESHOP crew then began selecting materials to make the spriggan cosplay costume realistic, such as golden leaves, bark veins, and the overall volume of the golden tree suit. One of the greatest options for voluminous suit designs is EVA foam because of its flexibility and lightweight nature, which make it easy to cut, glue, and heat shrink it as necessary.

Next, we decided to use dark brown velours as the foundation for the cosplay mirror helmet and the walking tree costume. The overall image of a gold tree spriggan was draped by its gentle texture, which acted as a backdrop for sharper and more vibrant features like mirror tiles, golden volumetric inserts, and gold fabric edging for golden bark “veins” of a walking tree creature.

The Creation Process: Design of a Custom Tree Costume in Detail

Everything on the cosplay costume of a golden tree was to resemble leaves, roots and bark veins of an old oak just like on a cosplay costumes of creatures like an Ent, male dryad, elf acolyte, Leshy, Treant, Spriggan, Hamadryad or a Grove Guardian.

The silhouette of a walking tree costume was to be hourglass thanks to flared trousers, golden platform boots under them and voluminous golden shoulder pads combined with a slender waist.

Helmet

The custom golden helmet itself was to resemble a leaf in its form. At the same time it served as a center of the layout of golden decor elements, resembling a tree trunk with gold edging and EVA parts sprouting from it. To get an edgy form we’ve attached EVA parts of the cosplay helmet and then heated it to shrink and get pointy cheekbones and a chin. 

To give the golden helmet volume we’ve decorated it not only with gold mirror tiles but also EVA elements in shiny gold fabric and gold edging threads placed over soft brown crushed velour.

The same fabric was also used for a balaclava to assure comfortable wear.

The golden helmet has breathing slots on both sides. Yellow eyes are made with the help of snowboarding goggle lenses.

Suit and Shoulder Pads

Initially we wanted to add foam pads on arms, shoulders and breast for additional volume. Later we dropped this idea and chose a slender silhouette instead. The volume was to be added on legs with the help of bell-bottom trousers and curved platform of golden boots. 

 According to the AI-generated image there were gold openwork pads on shoulders and a collar construction on a gold tree. We’ve decided to make it with EVA foam covered with elastic golden fabric. At first, the construction was supposed to be curved downwards. But to add dynamics to the outline of a golden walking tree we’ve changed it to upward direction of sharp padding edges.

Boots

Boots of a walking tree costume were partially hand-made. We took ready-made military style ankle boots and made custom platforms and decorated them with unevenly-shaped acrylic gold mirror tiles. EVA foam was also to be used to glue it to soles to create a beveled platform edge. A total of ten thin EVA foam layers were bonded together and then grounded to create beveled edges. Next, we adhered mirror tiles to the platform, golden boot toes, and heels.  

The Final Result

The final creation is a blend of influences, evoking traits of an Ent, male dryad, and other forest guardians like Leshy and Spriggan. This creature can be called “The Golden Ent” or even a posh Golden Groot if you like :)

With personal design alterations in addition to AI-generated image, the final version of a golden mirror tree costume is perfect cosplay or an event entertainment suit.

Conclusion

Making the custom golden tree costume was an exciting journey, from the initial idea to the finished piece. Moreover, this project shows how dedicated we are to realize imaginative concepts and making sure our clients are happy with the results. If you have a unique costume concept, we’d love to help you turn it into something spectacular.

Check out our ‘How We Did It’ blog section to see more examples of custom made costumes ETERESHOP team has designed and produced recently.

The post <strong>How We Made a Custom Golden Mirror Tree Costume</strong> appeared first on Light Solutions ETERE.