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Peter KokisAmerican who makes transformer costumes
Country:
 USA |
Content:
- Peter Kokis: American Transformer Costume Maker
- A Passion for Creativity
- The Start of a Hobby
- A Business Built on Passion
- Genius in Uniting Ordinary Items
Peter Kokis: American Transformer Costume Maker
Peter Kokis, an American inventor, transforms ordinary household items into extraordinary robot costumes. His collection includes Transformers such as Ironhide, Bumblebee, Optimus Prime, and even the Terminator. Kokis grew up in Sheepshead Bay before becoming a helicopter pilot in the US Army. Now a 50-year-old retiree from the hotel security service, Peter combines toilet seats, toilet brushes, toothbrush holders, and door springs in unimaginable ways in his two-bedroom apartment in Brooklyn. These incompatible pieces come together to create his engineering masterpieces. Kokis dresses up in his own costumes, some of which weigh between 70-75 kg, and proudly parades through the streets of New York City.
A Passion for Creativity
Peter's goal is to show people that he has a flair for creativity and does not take himself too seriously. He is willing to go all out and immerse himself passionately in the creative process. Kokis says, "I consider myself a master of my craft and a professional cosplayer. This means that I don't just make my costumes; I transform them into characters. Each hero consists of thousands of parts and requires at least eight layers of paint. From a visual point of view, it's all very complex."
The Start of a Hobby
In the beginning, Peter did not have enough time for his hobby. However, after leaving his job, he devoted himself to his "metal friends" since 2011. He has crafted four Transformer costumes and one Terminator outfit. His first project, the famous leader of the Autobots, Optimus Prime, took about 400 hours of work. Eight different versions were considered before the final version, weighing 55 kg, was created. When asked why he does all this, Kokis answers, "I wanted to nurture my artistic side and build a business. The business involves profit from private and corporate events performances, as well as photos with me."
A Business Built on Passion
Depending on the time spent on building the robots, Kokis's costumes can cost between $15,000 and $20,000. Peter used his own savings to start his business. He estimates the total cost of his work not based on the amount spent on purchasing individual parts and tools for assembly, but on the number of hours, hundreds of hours, spent creating the robots. After all, not everyone can build such intricate, almost lifelike Transformer costumes using such ordinary items. Kokis says, "I use toothbrush holders, toilet brushes, egg slicers, apple peelers, soap dishes, ashtrays, toilet seats, and even pacifiers. Lately, I've been incorporating items from pet stores, including pooper-scoopers, bird feeders, and dog bowls."
Genius in Uniting Ordinary Items
Kokis's genius lies in his ability to combine these items in such a visually complex composition that the true form of each item is almost lost in the overall picture. Graphic designer Alan Camuto, 36, was amazed by Optimus Prime's armor after meeting Kokis at The Big Apple Comic Con in 2009. Camuto says, "At first, you don't notice all the details; you just see a very realistic costume. But when you start to distinguish household items, it's mind-blowing." Kokis's fascination with robots began in 2007 when his girlfriend complained about his lack of imagination and unwillingness to "try something new." He then created a "silly costume" and wore it to the Mermaid Parade in Coney Island. He enjoyed the experience of transforming his appearance so much that he continued making costumes out of anything he could find. While girlfriends came and went, Peter's work remained with him forever.
