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L'Arbre Mécanique specializes in the design and manufacture of costumes, accessories and makeup that replicate fictional characters to perfection. Since 2013, Anne-Marie Taillefer has been wowing Cosplay and life-size fans alike with her expertise and attention to detail.

Originally trained as a set designer, Anne-Marie never thought that her path in life would lead to the world of fantasy costumes. It was purely by chance while making costumes for different events and for fun that she spotted the business opportunity in it; news of her talent spread quickly and the people around her began to place orders. "What I enjoy most isn't the costume in itself, but rather, the characters," says Anne-Marie. "I eventually moved my business in that direction."

For the costume maker, the medieval fantasy and post-apocalyptic world is a lot of fun and very diverse. "The possibilities are endless; the only limit is our imagination."

Since she loves giving life to old characters and discovering new ones, Anne-Marie's skills are most often sought out by individuals wanting to dress up for events or conventions. She focuses mainly on characters from works of fiction such as video games, comic books or television series. "We use whatever materials are needed to manufacture the costume as faithfully as possible," she adds.

In fact, the name of her studio, L'Arbre Mécanique, comes from a character. "To me, the symbol of the tree means growth and constant change. The mechanical side is my interest in machinery, the heavy industrial machinery like we have in the workshop," she says. And to add to that, they're also her initials!

Anne-Marie isn't afraid of setting off on an adventure to discover rare gems that will put the finishing touches to her costumes. "I'm a 'toucher'", she says. "I have to see the fabric to know how to work it and to be absolutely sure of what I'm doing."

"People come to us because they know our products are truly unique and that we're full of imagination, but also because we're able to draw from the medium we're working towards," says Anne-Marie. According to her, L'Arbre Mécanique stands out for the highly dramatic finished look of its products, which gives the garments a sense of experience and back-story. She aims to convey the character's story through her creations, which are sometimes torn, dirtied or burnt.

When not creating, the costume designer likes to discover new characters and learn more about them. You're more than likely to have the opportunity to admire her creations if you go to Comiccon or Bicolline.