Philip "Canvas" Odango Information

Cosplayer
Virginia Beach, VA, USA

Biography:
An accomplished and award-winning international cosplayer, Philip's love of artistry and crafting first cultivated with directing theatre. Expanding upon his technical skills, he parlayed his love of spectacle and visual storytelling into costumes and special effects, quickly gaining attention in the cosplay world. After crafting his first cosplay of Edward Scissorhands out of garbage bags and pizza boxes, Philip has designed and displayed over 50 costumes across the world.

His "cosplay your way" approach is inspired by diverse and vibrant creators, ideas and communities he has met all over the globe. Philip curates his creations to reflect those journeys and demonstrates that cosplay is, above all else, a personal reflection of one's creative self-expression. With a keen eye for style and craftsmanship, Philip has established himself as both a tastemaker and influencer continually inspiring those around him through various partnerships, television series, and branded collaborations. An award-winning crafter for needlework and special effects, he has taught crafting workshops and panels on business, diversity and inclusion at conventions, universities and makerspaces worldwide. He has been featured by MARVEL, Disney, DC, Threads Magazine, Sew Daily, Forbes, Business Insider, GQ, The New York Times and SYFY.

Since 2017, Philip has served as a global ambassador for SINGER Sewing Company, and founded the "Bros Who Sew" campaign to encourage the craft of sewing. Brand collaborations include FISKARS Crafts, VELCRO Brand, IKEA, Plaid Crafts, Mehron, Kryolan Professional Makeup, Cosplay Fabrics and JOANN Stores. Philip owns a creative consultancy and leans into 15 years of marketing, theatre, event production and community engagement experience to write the Cosplay Professional Development Series of books. He completed Harvard Business School's Sustainable Business Strategy program, has certifications in inclusion and diversity and served as a grant panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts.