Costume creators

Photographs: Imogen Brown

Nina Frenkel and Aya Kakeda

Who they are Illustrators Nina Frenkel and Aya Kakeda are known for their whimsical work and their oversize two-person wearable mustache creation, which was originally made for a mustache contest sponsored by the Hungarian Cultural Center in New York.

Halloween traditions “We love seeing all the creativity on display, but aren’t fans of being in crazy crowds.” They usually head to friends’ houses, and Kakeda always stops by the Dog Halloween Parade, even though she doesn’t even have a pup: “I like to go and dress up my imaginary dog in my head.”

Past creations Kakeda has dressed as Topsy the Elephant. Who? “The elephant that was electrocuted by Thomas Edison in Coney Island in 1903,” she explains. And Frenkel has been a less-tragic Rhoda from The Mary Tyler Moore Show, because she “wanted to pay tribute to a cool lady.”

Making the mustache costume “We conceptualized the mustache with our friend Rachael Cole, then drew a couple of sketches,” they say. “We measured ourselves, made a pattern, cut out the felt pieces, sewed them together, added wire for form, added stuffing, cut out holes for our heads and decorated the back with bright folk-art patterns.”

Their favorite craft shops Their go-to shop is the City Quilter (133 W 25th St between Sixth and Seventh Aves; 212-807-0390, cityquilter.com). It’s “a very friendly store and feels like an oasis of craft and calm in that busy neighborhood.” Also topping the list is B.E. Yarn (784 Manhattan Ave between Calyer St and Meserole Ave, Greenpoint, Brooklyn; 718-383-8907).

This year's plan While their mustache wasn’t first intended for All Hallows’ Eve, they’re thinking about adapting it for the holiday and making “a winter mustache with white fur.” The duo gave another idea for group Halloweeners: a full breakfast, complete with eggs, bacon, toast, pancakes, orange juice, etc.—Lisa Freedman

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