I’ve loved Sevdaliza ever since I first saw her perform at a small venue during SXSW about ten years ago. She completely commanded the room—it was incredible. Seeing her live felt like stepping into the Human music video itself.

For this costume, I wanted something daring, simple, and provocative, so I decided to recreate Sevdaliza’s exact look from Human. I knew the hooves would be the focal point, so that was the first challenge I tackled. To ensure stability, I reconstructed a pair of $110 Pleaser boots rather than building the structure from scratch.

One of the most satisfying parts of this project—besides proving to myself that I could actually walk in these shoes—was dyeing the stockings. I loved how the ombré effect transitioned from black to brown, making the hooves feel like an organic extension of my legs rather than separate shoes. Another detail I enjoyed was how unsettlingly real my legs looked once I added balled-up socks to my calves, mimicking the joint structure of a horse.

Having been a toe-walker for a big portion of my life, I was able to move in the hooves with relative ease—at first. As the night went on, though, the strain definitely started to set in. Still, it was worth every step!