Interviewing the June 2021 Fortnite Concept Royale Winners: Ladiale and Alta!

Back in June’s Concept Royale, we reached out to the community for their most festive, frosty, and fun concepts to be turned into in-game Outfits. The results? The designs of community members Ladiale (@lbdart_) and Alta (@AltaCalls) blew us away! Based on their designs, the Nalia and Frigid Foregoer Outfits will be making their Item Shop debut on December 23 at 7 PM ET. 

From left to right: Nalia, based on Ladiale’s design, and Frigid Foregoer, based on Alta’s design.

We asked Ladiale and Alta about their concepts’ inspirations, their artistic background, how it feels to win Concept Royale, and more:

Where did you get the inspiration for your concept?

Ladiale: The inspiration is ... a barn owl. I think they're majestic animals with a lot of prejudices and stigmas around them. I designed the concept based on the animal, having the little red riding hood in my mind too. 

Alta: The idea of him being a frozen skeleton just came from my mind as I’ve loved the previous skeleton skins in Fortnite and that's when my mind went click and smashed the two ideas together!


How does it feel to win Concept Royale and to see your concept in Fortnite?

Ladiale: It's something I still can't believe. It feels like at any moment someone would just come and say there was a mistake, it's absolutely insane. But I'm grateful, it's not something I expected to happen at all and it inspires me to keep on creating and going on.

Alta: It’s honestly a dream come true for me. I’ve always loved making characters in my own time and giving them all sorts of stories and designs. When I saw the contest I knew I had to enter it. I knew it would be tough with how much talent there is in this community and I wasn’t wrong. The [concepts] that came out of the contest were just incredible! Finally seeing one of my ideas and one of my own characters in Fortnite is a feeling I just can’t describe. 


When did you first start creating Outfit concepts/become an artist?

Ladiale: Nalia was my first Outfit concept for Fortnite. It was my first time creating something for the community. Actually I had a lot of doubts and high expectations at the same time. But I've been a character designer and artist for many years now, I'm not professional at all, but I've been a self-taught artist since 2016. I always wanted to create my own stories and becoming an artist felt necessary.

Alta: I’ve been doing art my whole life, but I moved into 3D art around the start of 2017! I always did it as a hobby and to make any idea that came into my head. I first started making Fortnite Outfit concepts around the summer of 2020 after my friend had pitched me a simple skin idea based on the Chaos Agent Outfit! 


What is your favorite thing about Fortnite?

Ladiale: My favorite thing is the experience to share and create experiences with other players, the artistic direction, the vivid colors, and the huge diversity of designs and items.

Alta: It’s really hard to say as there’s just so much I love about this game, but if I had to pick one thing I would have to say the story. It feels so special to me and so unique. I love seeing all these different events transpire and reacting to them with my friends.


Which element from your concept do you feel represents you the most?

Ladiale: That's a hard question to answer, but I'd say the mask and the mantle. In the past I used to represent my avatars with mantles of the same fashion.

Alta: I would have to say the whole idea of this [concept] being based around a cowboy. I’ve always loved western movies and shows and I’ve always loved characters that are designed around that theme.


How would you describe your concept in three short words?

Ladiale: Oniric, vibrant, encouraging

Alta: Vengeful, cold, ruthless


Tell us a fun fact about yourself!

Ladiale: I wasn't going to take part in the contest in the first place, but a friend challenged me to do it for a gift! And well my boyfriend’s support was a key for all this.

Alta: I absolutely adore roguelike games! They’ve become one of my favourite game genres recently!
 

Nalia and Frigid Foregoer enter Fortnite as part of the Winterfest 2021 event, which you can read about in our Winterfest blog post!