Licensed Star Wars Costumes from Museum Replicas

[GINO]

Problem is, the people who get the privilege of doing the research, development, and design for licensed replica companies are never the most qualified people for the job.
All the potential is there, but because they have the wrong people in those positions, the product never will turn out as well as it COULD.

It takes the intimate knowledge of the subject matter, as well as the talent to interpret and manifest that knowledge into a product that will satisfy and find balance between both the discerning collector as well as the casual fan. It also takes someone with knowledge of manufacturing technologies, marketing strategy, production experience, materials and processes, and truly have a finger on the pulse of the target audience. Another aspect that I believe to be crucial is the ability to aggressively pitch and sell the importance of particular design aspects to LFL licensing when considering how the final product should look/turn out.

I think that there have been (and will be) people who possess some of those characteristics, but not all in one. Those criteria do not come together at the end of the day which is why so many blunders have occured, and will occur.

 

[ortiz34]

Is there a big market for people willing or able to shell out $500+ for an accurate costume(and make them in multiple sizes)? The 501st isnt big enough to support this company are they...and thats only if they are accurate enough for the 501...

 

[Slave1]

Everything Gino is saying is true.

And people who manufacture will be looking to please the widest fan base for the lowest cost, while still balancing that with what they believe to be accurate.

The sad reality is we are a minority of the buying public.

Here's a perfect example . . . no offense, but there are a lot of people out there wearing FX armor who believe that's accurate. They want stormtrooper armor, the FX armor is widely available at a reasonable price point, and there is no doubt that it's well made. But people wearing that armor, to me, do not look like stormtroopers. I can spot an FX suit from a loooong distance away. And again, it's still good quality at a good price. And that's what manufacturers and 99% of the fan base are going to be shooting for. They're not going to be as anal as we are.

 

[GINO]

One myth I would like to dispell is that you always have to sacrifice accuracy for a lower price point.

For example, if you are making a Jedi robe, it doesn't cost you more to utilize the correctly shaped patterns.

I believe that given a choice, people will always want accurate over inaccurate if you can show them the difference. I'm not talking about paint drips, and glue smears.

The talent is to be able to know just how far and where exactly to draw the line between total film accuracy and mass market appeal. This is the one area I feel replica companies have failed the most.

 

[obi1kenny]

Is there a big market for people willing or able to shell out $500+ for an accurate costume(and make them in multiple sizes)? The 501st isnt big enough to support this company are they...and thats only if they are accurate enough for the 501...

There is a huge market for people looking at the $500+ range and that is why there are new members signing up to the 501st everyday and that is why the FX suit sells pretty steady at it's price point. Hey, I still wear and FX suit and I have gotten my moneys worth out of it many times over.

But remember this MR suit looks to be at the $1500 range.

So is there a market for this price range. Probably so, since it will be licensed and some might want it just for that reason no matter what it looks like or if it is worse than the FX suit. Which could be a strong possibility, we will just have to wait and see.

 

[Zenwalker]

If they are going to charge $1500 for TK armour it better be exactly as the screen used suits before I 'll ever buy it.

 

[Huzz]

How is it that the FX suit is accepted by the 501st if it is inaccurate?

I've been trying to get a sense of whether the FX suit ($300 without a helmet) combined with the new budget UK exclusive Master Replicas lid may make a more respectable stormtrooper costume. But getting honest opinions from folks is difficult!

That would cost me around $500, and the MR lid as I understand it is a whole lot better than the FX lid. What say you, oh great and learned stormtrooper experts?

Huzz

 

[Slave1]

How is it that the FX suit is accepted by the 501st if it is inaccurate?

I've been trying to get a sense of whether the FX suit ($300 without a helmet) combined with the new budget UK exclusive Master Replicas lid may make a more respectable stormtrooper costume. But getting honest opinions from folks is difficult!

That would cost me around $500, and the MR lid as I understand it is a whole lot better than the FX lid. What say you, oh great and learned stormtrooper experts?

Huzz

Huzz,

You need need to make that call yourself. Check out pics of folks wearing the FX armor and compare with real trooper armor and see if you believe it's reasonably accurate given the price.

I had FX armor on a mannequin once that I had switched out the helmet for a fiberglass one cast off an ROTJ. And then I modified the armor by cutting it down a bit, changing out the shoulders and switched the hand guards to ROTJ, etc. It was fine at the time, but eventually I found myself wishing I had something more accurate.

Another thing on the plus side for the FX . . . it has a wider size range for the larger folks.

 

[SHalamar]

How is it that the FX suit is accepted by the 501st if it is inaccurate?

I've been trying to get a sense of whether the FX suit ($300 without a helmet) combined with the new budget UK exclusive Master Replicas lid may make a more respectable stormtrooper costume. But getting honest opinions from folks is difficult!

That would cost me around $500, and the MR lid as I understand it is a whole lot better than the FX lid. What say you, oh great and learned stormtrooper experts?

Huzz

Check in with the 1st Imperial Stormtrooper Detachment: www.whitearmor.net

They'll answer your questions.

 

[Miana]

For example, if you are making a Jedi robe, it doesn't cost you more to utilize the correctly shaped patterns.

I believe that given a choice, people will always want accurate over inaccurate if you can show them the difference. I'm not talking about paint drips, and glue smears.

With Jedi, though, it's true that you can make the robes and tunics the correct shape, but if you want to be accurate, you're going to have to shell out a decent chunk of cash for the correct wool and raw silk. Getting the shape right is one thing; getting good fabric so it doesn't look like a "Cotton Simplicity Pattern Jedi" is something else.

In all my costuming, the cheapest costume I have still ended up costing around $250 (Rebel Fleet Trooper), and even then, my shirt's still not 100% accurate.

90% of the Star Wars fanbase aren't detail-oriented costumers. I think a majority would take cheap costume over expensive accurate costume any day.

 

[GINO]

True. But using the jedi costume as an example, even without using the exact fabrics, if the exact patterns were utilized, they would still look immensely better than if they didn't. And it wouldn't cost anything more.

I still believe that 99% of the time, people will always choose what is accurate if you can educate them to what accurate is, and if it doesn't add a ridiculous increase to the cost.

In the past regarding most instances, the issue of accuracy had nothing to do with cost as much as it was either ignorance, or 'personal taste' choice by the people involved.
Numerous products in the past could have been MUCH more accurate for the same cost if either A, the research & development teams knew the product better, and B, if they could manage to swallow their pride and recruit talent as 'consultants' who could have a more involved role in the production.

 

[Slave1]

I still believe that 99% of the time, people will always choose what is accurate if you can educate them to what accurate is,

Ignorance is bliss, I guess. I remember a time when I was ten, thinking the standard DP Vader in the 70's looked just like the real deal.

Now that I know better, what I think is accurate will cost me ten times as much.

Yeah, I've been educated, and now it's costing me. :lol

 

[Son of Skywalker]

Ignorance is bliss, I guess.

Yeah, I've been educated, and now it's costing me. :lol

You said it. The first time I saw all the OT films I thought that there were only 4 lightsabers.
I would have been satisfied with just those at the time, but now with great knowlegde comes a lighter wallet.:rolleyes

 

[Star Wars Helmets]

You said it. The first time I saw all the OT films I thought that there were only 4 lightsabers.

You mean there's more than four?

Cheers

Jez

 

[ItsThatGuy]

You mean there's more than four?

Cheers

Jez

I think he might be referring to Luke's blue one, Obi-Wan's, Vader's and Luke's green one...

Yes - I know there are technically more than four....but to the casual fan from the first time viewing of the OT there are only four... If that makes any sense.

 

[SaberFreak]

Its quite scary to think that there are actually 11 saber (or even 12, if you want to count the saber that 'can not be mentioned') associated with the OT.

Its even scarier that I'm compelled to get them all! hbab

 

[craig g]

Its quite scary to think that there are actually 11 saber (or even 12, if you want to count the saber that 'can not be mentioned') associated with the OT.

Its even scarier that I'm compelled to get them all! hbab

Extreme ignorance here.
:confused What sabre cannot be mentioned? :confused

 

[Slasher X]

Holiday special graflite saber perhaps?

 

[Son of Skywalker]

I think he might be referring to Luke's blue one, Obi-Wan's, Vader's and Luke's green one...

Yes - I know there are technically more than four....but to the casual fan from the first time viewing of the OT there are only four... If that makes any sense.

Exactly. And now I'm much more than the casual fan and it kills me not to have all of the versions and variants.:cry

Its quite scary to think that there are actually 11 saber (or even 12, if you want to count the saber that 'can not be mentioned') associated with the OT.

I'm familiar with 11, what's the #12?

 

[SaberFreak]

Holiday special graflite saber perhaps?

BINGO!

I'm familiar with 11, what's the #12?

See above