Forget designer fursuits… it’s time for more bonkers concept fursuits.

by Patch O'Furr

Following yesterday’s article about Zweitesich, here’s a round table chat.

(Vandell:) Saw the Zweiteisch backlash and wow some people are being way, way too harsh.

(Chip:) It is impressive that they have 50k Youtube followers and didn’t run into this sort of issue sooner.

(Changa:) Yeah. It was misguided attempt pushed on by youthful foolishness but not something I would flog them over.

(Patch:) The person spent their own money on a not-badly-intentioned but mismarketed project. Having it flop is already a kind of punishment. Lashing someone for having hype about being a “designer not a tailor” is some of the weakest umbrage-taking I’ve seen. (I was most offended at that neat logo going in the wrong place.)

What went unnoticed was how much work went into the suits. The maker told me about wanting to advertise them out of simple fear of their effort being lost. They were distraught about the unexpected backlash.

As far as rich privilege to do a vanity project, don’t people know that whole cons exist that way?  Extra high prices don’t make more competition, but if they make an unlikely sale then I guess you get to talk shit about them whether they do or they don’t… it’s still a handmade item that won’t crowd others out by mass production. Trying to map gentrification concern onto hobby luxury items verges into absurd entitlement… as if people are deprived of egalitarian fursuiting. The real way to get it affordably is DIY.

(Changa:) This. While I do find rich kid branding bullshit offensive, it’s not in the anger sense, it just screws with my more punk sensibilities. Not one I would want to hurt somebody over. The design is questionable but if somebody wants to wear somebody’s brand on their second identity who am I to question it. I have no room to talk as I still own a Members Only jacket. (It does not fit.)

(Vandell:) I said the same thing – saw some people ranting that the logo is too “chic” and not bubbly-cuddly enough. I mean come on.

(Changa:) If it is to be a proper brand mark it should be on the butt instead of the face.

(Dralen:) A mark on the hip, on the wrist, even inside the ear that looks like a piercing. But right on the face?

(Arrkay:) Right on the butthole.

(Bristle:) I showed you my branding plz respond

(Dralen:) It’s also $6k for a partial that is a) not your character and b) not unique and c) doesn’t include a tail (??) nor feet (??!!??)

(Changa:) Yeah. We are a hand crafted maker community about personal identities. If you want your brand to mean anything you need to cater to the person and not try to be shoving a designer label on it. And it should have had more humor to it instead of pretentiousness. It gets you further in this fandom.

(Bristle:) The sting would be mostly alleviated by donating the profits to an LGBT charity if they’re going after people with too much money and no sense. No less than 100% though.

(Changa:) It’s like trying to do designer label upscale punk clothing. It falls into ironic parody really quickly. I blame instagram influencers. Though I could see some wonderful parody of that kind of culture in a fursuit. Giant brand labels off the butt sort of thing.

(Arrkay:) “Kirkland fursuits” — “Presidents Choice fursonas” — “ValuPick Luxury Mascot Animal Costume”

(Changa:) A Target brand fursuit. Slightly better than the kigu’s and costumes they currently try to sell.

(Patch:) Fursona vending machines. There’s a Warhol-esque postmodern art object.

(Arrkay:) “My fursona dispenses Redbull”

(Patch:) Nipple nozzles for Furry Fuel.

(Dralen:) Screw Redbull, my fursuit has a craft beer tap. Dispenses acrid frothy IPA.

(Arrkay:) The Hot Topic furries are coming. It’s only a matter of time before they steal furry art for their t-shirts, if they haven’t already. Then they’ll make a deal with DHGate for cheap fursuits to sell around Halloween.

(Patch:) If the designer pretension was meant to ride that wave, backlash can hit the opposite extreme of pointlessness. Are fursuits not already a peacock display with makers cranking them out for cult followers that can get samey-looking? Should there be a Mao Suit for proletarian fandom? Or ironic hipster fake folk aesthetic? Instead of resentment about conspicuous consumption, how about more high concepts to get more weird.

I want to see concept fursuits. Two-person taurs, stiltwalker fursonas, stuff that distorts or hides the human form. I have a list. Like a motorized racing snail, or a Swamp Thing Ghost Gator who comes draped in moss and has a built in fog machine. I’ve seen enough cuteness – I want more ugly-cute.

(Dralen:) There were some amazing stygian horror fursuits at Furnal Equinox this past year. Totally psychedelic green wolf with a bunch of eyes, several overlapping mouths… Arrkay got photos.

(Arrkay:) This person was my #1 fav fursuit from FE this year. I love them. They see through one of the mouths. Completely bonkers, I can’t stop looking at it. And the little bow on the top of the head. I took these pics myself.

(Changa:) *Rolls to check sanity*

(Patch:) Reminds me of how I’ve been obsessed with this troupe of alien street performers since I saw them… I made a Gif.

Remember Stapler Wolf? That was when furry didn’t get taken so seriously.

It could cost a lot to experiment with weird prototypes, but if it comes with makers trying to make more money, that’s not a bad result.

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