I first became aware of We Love Fine’s expanding fan-friendly apparel when I saw their booth at C2E2, which made me want to buy all the things.
But the just released Age of Fashion line is not only filled with clothing I know Marvel fangirls will love, it fulfills two of the most requested needs on the internet:
1) More Hawkeye merchandise
and
2) Transparency in Model Sizing.
Although the lack of Black Widow merchandise has been noted by many, a lack of Hawkeye merchandise has been noted as well by loyal Hawkeye fans (including myself), so I was particularly pleased to see that not only does We Love Fine have a new Hawkeye Tunic/Minidress, but that they also carry a Hawkeye-inspired knit sweater, some pretty cool Hawkeye T-Shirts (even Kate gets some love!) and most happy-making of all: these leggings with Hawkeye on one leg and Black Widow on the other. Be still my shipping heart!
Having real women model the clothing companies expect us to buy is also something that has been requested by many, and not just to move away from the influence of Madison Avenue. This recent Buzzfeed article showed how the perfectly curvy plus size bodies shown on websites do not accurately reflect the shape of many women’s real bodies. This is not simply a plus size problem, as women of all sizes suffer from not knowing how the model’s body compares to their own, which is why We Love Fine’s decision to include the measurements and heights of their models alongside their photos is something I wish more companies would do. (I’m looking at you, Hot Topic and Torrid.)
Going after an under-served market such as Hawkeye fans, and showing transparency in terms of model sizes and measurements isn’t just cool: these are time- and money-saving decisions that engender customer loyalty, and in this market, with the deluge of Marvel-themed merchandise, and companies competing for every customer, they can make the difference between success and failure.
