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Cosplay Superstar Interview: Lindze Merritt
One of the businesses to sprout from your talents is Genki Hats, your online company that produces cute hats and apparel targeted toward the otaku. How did that come about?
It started just from being a avid con-goer like everyone else and wanting something fun to wear while there! I made them for just myself and friends at first.
So I was used to people asking me about them at cons. But one year my husband and I wore them while snowboarding, and so many people asked where they could get them too. So I thought: “Man. I really should sell these!!”
I put a few on eBay until my husband finished a simple website for me to sell them, but that quickly was outgrown and he opened my online store I have now.
How successful has Genki Hats been? I see a booth for them every year at Animazement.
Genki Hats was more successful than I could have ever dreamed. I never had high ambitions for it, but every con I kept getting sold out, no matter how many I brought. I think at one Otakon, we sold close to 1,000 hats. It was insane!
I had to hire employees about 5-6 years ago, and had 2-3 at all time until I went on my maternity leave. Also, I gained a business partner that did the more technical stuff for about a year. Through her, we started selling at stores throughout Atlanta, and also some in FL and a few other states.
We were doing great till the whole economy fall-out. Obviously anything “extra” in someone’s budget is going to be the first to get cut out. But by complete serendipity, that happened right when I was going on my maternity leave, and I had just let all my employees go. I had no idea that was going to happen, but I wanted to pare things down A LOT since I can no longer be Ms Bizniss Gal, so it worked out.
That is incredible! Do you attend the cons that have Genki Hat booths?
I’m always at the cons where my hats sell! ESPECIALLY Animazement! (Which is my fav con after D*C!)
Are all the Genki Hats hand-made? If so, by yourself or a team of friends?
The hats are all handmade by either me or my two employees. But currently, since its just me, I make anything new coming out.
We have a million imitators. Not that I think they all stole the idea from me. Lots of people had never seen my hats when they “thought up” the idea to make them too. But I was the first, so…
Speaking of conventions and the fans… When you hit a con in costume, how do the fans usually treat you? Are they respectful? Fun to get into character with?
Usually people are super nice and complimentary. There will always be a small percentage of creepy fanboys, or someone not into the scene who is there to look at the “freakshow”, but usually its all fun & games.
Respectful…? Well, I would say that’s 50/50, but usually its more of a case of people just not understanding social boundaries more than intending to be rude or disrespectful.
Have there been a few guys who were either too forward or couldn’t take a hint? I hope there haven’t been any that were down right chauvinist because of whomever you were dressed as.
Oh lots are too forward! Some cant take a hint, but I try to spell it out plainly for them. And chauvinistic…? Well, that’s tricky. I can’t exactly expect to be treated like an English professor when I’m dressed as Morrigan, so you have to accept some of it as “part of the job”. But of course there is a line. And a few people crossed it, but it was always something I could laugh about later, nothing scary.
This is important to know! Geeks tend to be a lonely, clueless lot and it’s we don’t often get women’s perspective on how they’re approached. Women are more receptive if you’re a respectful gentleman, but if you’re a jerk, well…this is how you’re remembered. Even when dressed as Morrigan or any other sexy character, I don’t think many guys realize that there’s a person inside that costume.
Yeah, so here is a tip for all you guys out there: When you see a hot girl in costume…don’t tell her you like her BOOBS.
I haven’t encountered anything out of control. I’m a very strong girl who can take care of herself. (Rememeber? Super power: super strength!)
Do you think that many cosplayers or other fangirls are pretty approachable, as long as men approach their minds before their bodies?
All girls love being complimented (for something appropriate, of course). If you go up to her and tell her she did an amazing job on her costume, or that she fits the character perfectly, it will put a smile on her face!
But obviously, if you go up to her and say “You have the perfect rack for that costume! But uh, that button right…there…isn’t accurate to the character, ya know!” you fail.
Tags: anime, Cartoons, Comic Books, conventions, cosplay, darkstalkers, Girls, Robot Punch, Street Fighter
[...] My interview with Lindze Merritt went up last Friday and as far as I can tell, it’s been well-received. It’s since undergone some editing, in case anyone has not yet given it a read. [...]