Hello fellow Escapists!
We're (pretty much) all gamers here. I'm going to assume you've played, or at least seen Assassin's Creed. Now, there are two things that have me absolutely head-over-heels in love with Assassin's Creed as a series. The first is the fact that there are assassins and you get to be one. I'm not a people person, hit men and assassins have always appealed to me.The second is Ubisoft's character design, specifically in terms of clothing.
It's definitely out of the question to think you could walk down the street dressed as Altair or Ezio or even Edward Kenway without getting some strange sideways glances. Boots, gloves, vambraces and exposed weaponry have all fallen out of style since the time periods depicted in those games. However, since the series began I've wanted a badass hooded jacket of my own. I want today's equivalent of Assassin/Templar gear, and I'd love to see a wider range of clothing designs become wearable in public. Everywhere I go, it's people in T-shirts. Everywhere you look, the only defining feature is whatever stupid logo they have plastered across the front of them. We can do so much better.
A while back, I found a clothing company called Volante Design [http://www.volantedesign.us/]. They produce jackets inspired by characters from comic books, video games, etc. Their specialty is in Assassin's Creed-style hooded jackets.
If you've got your sights set on something wearable everyday, they've got a jacket for that:
They also sell this, for when it's cold or you give Zero F*cks:
They do sell these in other colors! I just want to point that out. I know that the White/Red combo is not the easiest to wear in public. I posted them in that color scheme because they are the best examples of the Assassin's Creed inspiration. Each Jacket is done in a specific production run. Four colors are available in each run. Every run is released as a Pre-Order, and when enough orders are received they send the orders to their manufacturer. The jackets are then sent out to customers in the order that they were purchased, and the Run remains available until supplies run out. Run 3 is the most current production run for the Kestrel and the Eagle, though there may still be stock of Run 2 of both at the time of this writing. If the colors available in Run 2 appeal to you, I would suggest that you purchase soon because when supplies run out that's it until the color scheme shows up in a future run. If you do purchase a Run 3 jacket, they are unlikely to actually ship until at least March. Be aware that you might not be dressing like an Assassin until a few months down the road.
I have bought the Kestrel (Run 2) from Volante Design, and every aspect of the process was exemplary. Checkout was easy. They charged me the correct amount. My jacket arrived within three days of the email telling me it shipped (and that includes the postal service skipping New Year). When I received my jacket, it was exactly the size I ordered. When I realized that I'd massively overestimated my size, they responded quickly to my email asking about an exchange. They offered me a refund/store credit, an exchange for a smaller size (just like I'd asked), or if supplies ran out, an exchange for a Run 3 jacket in the color of my choice. I've just shipped my jacket back, and I'm waiting on the new jacket to arrive. The product I received was of very high quality. They use lightweight yet sturdy denim for the outside of the jacket, but they line the insides with very comfortable fabric. These garments are of very high quality. They may be a bit pricey, but I can assure you that you're getting the product shown in the pictures. These are fine jackets, even better than some of the clothing I've found sold in stores.
Now, I've sat on this treasure trove of geek awesome for a while. Partly because I could assume that some of you have already seen this. Maybe you've even promoted it here before. The other part of me was selfish and wanted a better chance of winning the custom Kestrel raffle [http://blog.volantedesign.us/post/72131428308]. However, my Eagle should ship in March, and it would be nice to not be the only Assassin in the world. There's no point to being an Assassin if you haven't got an Order to back you up (or at least lend some credibility to your outlandish clothing choices). If I'm the only guy walking down the street wearing one of these badass coats, my self-satisfaction is only going to keep me going for so long. I would be really happy to see my fellow Escapists in one of these jackets.
So here's my proposal. I'd like to share images and links to Assassin's Creed merchandise and Assassin's Creed-style clothing (including Volante Design's catalog) that isn't obnoxiously branded. What I mean is that the goal is to avoid "ASSASSIN'S CREED 3!!!!1!" slapped across the clothing. What's desirable is a simple garment with the Assassin's logo on it.
Feel free to share with me any other game-related clothing you can find that can blend reasonably well with generic clothing. The goal here is subtlety. The Legend of Zelda's triforce has become recognizable enough that it can be difficult to wear it with regular clothing. People know who Mario is, it's kind of hard to stick him on your clothes anywhere and have him not be immediately recognized. What I'm looking for are shirts, shoes, hats, belt buckles, jewelry, anything that we can wear that won't draw a second glance from anyone but a gamer. There doesn't have to be a symbol involved, nor does it have to be official merchandise. If you can find a tracksuit that makes you look a bit like Gordon Freeman, I'm all over it. If someone on Etsy is selling blouses that look vaguely like Link's clothing, this is the place to share it. If you can assemble ANY collection of clothing and pass it off as practical Assassin/Templar gear, I'll give you a medal.
One final note:
Watch out for Amazon/Ebay Listings! [http://www.amazon.com/Assassins-Connor-Kenway-Hoodie-Jacket/dp/B00BQ7X23S/ref=sr_1_406?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1389337558&sr=1-406&keywords=Assassin%27s+Creed]
There are many asian clothing companies that make a quick buck off of unsuspecting buyers. The linked jacket looks like the jackets available from Volante Design, but this is clearly a knockoff.
Here's another one [http://www.amazon.com/Assassins-Hoodie-Costume-White-Version-Meidium/dp/B00EQ24KD6/ref=sr_1_50?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1386797804&sr=1-50]
And another [http://www.amazon.com/Assassins-Hoodie-Conner-Kenway-Costume/dp/B00EXGJR0Q/ref=sr_1_412?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1389337558&sr=1-412&keywords=Assassin%27s+Creed]
Notice how this jacket [http://www.amazon.com/Assassins-Connor-conner-Kenway-Costume/dp/B00ALWQS58/ref=pd_sim_sbs_a_4] has the EXACT SAME folds/creases as the jacket above. Nice photoshop work!
You don't have to look too closely to see that many of these jackets are missing details from a genuine Eagle, and most are very clearly not made out of denim.
Do a search for Assassin's Creed in the clothing section of Amazon, and you will get hundreds of results just like these. What they do is steal photos from Volante Design's webpage (in some really lazy cases, they don't even remove the watermark) and then cobble together a look-alike jacket out of the cheapest materials they can get away with. Some of the more sophisticated operations will photograph their knockoffs, though even those tend to be stolen and recycled by other sellers. In many cases, the company has multiple usernames under which to list the product, so even a bad review is unlikely to get you anywhere. I would advise anyone looking to buy Assassin's Creed-style jackets to really look into the seller they're purchasing from. I can all but guarantee you that no genuine Volante Design Eagles are being sold on Amazon or Ebay. Their jackets are denim, their products are made in the US, and all of their business is done through their website. They've posted about this issue on their website, here [http://blog.volantedesign.us/post/52141660217], as well as on their facebook page [https://www.facebook.com/VolanteDesign].
We're (pretty much) all gamers here. I'm going to assume you've played, or at least seen Assassin's Creed. Now, there are two things that have me absolutely head-over-heels in love with Assassin's Creed as a series. The first is the fact that there are assassins and you get to be one. I'm not a people person, hit men and assassins have always appealed to me.The second is Ubisoft's character design, specifically in terms of clothing.
It's definitely out of the question to think you could walk down the street dressed as Altair or Ezio or even Edward Kenway without getting some strange sideways glances. Boots, gloves, vambraces and exposed weaponry have all fallen out of style since the time periods depicted in those games. However, since the series began I've wanted a badass hooded jacket of my own. I want today's equivalent of Assassin/Templar gear, and I'd love to see a wider range of clothing designs become wearable in public. Everywhere I go, it's people in T-shirts. Everywhere you look, the only defining feature is whatever stupid logo they have plastered across the front of them. We can do so much better.
A while back, I found a clothing company called Volante Design [http://www.volantedesign.us/]. They produce jackets inspired by characters from comic books, video games, etc. Their specialty is in Assassin's Creed-style hooded jackets.
If you've got your sights set on something wearable everyday, they've got a jacket for that:
They also sell this, for when it's cold or you give Zero F*cks:
They do sell these in other colors! I just want to point that out. I know that the White/Red combo is not the easiest to wear in public. I posted them in that color scheme because they are the best examples of the Assassin's Creed inspiration. Each Jacket is done in a specific production run. Four colors are available in each run. Every run is released as a Pre-Order, and when enough orders are received they send the orders to their manufacturer. The jackets are then sent out to customers in the order that they were purchased, and the Run remains available until supplies run out. Run 3 is the most current production run for the Kestrel and the Eagle, though there may still be stock of Run 2 of both at the time of this writing. If the colors available in Run 2 appeal to you, I would suggest that you purchase soon because when supplies run out that's it until the color scheme shows up in a future run. If you do purchase a Run 3 jacket, they are unlikely to actually ship until at least March. Be aware that you might not be dressing like an Assassin until a few months down the road.
I have bought the Kestrel (Run 2) from Volante Design, and every aspect of the process was exemplary. Checkout was easy. They charged me the correct amount. My jacket arrived within three days of the email telling me it shipped (and that includes the postal service skipping New Year). When I received my jacket, it was exactly the size I ordered. When I realized that I'd massively overestimated my size, they responded quickly to my email asking about an exchange. They offered me a refund/store credit, an exchange for a smaller size (just like I'd asked), or if supplies ran out, an exchange for a Run 3 jacket in the color of my choice. I've just shipped my jacket back, and I'm waiting on the new jacket to arrive. The product I received was of very high quality. They use lightweight yet sturdy denim for the outside of the jacket, but they line the insides with very comfortable fabric. These garments are of very high quality. They may be a bit pricey, but I can assure you that you're getting the product shown in the pictures. These are fine jackets, even better than some of the clothing I've found sold in stores.
Now, I've sat on this treasure trove of geek awesome for a while. Partly because I could assume that some of you have already seen this. Maybe you've even promoted it here before. The other part of me was selfish and wanted a better chance of winning the custom Kestrel raffle [http://blog.volantedesign.us/post/72131428308]. However, my Eagle should ship in March, and it would be nice to not be the only Assassin in the world. There's no point to being an Assassin if you haven't got an Order to back you up (or at least lend some credibility to your outlandish clothing choices). If I'm the only guy walking down the street wearing one of these badass coats, my self-satisfaction is only going to keep me going for so long. I would be really happy to see my fellow Escapists in one of these jackets.
So here's my proposal. I'd like to share images and links to Assassin's Creed merchandise and Assassin's Creed-style clothing (including Volante Design's catalog) that isn't obnoxiously branded. What I mean is that the goal is to avoid "ASSASSIN'S CREED 3!!!!1!" slapped across the clothing. What's desirable is a simple garment with the Assassin's logo on it.
Feel free to share with me any other game-related clothing you can find that can blend reasonably well with generic clothing. The goal here is subtlety. The Legend of Zelda's triforce has become recognizable enough that it can be difficult to wear it with regular clothing. People know who Mario is, it's kind of hard to stick him on your clothes anywhere and have him not be immediately recognized. What I'm looking for are shirts, shoes, hats, belt buckles, jewelry, anything that we can wear that won't draw a second glance from anyone but a gamer. There doesn't have to be a symbol involved, nor does it have to be official merchandise. If you can find a tracksuit that makes you look a bit like Gordon Freeman, I'm all over it. If someone on Etsy is selling blouses that look vaguely like Link's clothing, this is the place to share it. If you can assemble ANY collection of clothing and pass it off as practical Assassin/Templar gear, I'll give you a medal.
Assassin's Logo T-Shirts [http://www.amazon.com/Medium-Assassins-Triblend-Sleeve-T-Shirt/dp/B009DQFFBQ/ref=sr_1_75?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1389337432&sr=1-75&keywords=Assassin%27s+Creed]
You can find these all over Amazon, plenty of sellers have screen-printed shirts for sale with various logos. I picked one at random, because they're mostly all the same. I have a shirt just like these, but I can't necessarily vouch for this specific seller.
Assassin's Creed "Premium" merchandise [http://store.ubiworkshop.com/assassins-creed/premium/]
I included these bags not because I'm super interested in them myself, but because some of you might like them. They wouldn't match anything in my closet, but perhaps one of you out there just found their new favorite messenger bag.
AC4 Symbol Belt Buckle [http://store.ubiworkshop.com/assassins-creed/accessories/belts/black-leather-belt-black-flag-belt-buckle/]
I prefer the Black Flag symbol, because the skulls kind of work with the Assassin theme. My favorite items have only the plain Assassin's logo by itself, but if I had to pick a variant specific to one of the games, it would be Black Flag.
Ezio-style Assassin's Logo Belt Buckle [http://store.ubiworkshop.com/assassins-creed/accessories/belts/brown-leather-belt-ezio-gold-belt-buckle/]
This belt buckle is definitely a bit flashy for some tastes, but it takes a moment to figure out that it's actually an Assassin's logo if you're not looking for it.
Ezio's Belt Buckle, Silver [http://store.ubiworkshop.com/assassins-creed/accessories/belts/assassins-creed-ezio-belt-buckle/]
Same as the above, but without the belt and in Silver rather than Gold. Ubi Workshop sells all the belt buckles with and without belts.
Assassin's Creed Belt (No Buckle) [http://store.ubiworkshop.com/assassins-creed/accessories/belts/assassins-creed-leather-belt/]
For those of you who wanted the belt, but not necessarily one of the huge buckles.
Black Flag cufflinks [http://store.ubiworkshop.com/assassins-creed/assassins-creed-iv-black-flag/shirts/cufflinks]
Not much to say here, it's a small, often overlooked way to show off some gamer pride. I'm not sure if/when I'd ever wear these, but it's an option.
Black Flag pin [http://store.ubiworkshop.com/assassins-creed/assassins-creed-iv-black-flag/accessories/others/assassins-creed-iv-black-flag-official-pin/]
This was the only pin I could find that was Assassin's Creed related. Most pins I've seen tend to be those cheap tin ones, many of them just write ASSASSIN'S CREED in white text on a black background. It's very possible to get whatever logo you want on a cheap pin and buy them by the bucketload, if you're so inclined.
Desmond Miles' bag [http://store.ubiworkshop.com/assassins-creed/accessories/bags/desmond-bag/]
This isn't necessarily the best Assassin's Creed messenger bag I've found, but it IS actually in the Assassin's Creed games. This isn't a 'based on', or an 'inspired by', Desmond Miles has this bag in Assassin's Creed III, and you can buy it.
Abstergo belt [http://store.ubiworkshop.com/assassins-creed/accessories/belts/abstergo-industries-official-belt-ii/]
Some love for the bad guys! Say what you will about the Assassin's Creed series' Templars, they definitely have a stylish logo.
Abstergo Hat [http://store.ubiworkshop.com/assassins-creed/accessories/hats/abstergo-cap-flexfit-black/]
Exactly what it says on the tin: A ballcap with the Abstergo logo. With so many people these days wearing caps just like this one, you're only going to get noticed by someone who knows Assassin's Creed well enough recognize the Abstergo logo.
Abstergo (Animus) T-Shirt [http://store.ubiworkshop.com/assassins-creed/t-shirts/abstergo-animus-logo-t-shirt-white/]
This is the perfect shirt to wear with your Abstergo belt buckle and Abstergo hat, right before Assassins stab you. Be courteous: buy the shirt in a dark color, so that your killer has time to blend before the guards are alerted!
Assassin's Beanie [http://store.ubiworkshop.com/assassins-creed/accessories/hats/assassins-creed-beanie-ii-black/]
For stabbing dudes when it's cold, of course!
Assassin's Pendant [http://store.ubiworkshop.com/assassins-creed/assassins-creed-III/accessories/jewelry/leather-necklace/]
There are a million variations on this one, you can find at least three versions on Ubi Workshop alone, as well as Amazon. It's even possible to get an Assassin's Pendant as a reward from Gamestop.
Another bag [http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004ZK31QQ/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=16CRSST6OW916&coliid=IZZI3IL3DQQXY]
While this isn't specifically Assassin's creed merchandise, this bag seems like the kind of thing you'd see on Desmond Miles. There are a few different styles from the company who makes these bags, including one I quite like that has a leather look to it. Combined with an Eagle, one might look quite a bit like a modern-day Altair.
Quick links to Volante Design Products:
The Eagle (Run 3) [http://www.volantedesign.us/product/the-eagle-run-3/]
The Eagle (Run 2) [http://www.volantedesign.us/product/the-eagle-run2/]
Kestrel (Run 3) [www.volantedesign.us/product/kestrel-run-3/]
Kestrel (Run 2) [http://www.volantedesign.us/product/the-kestrel-run2/]
^includes the white/red color scheme "Byzantine Red", It'll sell out soon!
Falcon (Run 2) [http://www.volantedesign.us/product/falcon-run-2/]
Messenger Bag [http://www.volantedesign.us/product/messenger/]
This messenger bag is really nice. There's an extra strap that's supposed to give the bag more stability while you're running, so that it doesn't flop around on your back. I can't speak to how effective it is in practice, but it's a nice idea you don't see often for bags like this.
You can find these all over Amazon, plenty of sellers have screen-printed shirts for sale with various logos. I picked one at random, because they're mostly all the same. I have a shirt just like these, but I can't necessarily vouch for this specific seller.
Assassin's Creed "Premium" merchandise [http://store.ubiworkshop.com/assassins-creed/premium/]
I included these bags not because I'm super interested in them myself, but because some of you might like them. They wouldn't match anything in my closet, but perhaps one of you out there just found their new favorite messenger bag.
AC4 Symbol Belt Buckle [http://store.ubiworkshop.com/assassins-creed/accessories/belts/black-leather-belt-black-flag-belt-buckle/]
I prefer the Black Flag symbol, because the skulls kind of work with the Assassin theme. My favorite items have only the plain Assassin's logo by itself, but if I had to pick a variant specific to one of the games, it would be Black Flag.
Ezio-style Assassin's Logo Belt Buckle [http://store.ubiworkshop.com/assassins-creed/accessories/belts/brown-leather-belt-ezio-gold-belt-buckle/]
This belt buckle is definitely a bit flashy for some tastes, but it takes a moment to figure out that it's actually an Assassin's logo if you're not looking for it.
Ezio's Belt Buckle, Silver [http://store.ubiworkshop.com/assassins-creed/accessories/belts/assassins-creed-ezio-belt-buckle/]
Same as the above, but without the belt and in Silver rather than Gold. Ubi Workshop sells all the belt buckles with and without belts.
Assassin's Creed Belt (No Buckle) [http://store.ubiworkshop.com/assassins-creed/accessories/belts/assassins-creed-leather-belt/]
For those of you who wanted the belt, but not necessarily one of the huge buckles.
Black Flag cufflinks [http://store.ubiworkshop.com/assassins-creed/assassins-creed-iv-black-flag/shirts/cufflinks]
Not much to say here, it's a small, often overlooked way to show off some gamer pride. I'm not sure if/when I'd ever wear these, but it's an option.
Black Flag pin [http://store.ubiworkshop.com/assassins-creed/assassins-creed-iv-black-flag/accessories/others/assassins-creed-iv-black-flag-official-pin/]
This was the only pin I could find that was Assassin's Creed related. Most pins I've seen tend to be those cheap tin ones, many of them just write ASSASSIN'S CREED in white text on a black background. It's very possible to get whatever logo you want on a cheap pin and buy them by the bucketload, if you're so inclined.
Desmond Miles' bag [http://store.ubiworkshop.com/assassins-creed/accessories/bags/desmond-bag/]
This isn't necessarily the best Assassin's Creed messenger bag I've found, but it IS actually in the Assassin's Creed games. This isn't a 'based on', or an 'inspired by', Desmond Miles has this bag in Assassin's Creed III, and you can buy it.
Abstergo belt [http://store.ubiworkshop.com/assassins-creed/accessories/belts/abstergo-industries-official-belt-ii/]
Some love for the bad guys! Say what you will about the Assassin's Creed series' Templars, they definitely have a stylish logo.
Abstergo Hat [http://store.ubiworkshop.com/assassins-creed/accessories/hats/abstergo-cap-flexfit-black/]
Exactly what it says on the tin: A ballcap with the Abstergo logo. With so many people these days wearing caps just like this one, you're only going to get noticed by someone who knows Assassin's Creed well enough recognize the Abstergo logo.
Abstergo (Animus) T-Shirt [http://store.ubiworkshop.com/assassins-creed/t-shirts/abstergo-animus-logo-t-shirt-white/]
This is the perfect shirt to wear with your Abstergo belt buckle and Abstergo hat, right before Assassins stab you. Be courteous: buy the shirt in a dark color, so that your killer has time to blend before the guards are alerted!
Assassin's Beanie [http://store.ubiworkshop.com/assassins-creed/accessories/hats/assassins-creed-beanie-ii-black/]
For stabbing dudes when it's cold, of course!
Assassin's Pendant [http://store.ubiworkshop.com/assassins-creed/assassins-creed-III/accessories/jewelry/leather-necklace/]
There are a million variations on this one, you can find at least three versions on Ubi Workshop alone, as well as Amazon. It's even possible to get an Assassin's Pendant as a reward from Gamestop.
Another bag [http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004ZK31QQ/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=16CRSST6OW916&coliid=IZZI3IL3DQQXY]
While this isn't specifically Assassin's creed merchandise, this bag seems like the kind of thing you'd see on Desmond Miles. There are a few different styles from the company who makes these bags, including one I quite like that has a leather look to it. Combined with an Eagle, one might look quite a bit like a modern-day Altair.
Quick links to Volante Design Products:
The Eagle (Run 3) [http://www.volantedesign.us/product/the-eagle-run-3/]
The Eagle (Run 2) [http://www.volantedesign.us/product/the-eagle-run2/]
Kestrel (Run 3) [www.volantedesign.us/product/kestrel-run-3/]
Kestrel (Run 2) [http://www.volantedesign.us/product/the-kestrel-run2/]
^includes the white/red color scheme "Byzantine Red", It'll sell out soon!
Falcon (Run 2) [http://www.volantedesign.us/product/falcon-run-2/]
Messenger Bag [http://www.volantedesign.us/product/messenger/]
This messenger bag is really nice. There's an extra strap that's supposed to give the bag more stability while you're running, so that it doesn't flop around on your back. I can't speak to how effective it is in practice, but it's a nice idea you don't see often for bags like this.
One final note:
Watch out for Amazon/Ebay Listings! [http://www.amazon.com/Assassins-Connor-Kenway-Hoodie-Jacket/dp/B00BQ7X23S/ref=sr_1_406?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1389337558&sr=1-406&keywords=Assassin%27s+Creed]
There are many asian clothing companies that make a quick buck off of unsuspecting buyers. The linked jacket looks like the jackets available from Volante Design, but this is clearly a knockoff.
Here's another one [http://www.amazon.com/Assassins-Hoodie-Costume-White-Version-Meidium/dp/B00EQ24KD6/ref=sr_1_50?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1386797804&sr=1-50]
And another [http://www.amazon.com/Assassins-Hoodie-Conner-Kenway-Costume/dp/B00EXGJR0Q/ref=sr_1_412?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1389337558&sr=1-412&keywords=Assassin%27s+Creed]
Notice how this jacket [http://www.amazon.com/Assassins-Connor-conner-Kenway-Costume/dp/B00ALWQS58/ref=pd_sim_sbs_a_4] has the EXACT SAME folds/creases as the jacket above. Nice photoshop work!
You don't have to look too closely to see that many of these jackets are missing details from a genuine Eagle, and most are very clearly not made out of denim.
Do a search for Assassin's Creed in the clothing section of Amazon, and you will get hundreds of results just like these. What they do is steal photos from Volante Design's webpage (in some really lazy cases, they don't even remove the watermark) and then cobble together a look-alike jacket out of the cheapest materials they can get away with. Some of the more sophisticated operations will photograph their knockoffs, though even those tend to be stolen and recycled by other sellers. In many cases, the company has multiple usernames under which to list the product, so even a bad review is unlikely to get you anywhere. I would advise anyone looking to buy Assassin's Creed-style jackets to really look into the seller they're purchasing from. I can all but guarantee you that no genuine Volante Design Eagles are being sold on Amazon or Ebay. Their jackets are denim, their products are made in the US, and all of their business is done through their website. They've posted about this issue on their website, here [http://blog.volantedesign.us/post/52141660217], as well as on their facebook page [https://www.facebook.com/VolanteDesign].