Big Mascots & Big Costumes

mascot costume

What comes next/ Mascots in a Post Pandemic World

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Even during the quarantines and the pandemic, the mascots reach out to us with —well—goofy joy. Like us, the mascots have adjusted. They totally get social media. They groove with ZOOM. They easily interact with fans, students and customers no matter what the circumstances.

They are with us in on our screens as we work from home and tiptoe into the office.

When we all come out of our homes to explore the ever-changing new normal, the mascots will be there to greet us.

Stay in touch with each other, wear a mask and connect with your favorite mascots.

xo Queen of Fuzz and the Mascot Makers

https://twitter.com/i/status/1243721675797073928

Let’s connect and discuss big things!

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©Jennifer Smith/Avant Garb Inc. 2020

Flocks, Herds, Multitudes of Mascots – The Queen Of Fuzz Talks Mascots

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Jennifer Smith interview  – for Indiana’s Got Talent blog

JQSmith- Queen of Fuzz - AvantGarb Mascot Makers

Jennifer Q Smith is the Queen of Fuzz at Avant Garb, a company that designs and builds mascots for teams, universities and corporations throughout the country. She has been making, wearing and analyzing costumes, wearable art, street wear and mascots all of her life. Even as a 4 year old, she donned her cowgirl outfit, strapped on her holster and hopped on her stick horse to patrol the neighborhood. She was part of the wearable art movement in the 70’s with Friends of the Rag in Seattle.Quote button

She wore her site-specific costumes on NYC streets. Her wearable art pieces have been shown at the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian, at MoMA exhibitions and at PS1, where she was a Studio Artist. Jennifer Q has been married forever and has 2 always fascinating daughters.

David Boyer interview with Jennifer Smith 

How did Avant Garb first come into being?

I had been designing and making costumes for art performances and for theater in Seattle, NYC and San Francisco. When I started Avant Garb, my plan was to design costumes for avant garde theater.

However, a small, chocolate chip cookie company in Berkeley asked me to make a giant cookie for them. Making the cookie changed my outlook, and I altered my plan. The day after it was finished the Chocolate Chip Cookie mascot, was on the front page of the S.F. Chronicle. I thought that was pretty exciting. That was the beginning of Avant Garb – Mascot Makers.

What was your first “mascot’?
Several years before the Chocolate Chip Cookie, I was with a costume and performance group in Seattle named, “Friends of the Rag”. We were commissioned to create costumes and a performance for the opening of the opening of the Seattle Aquarium in 1977. I designed and wore a costume called, the “Sexy Salmon” It was a big hit. That was it for me!

Following the Sexy Salmon, I made a black velvet “Formal Clarinet” for the Seattle Symphony. Joan Mondale, the Vice President’s wife came to Seattle to see a Friends of the Rag performance. I was wearing the Clarinet. I later met Joan Mondale in DC, at another Friends of the Rag production. I told her that last time we had met, I was a clarinet. She said, “I remember”.

There must be so much meticulous detail in creating one of your mascots. How long does it usually take to complete one? Or does that depend on the character involved?

It takes a million hours to make a mascot. We sculpt the head and cover it with fabric and fur, make the patterns for the body, the muscles, big belly, giant head, legs, arms, tails that boing and really big mascot shoes. Yikes! Yes, there are detail, details, details – like eyebrows, painting the eyes, making sure there is plenty of vision ( which needs to be hidden) and ventilation ( also hidden)…. and claws and clothing and logos. Yup, it takes a million hours.

Is there a lot more involved in one of these costumes than meets the eye? I mean, are there certain safety and health requirements that have to be met?

The performer’s safety is always at the front of my mind. We work hard to give performers good, stable vision. That means, there is an athletic helmet that is secured inside the mascot head. Sometimes the hardest part about making the head is placing the helmet so that the performer has good, stable vision. We also put air vents in the head. Air needs to circulate so the performer can breathe. We have engineered mascot shoes so that the performer’s own shoes are secured into the mascot shoe. Nobody likes to wear someone else’s sweaty shoes. Mascot performers shouldn’t have to either. We send each mascot out with its own Mascot Manual so clients know how to care for their mascot.

Have you found that just as many adults enjoy your work as kids?

Mascots are a public spectacle. They are for children and adults. When a mascot shows up, we all know we’re going to have fun. Mascots create community. Strangers connect when a mascot is present. Mascots are for everyone.

On the subject of mascots, what was “Barf-boy” used to promote? I’m sorry, with a name like that, I just had to ask. LOL

Everybody asks about Barf-Boy. He was a mascot for a children’s biology exhibit named, “Grossology.” Grossology was about everything that is disgusting about the human body – like well…barf.

We made 5 Barf-Boys for exhibits in Children’s Science Museums all around the country. He’s pretty great, isn’t he?!

Any exciting news about Avant Garb to let us in on before you go?

The exciting news about Avant Garb is that we are a company in the United States that makes things by hand. We make it by hand, people can touch it, interact with it, have their picture taken with it. Yet, mascots are of the moment. They interact with us in our physical world and they are present in our digital world.

And the mascots become part of the fabric of all of our lives. Everyone has hugged a mascot, had their picture taken with a mascot, laughed at a mascot’s antics or turned to that stranger and talked about the mascot. The mascot and the team, product, event they represent has become part of the story that connects all of us.

I kinda believe mascots could bring world peace. It would be a goofy world peace, but what the heck!

I love making mascots – flocks of mascots, herds of mascots, multitudes of mascots!

I believe you!
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A Grocery Bag Mascot for Kroger

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A Grocery Bag Mascot

The Kroger Grocery Bag Mascot was a delicious project! The Bag is named, “Big K”. He’s a bounitiful Bag w/ a nice bowtie & a bevy of glorious groceries.

We designed the Kroger products to have an animated look with simple graphics and the Kroger logo.

All of the Kroger logos are placed at the top of the grocery boxes, cans, bags, bottles and jars. It to appear as a kind of “crown” of Kroger products.

Produce!

Figuring out the patterns for celery and bananas was a challenge and we were up to it.

The celery and bananas are an added visual delight to an already awesome mascot!

Big K – The Mascot Diplomat

Big K, the Kroger grocery bag mascot, is a diplomat, Kroger’s representative at events that matter in the community like parades, charitable runs, festival. there are dozens of event where Big K, the Grocery Bag presence enhances the brand.

Thinking about getting a mascot for your brand? Get in touchQuote button

A Guide to Getting a Custom Mascot – Mascots 101

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It’s far from a common purchase. It’s so uncommon, people don’t have the language for ordering a custom mascot costume. If you’re thinking about a mascot, but don’t know where to start, AvantGarb’s  Mascots 101  is for you. Think of it as your mascot guide.

It has answers to many questions like:

  • Getting a mascot design. We will make a dynamic, compelling design.Our mascot designs are made to fit a performer. The designs also have graphic integrity for print, signage, clothing, on the web, etc.
  • Understanding mascot costs for a custom mascot.
  • How to order a custom mascot.

There is also a quick explanation of something we call, mascotology, mascot marketing strategy and the importance of craftsmanship.
MaxOnTheIceYou may have ordered custom mascots before, but feel like you could use a little refresher course because:

  • You got a mascot several years ago but can’t quite remember how you did it.
  • You want a new mascot that looks like the old mascot – only better looking!
  • You want to add to your current mascot population.

Check out Mascots 101.

©Jennifer Smith 2018

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A Thoroughly Modern Library Mascot

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A New Book Mascot for the Indianapolis Library

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Indy Library wanted to update the mascot. They wanted the big book to be a bit smaller so it could be more easily transported —and they wanted a few other changes.

The Library had a book mascot, named Booker, for about 20 years – it had been remade and duplicated a few times over those 20 years. Booker was always a popular mascot.

We designed a thoroughly modern book.

New Colors for Booker the Book

The original Booker was made from the primary colors, red, yellow and blue. The Library wanted this one to use some of the other colors now used in the Library’s logo.

They opted for spring green, aqua and orange.Quote button

Booker is a very jazzy book!

Mascot shoesBooker has some pretty swell shoes and a nice hairdo, as well!

What do you think of the new library mascot?

 

 

      

Playing “runway” w/ the book cover