The design journey of the Avengers has bred a gallery of superhero costumes for global pop culture – and in turn cooler fan art and merch like printed tees and accessories
Superheroes have long ceased to be simply great men/women who kids look up to; who are models of good habits for growing minds. For the depiction of different shades of their personalities even in the movies, they are now viewed as common people – relatable characters who also have their share of ups and downs.
And this has also led to the evolution of superhero costumes. If you’ve seen the promos of the latest Marvel movie ‘Avengers: Infinity War,’ you know what we’re referring to. The journey of superhero outfits has been a unique representation of the development of each character in the course of the Avengers saga. Gone are the straightforward armours – personalised costumes that reflect the changes of the characters’ personalities are more en vogue.
A direct reflection of this transformation is the merchandise that has always sought inspiration from original superhero designs. Check out Pepe Jeans X Avengers capsule collection, inspired by the super hero franchise. The basic logo or text-based prints have made way for cerebral, mature and dynamic artworks. Dark and complicated, the prints capture the tonality of the film perfectly; convey a sense of impending doom, while being the perfect addition to every man’s wardrobe. This is a direct result of the fact that the fan base has expanded from school-going teenagers and tee-and-jeans gents to someone who would also pair them with jackets or layer them with shirts/button downs for a fun date. Pepe Jeans is showing us how superhero prints can be grown up and versatile, excellently catering to a much larger audience today.
Here’s a look at how the Avenger costumes have evolved over the years and influenced our ever-increasing demand for superhero merch.
Captain America (Chris Evans)
From The Star Spangled Man’s USO uniform and The First Avenger’s field uniform to the S.H.I.E.L.D. Stealth uniform and the ‘Civil War’ suits, we’ve seen Cap don a variety of costumes over the years.
In 2018, Steve Roger’s suit seeks inspiration from the one in ‘Captain America: Winter Soldier.’ Closer to his original outfit, this one most notably has its colours muted. It might even be a direct indicator of how he might be a man in hiding, but still stands by his principles.
Accessory-wise, his trademark round shield gives way to a new one from Wakanda, supplied by Black Panther. Many have also pointed out a thick beard that is not commonplace on our clean-cut, baby-faced American hero. But we’re certainly not complaining.
Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr)
Tony Stark’s armour has come a long way from the one created with the help of Ho Yinsen (to escape Afghanistan) to the Mark XLVIII in Infinity War. Reports have confirmed that the smartest Avenger will be wearing the fan-favourite ‘Bleeding Edge’ armour in the latest movie.
The new suit can assemble from the arc reactor in Tony’s chest, much like Black Panther’s suit emerging from T’Challa’s necklace. It’s a representation of Stark’s big appetite for technology, which keeps increasing with every new movie, embodied by his armours.
It also spells the comeback of the famous red and golden hues. Could this indicate a return of the old impulsive, hot-headed Tony Stark? Or could this be a harbinger for something unfortunate? Will the demons of his past lead to his downfall in the big war? Only time will tell.
Hulk (Mark Ruffalo)
“Anything’s possible. It is something when we were talking to Mark about this movie and trying to get him excited and getting him to agree to be in this movie. I did pitch to him a potential, sort of three-movie arc for the character starting with this, and that is what we ended up doing.”
In an interview, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige confirmed that ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ was the beginning of a trilogy of sorts for Bruce Banner’s green-skinned beast. So it leaves us guessing about the character’s future in the following movies, beginning with Infinity War.
The Incredible Hulk, in Marvel Comics, has been depicted over the decades with different personas. At times, he has even appeared as the Grey Hulk (aka “Joe Fixit”), a manipulative and morally ambiguous creature that doesn’t lose control like the green Hulk does.
The Pepe Jeans x Avengers Collection is now available across Pepe Jeans stores across India.
