A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Medieval & Fantasy Clothing World

Have you ever looked at the price tag of a medieval costume and wondered, "Why does this cost more than the tunic I got online last year?" Or maybe you’ve gone down the Etsy rabbit hole, overwhelmed by options ranging from $60 tunics to $1200 gowns. If you’ve ever been confused, frustrated, or just plain curious about how medieval and fantasy clothing gets made and what you’re really paying for, then this post is for you!

As someone who’s been in this world for over a decade, first as a hobbyist, then a maker, and now the leader of a team of full-time artisans, I want to offer a personal tour of the industry. There are all sorts of creators out there, each doing something different. And while each type of vendor has something to offer, not all garments are created equal.

In general, a medieval/fantasy garment is going to come from one of four places. I have made general categories here, but of course, not everyone falls neatly into them. Also, there is a wide variety in business practices, values, and ethics, and each person or brand has their own set. With that being said, let’s break it down.

1. The Etsy Casual: Passion Projects from the Kitchen Table

We all start somewhere. For many makers, that place is a living room couch with a sewing machine balanced on a folding table. The Etsy Casual is often someone with a love for costuming who creates on the side. Maybe they sew while watching their favorite fantasy shows or fill their weekends with Ren Faires and commissions for friends. This is how I started, and so do many others.

What You Can Expect:

• Unique designs and personal touches
• Handmade construction, usually for beginner to intermediate skill levels
• Inconsistent sizing and quality from piece to piece

The Trade-Offs:

These pieces are often affordable and made with care, but may not hold up to hard use. Prices can remain low as the craftsperson is not trying to pay their rent with this income, usually just to fund their own hobby. But products in this category may suffer from a lack of experience, product testing, and knowledge of materials that might leave your garments falling to pieces after a long weekend of adventuring. That being said, you may just find a gem as well! For newcomers or casual cosplayers, this is often the gateway to something bigger.

2. The Solo Professional: One Person, Full Time

These are the full-time crafters who have turned their passion into a livelihood. They have a workshop in their home or garage, and they spend most of their days cutting fabric, dyeing leather, or patterning by hand, all while building a one-person brand. I lived in this space for about five years. It was a ton of fun, but not at all sustainable. I could not produce enough to both cover my costs and have a good balance in my life! But it was a season of incredible learning and growth!

What You Can Expect:

• High craftsmanship from a focused expert
• Custom or small-batch items with care in every stitch
• Limited scalability—wait times can be long, and prices reflect the time invested

The Trade-Offs:

You’re getting the best that a single person can offer. This usually means excellent quality, but it also means higher costs and slower delivery. These makers deserve every penny they earn, but they can only make so many pieces a month. If you’re after one-of-a-kind pieces, this might be your sweet spot. At this level, the craftsperson still has pretty low overhead, but things like customer service, brand building, and consistency may take a back seat.

3. The Small Professional Team: Craft and Coordination

This is the space where collaboration meets craftsmanship. These are small groups of artisans and creatives. A small team of designers, sewers, photographers, and marketers working together to produce high-quality garments. These teams are still deeply rooted in craft, but they’ve built enough structure to handle more consistent demand. I think it is fair to say that Fell & Fair currently sits firmly in this category.

What You Can Expect:

• Well-tested and professionally designed pieces
• A better understanding of/willingness to use quality materials and construction
• Standardized sizing, good quality control, and dependable customer service
• Higher prices and longer lead/production times

The Trade-Offs:

Small teams can produce more than a solo maker, but they still aren’t mass factories. Prices reflect the cost of premium materials, fair labor, and operational consistency (especially if they are made in the USA or Western Europe). You’re paying for reliability, artistry, and gear made for actual use, whether that’s on the battlefield, at a LARP, or in front of a camera.

This tier is ideal for serious hobbyists and creators who want their gear to function as well as it looks.

4. The Mass Market Brand: Fast and Cheap

You’ve probably seen these in LARP stores or online retail sites. These garments are made overseas in factories using inexpensive fabrics, mass-produced patterns, and minimal hand-finishing. They’re designed to be seen, not necessarily to be lived in. These are the entry-level brands most of us buy first!

What You Can Expect:

• The lowest costs for clothing and gear, while offering a wide range of products
• Often, inconsistent quality control, design, and fit
• Usually made from cotton, polyester, pleather, or cheap leather, or other synthetic materials
• Often available with quick shipping times and global access.

The Trade-Offs:

You can get lots of variety in styles, and most people can afford these garments, but they aren’t built to endure or maximize comfort. Often, wholesale is the goal with these brands, meaning their margins need to be great. This comes at the cost of materials and quality control. Sizing can also be an issue, as these are often designed (and always made) overseas by people who do not actually use them. Still, these brands play an important role. For many fans, mass market garments are the entry point into a new world. If someone wears one of these to their first ren faire or LARP and falls in love, that’s a win in my book. Also, I am not saying all of these brands/products are bad, just that you have to know what you are getting. I would not be doing what I am doing today if it were not for these brands making medieval gear accessible to a college student, so they will forever have my gratitude.

So Why Do Prices Vary So Much?

Because you’re not just buying fabric, you’re buying time, skill, and philosophy. A $60 tunic may look similar to a $200 one at a glance, but underneath is a different world. The cheaper version was likely made in minutes using cheap fabric and an automated process. The pricier one might have taken hours to cut, sew, and finish, often by someone who has actually worn such garments on an adventure themselves!

Materials matter. Real linen and wool cost more, and they behave differently. They breathe better, move better, last longer, and look more authentic. They also take more skill to sew and finish. Good thread, proper reinforcement, and fitted sizing take time and training. But they also cost 10-20 times what cotton or polyester does. 

You’re also paying for the kind of company you want to support. Are you backing someone’s passion project? A solo craftsman’s livelihood? A local artisan team? Or an international supplier with an international brand? There’s no wrong answer, but it helps to know.

This will also impact the kind of support you get from a brand (although this does vary much more than quality or cost). Are you a name or an order number? Then again, a small craftsperson may know your name but still not be able to support or service your garments because of time and resources. The mass market brands often have no-question return policies, while smaller brands cannot afford that sort of service even if they want to.

How to Choose the Right Vendor for You

There’s no universal “best”—just the best for your goals, budget, and priorities. Here are a few things to consider:

• Are you going to a single event or building a long-term character wardrobe?
• Do you want something immediately available, or are you okay waiting for craftsmanship?
• Do you want to support small makers and handmade work?
• Will this garment be worn once a year or every weekend for the next five years?
• Do you want to look the best at the event? Or will anything that hits the aesthetic criteria do?
• Does your budget allow for both more expensive gear and tickets/travel expenses to the events where you can actually make use of it?
• Will having cheaper gear make you sore, chafed, and uncomfortable all weekend and rob the joy from the experience? 

Also ask:

• Is it made from natural materials?
• Can it be repaired or altered?
• Is it designed for actual movement and wear?

Where We Fit: The Fell & Fair Approach

At Fell & Fair, we sit in the third tier: the small professional team. We’re proud of that. Quality and community are our top priorities. Every piece we make is rooted in the stories we grew up loving, made from the best materials we can find, and built by people who care deeply about their craft. Even when we outsource a garment because of catastrophic costs, we do our best to guarantee quality materials and craftsmanship. 

We’ve walked in these cloaks, run in these boots, and fought in this armor. We know what holds up and what doesn’t. We believe what you wear should empower you to tell better stories, whether that’s at a LARP, on a film set, or simply for your own forest adventure.

So wherever you are in your journey, whether you’re just dipping your toe into the world or already crafting your third ranger kit, we hope this gives you a helpful glimpse into the industry. And if you ever want to talk about stitching, steel, or stories, we’ll be here.

Your next adventure awaits! We hope that we will be part of that journey in one way or another.