Mr Hunter – Tea Couturier Reporting…

Hunts in Second Life has become more and more popular not only for the store owners but also for the shoppers. It is a way of purchasing goods in SL for a fraction of the price or even for 0L. 

However, hunters do not participate in hunts for this alone, They participate for the thrill of the hunt by figuring out the clues and then locating their prizes. You will find numerous of hunts within SL for women but there are not as many for men.

   "Mr Hunter" is a well known hunt launched over a year ago. It is dedicates its self to men’s only fashion and for men who are interested in fashion. It is for those men who also want to participate in the same fun the ladies of sl were experiencing.

Interview with Mr Hunter’s founder, Lasher Spiritor

Lasher was kind enough to spare some free time between working on the new hunt and on Mr Hunter's own blog to discuss Mr. Hunter in more depth and to find out the concept of the whole hunt.

Tea: Hi Lasher how did Mr. Hunter begin?

Lasher:  Mr. Hunter had been something brewing in me for the better part of a year before I finally decided to get it started. Having been running a store in world for the better part of 2 years at that point and participating in hunts I felt there was a need for hunts for men. I discussed the idea with my wife for a while, bounced around ideas. The hardest part was coming up with a name for the group. We wanted to come up with a name that conveyed just what it was, something that was for men, and something that was for hunts, both our own hunt, and the hunt for great men's fashion in Second Life.

Tea: Could you tell me a bit more about Mr Hunter?

Lasher: Mr. Hunter is much more than a hunt. The goal was to get a hunt started, but also an active blog for men to find deals on the grid and on marketplace. The in world group is not just for help with the hunt, but a great place for guys to share great deals they have found. We also have the Mr. Hunter headquarters, The Den where guys can find freebies from some of the best men's fashion designers in Second Life as well as great sales offers from those designers.

Tea: Who else works for Mr Hunter?  Do you have a team that blog or work with you?

Lasher: Mr. Hunter has a team of bloggers who are searching the grid and marketplace for great deals and freebies all the time. Lawrenced resident has been a great help almost since the blog first opened. A new member to the blogging team, Akonia resident is a new member to the blogging team and has proved herself to be very resourceful, considering just how hard it still is to find deals for men. Of course, I am always looking to add to the blogging team. As far as the hunt itself, that's pretty much all me. The first round my wife and I organized as a team but her own schedule has just been too full for her to be able to focus enough time on the hunt. At this point though, it's a pretty well oiled machine. We worked out most of the kinks on that first round.

Tea:  Do you feel men's fashion has improved through the years in SL?  Is so, in  what way?

Lasher:  I would say that yes, men's fashion has improved over the years, but it has a long way to go. When I first joined Second Life, in my first week, I did the (original) Make Him Over hunt, before that group was disbanded. In a week I managed to kit my avatar out. I thought,  this is great! But after the hunt, I went around, freebie hunting, bargain shopping, and found that most of what is out there was (3 years ago) was dated. And sadly, most of the freebies and cheepies are still just as dated. This is what inspired me to start designing men's fashion in the first place. Over the years I have been told my prices are just too low, makes my stuff appear to be low quality. But my goal has never been to make money. I make clothes for myself, and since I've made them, why not sell them too? There are some great stores for men out there. Amazing stores, much better than what I make, but the prices, yes, they are worth every linden they charge, unfortunately, the average guy can't afford that. I just hope that by making decent stuff for low cost I can help guys increase their wardrobe.

Tea: Do you feel there are enough hunts in SL for men?  If not, why do you feel this?

Lasher: It's definitely improved. When I started, I was aware of 2 different hunts that were specifically for men. There may have been more, but I wasn't aware of them. I loved hunting, I would do hunt after hunt, not just the men’s ones, the unisex ones as well. But I started noticing that even though hunts were unisex, about 75% of the stores were giving gifts for women only, or a unisex prize that really wasn't unisex at all.

 Today, there is, off the top of my head, 6 hunts that are dedicated to just men that run at least once a year. I am constantly on the lookout for hunts that are geared just for men, but also hunts that are very clearly marked as gifts for women and men.

Tea: Do you feel men are interested in knowing what is new and what is out there as much a women?

Lasher:  As much as women? No. A definite no this is because they aren't really interested or they just don't know where to look and don't know how to start.

Tea: Tell us a bit about  you and what do you like doing in SL when you are not working?

Lasher: Well, I do love designing. It usually hits me about once a month, I sit down and pound out new release after new release. During the down time I do different things, I DJ, I like to build, I like going to trivia. And of course, spend as much time with my wife as I can.

Tea: What is next for Mr. Hunter? What can your loyal supporters expect to see in the future?

Lasher: Mr. Hunter will be undergoing a bit of a change. We're moving to a new sim in the next few months and I am still working through what will change and what will stay the same. The next hunt… everyone always wants to know when the next hunt will be!

 I can't say. I aim for 3 hunts a year, and it all depends on my schedule.  I am aiming for August/September time.

So overall, hunts for men are increasing as is fashion for men.  This proves that men are interested in fashion and it also encourages them to feel a part of the fashion industry within Second Life. We can only expect it to get even better throughout the months and years.

 Visit http://mister-hunter.thisisnotmyissue.com/

Join the Group!

Contact Lasher Spiritor for more information