Morphsuits
Morphsuits is a British brand and company known for full-body spandex costumes and other novelty costume products.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
Morphsuits is a British costume brand based in Edinburgh, Scotland, best known for close-fitting spandex suits that cover the wearer's entire body, including the head, hands and feet. The products belong to the broader zentai-suit category, but the company developed a mainstream novelty-costume proposition around bright designs, visibility through the fabric, online sales and group participation. Its range has included dozens of themed and character-based designs, with the brand reporting more than 80 designs at one stage. The business was founded by brothers Ali and Fraser Smeaton and their flatmate Gregor Lawson. According to the founders' account, the idea originated at a one-colour costume party in Dublin. A friend wearing a single-colour full-body suit attracted substantial attention, received free drinks and became the focus of photographs. The founders subsequently investigated the fancy-dress market and each invested £1,000. Their original corporate website reportedly cost $300. The first batch of 200 costumes was shipped from the founders' flat beginning in May 2009, while they continued working in other jobs. Early visibility came from sport and fan culture. During the 2009 British and Irish Lions tour of South Africa, eight supporters wore red Morphsuits, and photographs and sports coverage helped expose the brand to a wider audience. The company then expanded through e-commerce, outsourced manufacturing and international fulfilment. By 2011, its supply model included a Chinese manufacturer, warehouses in the United Kingdom, United States and Australia, and a customer-contact centre in Fife. Manufacturing was reported to be in Shanghai by late 2012. The company also operated 13 localized e-commerce websites and pursued distribution through retailers, including an initial order of 100,000 suits from Party City. Morphsuits broadened its customer proposition beyond the original adult line. MorphKids, a children's-sized range, was launched first in the United States and later promoted as a major growth opportunity. The company also added accessories aimed at women, including a suit design with a built-in tutu, as well as Morphmasks, which cover only the head, and Megamorph, an inflated costume with exposed or covered sections made from lycra. The 2012 launch of licensed Mighty Morphin Power Rangers designs marked the brand's first reported licensed design and was described by the company as its best-selling product at that point. Animal Planet designs followed in 2013, including animal-inspired costumes such as a vampire bat and cobra. The brand's marketing model has emphasized social media, fan participation and user-generated ideas. Gregor Lawson described the approach as technology-led and Fraser Smeaton used the expression "scrum marketing" for the process by which followers influenced designs, competitions and potential sales channels. Sales patterns differed by market: the United Kingdom was described as a year-round market with a smaller Halloween increase, while United States demand was more concentrated around Halloween. Black was identified as the most popular colour and the customer base was reported to be predominantly male. Corporate expansion took place through outside financing. AFG Media received a £600,000 Barclays Corporate loan in February 2012, followed by a reported £4.2 million investment from Business Growth Fund in July 2012. The investment was intended to support product development, MorphKids, supply-chain development and expansion in the United States, Europe, Mexico, Russia, Japan and China. Ralph Kugler joined as chairman and Duncan Macrae was added to the board in connection with the investment. AFG Media also included the menswear label Foul Fashion and golf-wear brand Royal & Awesome. Morphsuits has sought to distinguish its commercial costume positioning from fetish and specialist uses of zentai clothing. The brand name has nevertheless been used informally in some markets as a generic description for similar full-body suits, creating a potential trademark-genericization issue. Publicly documented information in the supplied references describes the company's early growth and product expansion but does not establish its current ownership, management, financial condition or operating status.
History
Morphsuits emerged in Edinburgh in 2009 after Ali Smeaton, Fraser Smeaton and Gregor Lawson saw the attention generated by a full-body costume at a themed party in Dublin. The founders interpreted the episode as evidence that a visually unusual costume could create social engagement and word-of-mouth publicity. They each invested £1,000, built a low-cost website and began shipping an initial batch of 200 suits from their flat in May 2009. The founders continued their regular employment while developing the business, reportedly working late-night hours to fulfil orders and manage the early operation. The brand received a notable early publicity event during the 2009 British and Irish Lions tour of South Africa. Eight supporters wore red Morphsuits, and the costumes were photographed and discussed by sports media. This exposure helped establish the product as suitable not only for Halloween and private parties but also for sporting events, supporter groups and public gatherings. In its first year, the company reported selling 20,000 costumes and generating £1.2 million in revenue. It subsequently reported shipments to Canada and developed a broader international sales operation. Morphsuits' early operating model relied heavily on outsourcing. By 2011, the founders said they had no direct employees in the conventional sense, with manufacturing, warehousing, customer contact and other functions handled by external partners. The supply network included a Chinese manufacturer, warehouses in the United Kingdom, United States and Australia, and a customer-service centre in Fife. By late 2012, suits were reported to be manufactured in Shanghai. The company also used online retail and localized e-commerce sites to reach customers in different markets. Party City was reported to have placed an initial order for 100,000 suits, giving the brand access to a large specialist-retail channel. Product development expanded beyond the original adult full-body suit. The company reported approximately 40 designs in August 2011 and 50 by September of that year, later describing a range of more than 80 designs. MorphKids brought the concept to children, initially launching in the United States. Female-oriented accessories and a suit with an attached tutu were intended to broaden the demographic appeal. Other formats included Morphmask, a head-only lycra mask, and Megamorph, an inflatable suit with lycra-covered head, hands and feet. Animal designs introduced additional construction details, such as wings attached to a vampire-bat costume and a frill on a cobra design. Licensing became another growth route. In October 2012 Morphsuits introduced a Mighty Morphin Power Rangers design, described as its first licensed product. The company considered licensing important to its long-term strategy and discussed pursuing further major character properties, including Spider-Man. In 2013 it added Animal Planet designs. These products connected the brand's simple full-body silhouette with recognizable entertainment and animal themes, while retaining the social and photographic appeal of the original concept. The company's marketing relied strongly on digital commerce and community participation. Gregor Lawson, who had prior brand-management experience at Gillette and Procter & Gamble, discussed the use of Facebook, e-commerce and fan input. Fraser Smeaton described the approach as scrum marketing: customers and followers influenced possible designs, sales channels and competitions. This model allowed Morphsuits to test ideas and build publicity without relying exclusively on traditional advertising. The company reported meaningful regional differences: the United Kingdom treated the product as a relatively year-round novelty item, whereas United States demand was more concentrated around Halloween. Black was identified as the most popular colour, and men were reported to form the majority of customers. AFG Media became the broader corporate group associated with Morphsuits, alongside the menswear label Foul Fashion and golf-wear brand Royal & Awesome. In February 2012, AFG Media reportedly obtained a £600,000 Barclays Corporate loan. In July of the same year, Business Growth Fund reportedly invested £4.2 million in AFG Media. The funds were intended to support product development, MorphKids, supply-chain improvements and expansion into markets including the United States, Europe, Mexico, Russia, Japan and China. Ralph Kugler became chairman and Duncan Macrae joined the board in connection with the investment. Morphsuits also faced issues arising from the broad cultural use of its name and product category. The company attempted to position its products as mainstream fancy dress rather than fetish apparel, while the term "morphsuit" was increasingly used in some contexts for similar full-body suits made by other companies. That usage created a potential genericization problem for the trademark. In addition, a website FAQ reportedly characterized the suits as legal worldwide without accounting for anti-mask restrictions in jurisdictions such as France. The available reference material does not establish the brand's present ownership, management, financial performance or operating status, so its current corporate position remains uncertain.
- 2013
Animal Planet range is added
[1]The company expands its licensed and themed range with Animal Planet animal costumes.
- 2012
AFG Media receives external financing
[1]AFG Media receives a reported Barclays Corporate loan and later a reported Business Growth Fund investment to support expansion and product development.
- 2012
First licensed costume launches
[1]Morphsuits introduces a Mighty Morphin Power Rangers design, its first reported licensed product.
- 2011
MorphKids is introduced
[1]The company launches its children's-sized line, initially in the United States.
- 2009
Morphsuits is founded
[1]Ali Smeaton, Fraser Smeaton and Gregor Lawson establish the company after being inspired by the attention attracted by a full-body costume at a Dublin party.
- 2009
First costumes ship from the founders' flat
[1]The first batch of 200 costumes begins shipping in May while the founders continue working day jobs.
- 2009
British and Irish Lions tour publicity
[1]Eight fans wearing red Morphsuits attract sports-media attention during the Lions tour of South Africa.
Products and positioning
A mainstream, internet-oriented novelty-costume brand built around visually striking full-body spandex suits for parties, Halloween, sporting events and group activities. The brand emphasizes broad consumer accessibility and fan-led product development rather than specialist or fetish-oriented zentai use.
Full-body costume · 2009
Morphsuits
The core product is a close-fitting spandex or lycra costume covering the entire body, including the face, hands and feet. The fabric is designed to allow the wearer to see and breathe through it while creating a striking single-colour, character or graphic appearance. Designs have been marketed for Halloween, parties, sporting events, group activities and general novelty use. The range grew from a small initial selection to more than 80 designs according to company descriptions.
Children's costume · 2011
MorphKids
MorphKids is the children's-sized extension of the main Morphsuits range. It was launched first in the United States and was presented as a significant growth opportunity for the company. The line adapted the full-body costume concept for younger wearers and supported the brand's move from an adult novelty product toward a broader family and seasonal-costume proposition.
Licensed character costume · 2012
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Morphsuits
Introduced in 2012, this was the brand's first reported licensed design. It combined the full-body Morphsuits format with the visual identity of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. The company described the product as its best-selling item at that time and treated character licensing as an important route for future growth.
Licensed animal costume · 2013
Animal Planet Morphsuits
The Animal Planet range, added in 2013, used animal themes and more elaborate construction than a simple printed bodysuit. Reported examples included a vampire-bat costume with fabric wings attached to the arms and a cobra design with a neck frill. These products extended the brand into recognizable animal characters while retaining the full-body silhouette.
Headwear and mask
Morphmask
Morphmask is a head-only product made from lycra. It offers a lower-coverage alternative to the full-body suit and broadens the brand's use cases for customers who want a face and head covering without wearing a complete costume.
Inflatable costume
Megamorph
Megamorph is an inflated novelty suit that uses lycra over the head, hands and feet. Its enlarged silhouette provides a more theatrical alternative to the close-fitting core product and extends Morphsuits into the inflatable-costume category.
Marketing campaigns
- 2009British and Irish Lions tour visibility
South Africa · United Kingdom
Eight supporters wore red Morphsuits during the British and Irish Lions tour of South Africa. Sports photographers and journalists covered the striking outfits, giving the young brand unpaid exposure in a major fan and sporting context.
Outcome. The event was reported as an important early boost to brand awareness and sales.
- Fan-led scrum marketing
United Kingdom · United States · International
Morphsuits used Facebook, e-commerce and follower participation to gather ideas for designs, competitions and sales outlets. The company described this community-influenced approach as scrum marketing.
Outcome. The approach became a central part of the brand's digital and product-development strategy, although no standalone campaign results were provided.
Brand decisions
2013
Add Animal Planet designsProduct launchBackground
After introducing its first reported licensed design, Morphsuits continued expanding into branded and character-led products.
Action taken
The company added Animal Planet costumes, including vampire-bat and cobra designs with specialized physical features.
Aftermath
The range broadened the company's licensed and animal-themed product portfolio; subsequent performance was not provided.
2012
Use outside investment to support international expansionStrategyBackground
AFG Media sought capital for product development, MorphKids, supply-chain development and expansion across additional international markets.
Action taken
Business Growth Fund invested a reported £4.2 million in AFG Media. Ralph Kugler became chairman and Duncan Macrae joined the board.
Aftermath
The investment was intended to accelerate growth in the United States, Europe, Mexico, Russia, Japan and China. The investor's equity percentage was not disclosed.
Business Growth Fund investment. £4.2 million investment (July 2012)
2012
Enter licensed character costumesProduct launchBackground
The company viewed licensing as a way to add recognizable intellectual-property themes and strengthen the long-term commercial proposition.
Action taken
Morphsuits launched a Mighty Morphin Power Rangers costume, its first reported licensed design, and considered pursuing additional licenses.
Aftermath
The company described the Power Rangers product as its best-selling item at that point.
2011
Expand through outsourced international operationsStrategyBackground
The rapidly growing costume business needed manufacturing, fulfilment and customer-service capacity without building a large direct workforce.
Action taken
Morphsuits used external partners, including a Chinese manufacturer, warehouses in the United Kingdom, United States and Australia, and a customer-contact centre in Fife.
Aftermath
By 2011 the company reported indirect staffing of approximately 200 people and had established an international supply and fulfilment structure.
2011
Develop a children's product lineStrategyBackground
The original adult costume proposition offered an opportunity to reach families and younger customers.
Action taken
The company launched MorphKids, initially in the United States, and later described the line as a major growth opportunity.
Aftermath
The children's range became part of the expansion plan supported by later external financing.
- Position the brand as mainstream fancy dressStrategy
Background
Full-body zentai clothing can be associated with specialist or fetish uses, which did not align with the company's mass-market costume positioning.
Action taken
Morphsuits sought to distance its brand from fetish terminology and present the products as general-purpose costumes for parties, events and seasonal celebrations.
Aftermath
The brand achieved broad recognition, but its name was also used in some markets as a generic term for similar products, creating a potential trademark-genericization concern.
Recent events
- 2013
Morphsuits adds Animal Planet costumes[1]
Product launch
The range expanded with Animal Planet-themed costumes, including animal designs with specialized features such as fabric wings and a cobra-style neck frill.
- 2012
AFG Media receives Barclays Corporate loan[1]
Other
AFG Media, the group associated with Morphsuits, received a reported £600,000 loan from Barclays Corporate.
- 2012
Business Growth Fund invests in AFG Media[1]
M&A · Other · Leadership change
Business Growth Fund reportedly invested £4.2 million in AFG Media to support product development, MorphKids, supply-chain development and international expansion. The size of its equity stake was not disclosed.
- 2012
Morphsuits launches Mighty Morphin Power Rangers license[1]
Product launch · Product generation
The company introduced its first reported licensed design, based on Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, and described it as its best-selling product to that point.
- 2011
MorphKids launches in the United States[1]
Product launch
Morphsuits introduced a children's-sized line in the United States, adding a new age segment to the company's adult costume business.
- 2011
Morphsuits secures Party City order[1]
Other
The company reported receiving an initial order for 100,000 Morphsuits from the retail chain Party City.
- 2010
Morphsuits reports rapid first-year sales[1]
Other
The company reported selling 20,000 costumes and generating £1.2 million in its first year. It also reported shipping 10,000 units to Canada between January and October 2010.
- 2009
Morphsuits gains visibility during British and Irish Lions tour[1]
Campaign · Other
Eight fans wearing red Morphsuits during the tour received extensive attention from sports journalists and photographers, providing an early publicity boost for the young brand.
Questions raised over anti-mask-law treatment[1]
Regulation
The brand's website FAQ reportedly described its suits as legal globally, a claim that did not account for anti-mask laws in countries such as France.
Sources1 sources
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