A smattering of sweater brands have been expanding their outbound licensing programs, taking their distinctive patterns and graphics into adjacent categories and into new territories.
Marius, known for its classic Norwegian sweaters featuring horizontal geometric stripes incorporating snowflakes and reindeer, has more than 25 licensees on board in Norway, covering everything from watches to postcards to umbrellas. In August, it named Rights & Brands as its global licensing agent to expand its licensing efforts into other territories.
Pendleton Woolen Mills, which offers sweaters for men and women, in addition to its perhaps better known blankets and flannel shirts, is known for its big stripes, color blocking, plaids, and patterns influenced by the imagery of the Navajo tribe and the southwestern U.S. Its licensing program has encompassed products ranging from pet products to sneakers to whiskey. It has also participated in a number of limited-edition collaborations, including with Gap, Ugg, and Rogue Ales, to name a few. The company is active outside the U.S. market as well; it named Sojitz GMC as is licensing agent for Japan last year, for example.
Ugly Christmas sweater-related properties also are licensed out. This situation is different from the two mentioned above, since there is no single, dominant brand that corners the market on sweaters featuring bold and often tacky holiday imagery. Several companies make Ugly Christmas sweaters, knitted hats, and socks, while other IP owners have created sweater-inspired seasonal holiday décor, ornaments, wrapping papers, cards, and the like.
This sector, which has been so hot in the fourth quarter over the past three years, is known more as a licensed category for sports teams, entertainment properties, and celebrities than for its outbound licensing efforts. But some property owners have established licensing programs for their Ugly Christmas sweater-inspired graphics. CrownJewlz, an art studio and stationery brand headed by Ana Davis and Debra Jordan Bryan, has extended its take on the Ugly Christmas sweater phenomenon into adult coloring books (with Bendon), and this May it retained The Brand Liaison to further extend into fashion, home décor, food, pet products, and more.
Licensing efforts based on singular sweater graphics certainly represent a small niche within the licensing business. However, they fit a broader trend in licensing—a well-established one, but also one that has been growing in recent years—in which manufacturers and design studios known for easily identifiable, differentiated, and often bold patterns or colors extend that imagery into a range of products outside their core category. Golf apparel brand Loudmouth, tableware makers French Bull and Fiesta, and design studio Marimekko are examples.
Reminder: The September edition of Raugust Communications’ e-newsletter comes out tomorrow (September 19). The Licensing Topic of the Month addresses how licensors, licensees, and retailers, even beyond sports, are positioning themselves for “hot markets” opportunities, while the Datapoint feature looks at the significance of streaming as a distribution vehicle for licensed children’s TV properties. If you do not already receive this free monthly publication, subscribe here.
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