The fall season has seen a flurry of activity in the wearables sector, focusing on both fashion and fitness and encompassing not only watches and bands but also eyewear, belts, and apparel. Some of the deals have centered on upping the fashion quotient. Hermès partnered with Apple for a Hermès edition of the Apple Watch, […]
Archive | Accessories
Faux-Leather Fashion
Fashion and celebrity labels are increasingly forging licensing deals for “vegan leather” handbags and footwear, in which the items look like leather but are made from substitutes such as microfibers or PVC plastic. A case in point: Just this week, the Carlos Falchi brand signed a deal with Accessory Headquarters (AHQ) for a handbag collection […]
Gold Rush
The jewelry category has been a particularly active one in recent months, with a diverse roster of licensors signing deals for necklaces, bracelets, rings, and other fashion and fine baubles. In the fashion/costume sector, examples in the past half year alone have included models (Kim Alexis with Royal Items), candy brands (Jelly Belly with O […]
The Changing Landscape of Smartwatch Licensing
Licensing in the smartwatch and wearables sector is starting to evolve. In this segment’s early days, licensors typically have forged focused deals with consumer electronics or watch companies that specifically authorize the development and production of a line of smartwatches and/or other wearables. This tactic continues today. But announcements from this year’s Baselworld, a trade […]
From Embellishments to Essentials
The typical path of licensing in the fashion industry is for apparel designers to broaden their scope into accessories. But accessories designers are going in the other direction, extending their names into adjacent categories—including, in some cases, apparel—at an accelerated pace. These companies follow in the footsteps of brands such as Kate Spade, Fossil, and […]
Beyond Fitness Bands
Much of the initial interest in the wearable-technology category, when it comes to licensing, has been focused on fitness bands. But smart watches and smart accessories (e.g., smart bands and smart bracelets) have caught up quickly as an area of activity. Like fitness bands, these devices often monitor exercise accomplishments, calories expended and taken in, […]
Wearables: Think Content, Not Just Devices
Most of the emphasis in the growing fitness tracker category, when it comes to licensing, has been on branding the devices. Fashion-related labels (such as Tory Burch and Swarovski) have brought a dash of design to the technology, while athletic brands (such as Skechers and Bally Total Fitness) have lent an element of performance, to […]
Timeless Appeal
At one time, many pundits were predicting that the growing ubiquity of the smartphone—which many consumers use as their primary means of telling time these days—would mean the demise of the wristwatch. But a flurry of deals over the last year or so shows that traditional watches remain a robust area for licensing: Fashion brand […]