Interest in women’s sports remains strong, as does demand for merchandise tied to women’s leagues, teams, and athletes. But product supply, variety, and quality continue to lag behind the men’s game. A few key milestones in the past year have contributed toward reducing some of these deficits, however: In July, the Orlando Pride of the […]
Archive | Demographic groups
Crossover Events Age Down
By Karen Raugust on June 30, 2025 in Character/Entertainment, Content, Demographic groups, Licensing
In the character and entertainment world, crossover events pairing two different universes have long been regular occurrences in sectors such as comic books, superhero movies, and tween and adult sitcoms and dramas. This technique has historically been rare in the preschool and younger elementary-grade landscape, but that has changed in a big way in the […]
Branding for Babies
The 2025 ABC Kids Expo was held at Mandalay Bay Convention Center May 21 to 23, overlapping with Licensing Expo 2025 in an adjacent exhibition space. The event is focused on baby toys, apparel, books, gifts, strollers, furniture, feeding systems, and other gear, with exhibitors ranging from the biggest players in the space to small […]
One Size Doesn’t Fit All
Plus-size apparel collaborations started to take off in earnest more than a decade ago, around 2014, with designers and celebrities like Isabel Toledo, Lela Rose, Ashley Graham, and Gabi Gregg leading the charge. The trend evolved quickly, moving from addressing a gap in the marketplace with the creation of specialized plus-size collections to including plus-size […]
Political Winds Blow on Black History Month
By Karen Raugust on February 27, 2025 in Demographic groups, Diversity/Inclusion, Fashion, House and home, Licensing
Black History Month 2025—the first since corporations in the U.S. began pulling back on their D.E.I. programs and plans in a big way—winds down tomorrow. Many brands, including the likes of Target and Walmart, have recently ended programs to support Black-owned brands at retail, among other initiatives, that began in the wake of the 2020 […]
Game-Changing Gear for Girls
Women’s professional sports have large contingents of young female fans who look up to the athletes and often aspire to turn pro themselves one day. In fact, part of the mission of women’s sports leagues is typically to bring young girls into the sports community as players and fans, as well as to support and […]
Merchandise On A Mission
By Karen Raugust on December 5, 2024 in Demographic groups, Fashion, Licensing, Politics/social movements, Sports
The last several years have given rise to a crop of new mission-driven apparel companies, launched by current and former athletes, that serve as sports licensees. The collaborative merchandise helps spread the word about the shared goals of the partners to support and promote social justice, diversity, equal rights for all, empowerment, and positive change. […]
Youth Movement
In the last year, fashion brands have been actively looking to the kids’ sector for growth opportunities, often by expanding their children’s businesses—or entering this sector for the first time—through licensing: Superdry got into the kids’ space in a licensing deal with U.K. retailer Next, announced earlier this month. The 95-piece collection, which Next will […]
Wearing Your Fandom at Your Wedding
By Karen Raugust on September 26, 2024 in Character/Entertainment, Demographic groups, Fashion, Licensing
Earlier this year, a deal between wedding gown maker Lulu Felice and manga artist Ai Yazawa produced a collection of wedding dresses and other wedding-appropriate formal wear tied to two of the artist’s properties, Nana and Neighborhood Story. Some of the pieces—each line features nine dresses and two tuxes—replicate gowns worn by the lead characters […]
Products for Living and Learning
Now that school’s out for the summer, home goods and other retailers are starting to debut their back-to-college collaborations in anticipation of the 2024-2025 academic year. Three such partnerships were announced in June: At Home launched its new home décor range with lifestyle expert and designer Joy Cho and her Oh Joy! brand in July […]