In the past month, three long-established, designer-led fashion and lifestyle labels whose founders are still active have come under new ownership. These types of deals can help solidify the designers’ future legacy and allow for additional near-term expansion, while allowing the founders to continue doing what they love and maintain a say in how the […]
Archive | Fashion
Fashion Acquisitions Highlight Brand-Management Model
A raft of fashion brands were acquired by one of the major licensing-forward brand management companies in 2024, and the trend already seems to be continuing into 2025. The sheer number of such purchases is an indicator of the power of this long-important business model to rescue and right the operations of struggling fashion brands […]
Let’s Get This Party Started
’Tis the season for capsule collections focused on women’s partywear designed for fancy holiday gatherings. The assortments typically include items such as glamorous mini-dresses, slinky floor-length gowns, flowy slacks, fashion-forward sweaters and jackets, spike heels, tuxedo suits, and clutches. They are made from materials such as silk, faux fur, satin, metallics, animal prints, sheer fabrics, […]
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. […]
A Warm and Fuzzy Feeling
Luxury outerwear collaborations have been multiplying for several years now. Some of the examples, mostly limited editions, that were introduced this fall for the winter 2024 season have included: Skate brand Palace pairing with outdoors label Berghaus for an outerwear and casual apparel capsule influenced by 1990s fashion. The marriage between the two British companies […]
Clothing Confections
By Karen Raugust on October 31, 2024 in Accessories, Corporate brands, Fashion, Food/Beverage, Licensing
Candy brands have long been participants in fashion collaborations, but they seem to be experiencing a particularly active period in this space these days. Designs tend to go all-in on prominently featuring the shapes, colors, mascots, and packaging associated with the IP, and the focus is largely—but not entirely—on accessories categories, in part because consumers […]
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 […]
Hidden Treasure
A design technique that is currently trending in collaborative apparel collections is to hide meaningful text and graphics in linings, pockets, and collars where they are not visible, except to the owner of the piece. A few examples from the world of sports and sportswear this past summer illustrate: Sportscraft, the long-time creator of the […]
Singing the Praises of Fitness
Musicians have been increasingly turning to gyms and fitness companies for commercial partnerships. These initiatives are often mainly promotional in nature, but they tend to have a merchandise component of some sort as well. While musicians have been involved with athleisure collections in the past—think Beyoncé with Adidas or Carrie Underwood with Dick’s, now both […]