Despite the fast-growing incidence of new initiatives focusing on the plus-size and extended-size women’s apparel and accessories markets over the past several years, there is still a need for more fashionable choices for consumers at both the higher and lower end of the size spectrum. As a result, general-market fashion retailers and brands continue to […]
Archive | Fashion
Collaborators Journey to Japan
High-end fashion labels from Japan, typically streetwear-focused, have become among the most frequent partners for global lifestyle collaborations involving characters, celebrities, corporate trademarks, artists, and fashion and luxury labels. Some of the most active Japanese brands in this space include: A Bathing Ape/BAPE. Founded in 1993, this brand and its various sub-brands are prolific participants […]
Rethinking for the Long Run
Designer Isaac Mizrahi and New Balance just debuted a collection of footwear and apparel exclusively on QVC, while Mattel’s Barbie’s just launched its latest capsule with Puma, in honor of the doll’s 60th anniversary. These initiatives are reminders of how sportswear companies with roots in athletic footwear have, over the past decade, expanded their realms […]
A Collection of Museum Collaborations
Designer collaborations encompassing apparel, accessories, and footwear involve a variety of licensed properties, from characters and sports leagues to corporate brands and celebrities. Museums have been less frequent players, aside from a few key institutions. But more and more, museums with a range of specialties are pairing with fashion labels in a number of ways: […]
Labels for Rent
A subset of the subscription box sector consists of online personal styling services, sometimes known as rent-to-buy services or clothing rental boxes. In this model, subscribers set their preferences and, for a subscription fee, receive periodic boxes containing five to 10 items they might like, curated by the service’s staff stylists, to try for a […]
Fifty-Plus Fashion
Women aged 50 and over have long been an untapped market segment for licensing programs. But a growing number of direct-to-retail initiatives with etailers, retailers, and home shopping networks have focused on this demographic over the past few years, all involving celebrities who are in that age group themselves: Most recently, Jane Fonda paired with […]
Creative Collaboration
The pairing of artists and fashion designers continues as a strong trend, with high-profile creators in all genres of fine and graphic arts teaming with design labels. Among the goals: to offer customers an unexpected new look and to encourage followers of both properties to become fans of the other. A handful of examples from […]
Affordable for Anyone
A number of celebrities have launched fashion collections over the past two years—especially in the latter half of 2018—that are firmly focused on affordability: Comedian Amy Schumer and stylist and costume designer Leesa Evans launched Le Cloud Collection with Saks Off Fifth in December. Some of the proceeds will go to Community Partners’ STYLEFUND project. […]
Holiday Dress Code
The popularity of “ugly Christmas sweaters” as a pop-culture trend began to emerge almost a decade ago, and licenses across a wide variety of property types—from Bob Ross and Betty White to Bob’s Burgers and the Buffalo Bills—have had a strong presence over the past five years or so. Not surprisingly in such a crowded […]
Getting a Kick Out of Fashion
Leading football clubs around the world, like other sports organizations, have been forging deals with design labels for fashion-forward apparel collections. Some of the examples in the second half of this year: Manchester United paired with True Religion for a line of premium denim for women and men, along with a future junior’s range, sold […]