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, […]
Archive | Fashion
Safety in Numbers
Retail buyers in the fashion category are offering their consumers something brand new—while at the same time alleviating their risk a bit—by creating limited-edition collections tied to groups of emerging designers or celebrities. The fact that the names are lesser known gives early-adopting consumers an opportunity to be the first to support a potential future […]
Models and Intimates: Good Fit But Bad Business
In November, the news came that Australian model Elle Macpherson was splitting with her 25-year lingerie licensee Bendon, as she announced plans to move to the U.S. and continue Elle Macpherson Intimates and her other lingerie brands with a new, as-yet-unnamed manufacturer. Shortly thereafter, Heidi Klum added New Zealand-based Bendon to her roster of licensees, […]
At Work and At Play
Camouflage patterns and workwear brands—both associated with a rugged, outdoorsy positioning—are a good match, as a number of recent licensing deals attest: • In October of 2014, Realtree Camo and Wrangler Workwear came together for a work shirt featuring accents in Realtree’s Xtra Camo design. The shirt is meant to be rugged enough for work […]
Apparel for All
The plus-size segment of the apparel category became a strong area of interest for celebrity and fashion licensors in 2014, with designers Isabel Toledo and Lela Rose doing direct-to-retail deals with Lane Bryant, model Ashley Graham designing an exclusive collection for Canadian chain Addition Elle, and blogger Gabi Gregg creating a couple of capsule collections […]
Calling All Designers
Electronics retailers are starting to take a step into fashion licensing by forging exclusive deals with designers and celebrities to raise their reputations when it comes to style. Best Buy has highlighted two such ventures during the fourth quarter. It is exclusively carrying a line of 50 Kate Spade New York-licensed tech accessories, ranging from […]
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 […]