Sales of activewear in the U.S. in the first six months of 2021 increased 40% compared to the same period in 2020 and 25%-plus compared to 2019, according to the NPD Group. As social activities start to open back up, consumers are going out with an increasingly casual sense of style, leading the fashion world […]
Archive | Lifestyle
Hitting the Beach
It’s summer, and that means fashion collaborations focused on sand and surf. Some of the clothing brands that have tied in with surf-related properties for beach apparel and accessories collections this year include: Wrangler, which launched a collaboration last month with Billabong. The assortment consists of a range of summer and back-to-school items for young […]
The Great Outdoors
A number of interior designers, architects, and lifestyle brands have entered into licensing deals for outdoor furniture in the past year, with several marking their first entry into this category: Interior designer Alexa Hampton partnered with Woodard for her inaugural collection of outdoor furniture. Her other licensees include Theodore Alexander (indoor furniture), Visual Comfort and […]
Artisanal Collaborations
By Karen Raugust on November 9, 2020 in Business models, DIY/Maker, House and home, Lifestyle, Retail
Licensors’ and licensees’ interest in doing business with digital marketplaces has increased significantly in recent years. They are now comfortable, for the most part, with everything from authorizing fans to create user-generated designs incorporating their IP on products sold on platforms such as Redbubble, to opening storefronts on third-party marketplaces like Amazon’s. Etsy is one […]
There’s No Place Like Home
As most of us are currently self-isolating at home, it seems like a good time to take a look at licensing and brand extension opportunities in the housing space. Occasionally over the years, licensors have focused not just on the traditional home goods categories, such as furniture, dishes, and décor, but have also lent their […]
Garden Products In Bloom
Botanical and public display gardens have long had licensing programs in place. Some have been actively extending their brands and imagery for at least two to three decades, and in many cases their merchandise efforts have been on the rise in recent years. Their brands are well-positioned in the current landscape, given consumers’ growing interest […]
North Stars
Nordic design always plays an important role in the global lifestyle landscape. Like all evergreen design themes, however, the trend waxes and wanes over time. At the moment, Nordic design and lifestyle properties—especially those hailing from Finland—certainly seem to be on the upswing, especially when it comes to licensing and collaboration: Marimekko has been putting […]
From Recommendations to Retail
Digital-native lifestyle content platforms for millennial women are powerful influencers of consumer behavior, through trend coverage and especially product recommendations on their web and social channels. They are also cultivating their own presence in the world of licensing, collaboration, and brand extension, as illustrated by a raft of recent deals: Glossier, a beauty brand that […]
Supporting Self-Care
Self-care is an approach to wellness in which consumers purposefully take time to foster a positive mental, physical, and emotional state. It is a way to de-stress from a busy life, reduce anxiety, improve mood, avoid health-care issues, and ultimately enhance happiness and productivity. Practitioners stress that it is not a selfish lifestyle; rather, it […]
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 […]