The concept of Japandi has been trending for at least a decade, mostly in the context of interior design focused on high-end homes and luxury hotels. The minimalist movement combines the Japanese practice of wabi-sabi, which is about slow living, simplicity, and contentment, with the complementary Scandinavian philosophy known by different names in each country but […]
Archive | Lifestyle
Leaning to the Right
A handful of conservative women in the U.S. who are pundits or otherwise famously politically right-leaning have launched merchandise collections in the last year. Historically, such celebrities have been viewed as too controversial for most manufacturers and retailers who are aiming their goods at a mainstream market; a few initiatives, mostly limited-edition and targeted at […]
Hot and Steamy Spin-Offs
By Karen Raugust on January 9, 2025 in Design and content themes, House and home, Licensing, Lifestyle, Wellness
Sauna and public bath culture, historically important in places like Finland and Japan, is on the rise globally of late, including in the U.S., U.K., Australia, and China. Most researchers forecast annual growth rates for the global sauna and bath industry of between 3% and 6%, with the U.S. market pegged at the high end […]
Traveling in Style
Luggage and travel accessories partnerships have been a beneficiary of the travel industry recovery that has been ongoing since 2022. After a near-halt in new licensing and collaboration deals during the pandemic lockdowns, the category has become very active once again. Here are some of the deals, involving a variety of property types, that have […]
Asian Retailers Expand Reach
Retail chains from Japan and China that specialize in affordable, stylish merchandise, especially home goods, gifts, and stationery, are expanding quickly on a global scale. Known for their Asian design sensibility—which has become popular worldwide—they turn products over quickly to encourage return visits and give fans new surprises each time. They are often open to […]
A Little Pizzazz on the Pickleball Court
Pickleball, still relatively new on the scene as a mainstream participant sport, continues to grow in popularity with players of all ages. As a result, properties of nearly every type have lent their names, logos, and other assets to pickleball apparel, accessories, footwear, and especially paddles and paddle covers over the past few years. Recently, […]
Welcome To Summer
Summer is here, and so are announcements of summer-specific licensed and collaborative products for use at the beach or pool (or in the back yard). These represent an evergreen category, with new offerings across an increasingly varied range of properties coming to light each year. But the IPs that make the most sense are those […]
Bingeing on a TV-Based Lifestyle
Lifestyle collaborations involving adult-skewing TV properties featuring a strong sense of place and time, from The Good Wife to Downton Abbey, have long had a presence in the licensing business and at retail. Over the years, the technique has evolved from occasional one-off collections to broader programs covering a variety of categories, with multiple drops […]
Worked Up About Workwear
Fashion watchers keeping an eye on what’s happening on the runways have highlighted workwear as a notable trend in this year’s fall and winter collections. The segment long ago expanded beyond traditional workwear purchasers. Starting in the late 1980s, workwear became associated with rap, street, and skate culture. Celebrities began wearing workwear and posting the […]
New Cooks in the Kitchen
As more actors and actresses dip their toes into the foodie space with cookbooks, food-based TV series, and other related content, they are increasingly lending their names, or their proprietary brands, to products for the kitchen, namely cookware and appliances. At least four such partnerships have launched or expanded in the last year: Stanley Tucci […]