Fashion licensing has many singular qualities compared to sports, character, corporate trademark, art, and other segments of the business. One of the most unusual is the propensity for designers to maintain and license under their own names while simultaneously overseeing fashion labels tied to other designers.
While the relationships tend to come and go, some examples over the past couple of years include:
• Jason Wu, who designs Hugo Boss womenswear as well as his own labels. The latter have been featured in exclusive deals with the likes of Nordstrom and Target.
• Alexander Wang, who was the creative director for Balenciaga until the two parted ways this summer. He has worked with H&M and other partners under his own labels.
• Karl Lagerfeld, who has overseen collections for Chanel and Fendi. At the same time, he has designed his own lines for H&M and other collaborators.
• Zac Posen, who is responsible for the Brooks Brothers women’s collection. Under his own name, his partners have included David’s Bridal.
These designers’ signature brands typically have a different following (often younger) than the established brands with which they also are associated. And their own labels tend to be a bit more cutting-edge than their work for the partner brands, which are apt to have a more conservative positioning.
Still, it is a unique attribute of fashion licensing to pit a designer against him- or herself—at least to a degree—when it comes to securing licensees and retail space.
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