Pairings of fashion designers with arts and crafts suppliers have been few and far between, but they do pop up occasionally. Such alliances makes sense, not only because both partners are focused on creative pursuits, but because designers’ sketches of their concepts, prior to any cutting and sewing, are often works of art in and […]
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Beauty Can Be Fleeting
Some analysts and observers have been predicting the end of the celebrity beauty trend for several years, as the market has grown saturated with myriad examples of celebrity-owned, licensed, and collaborative brands. While predictions of the demise of the entire sector haven’t come to pass, as Rihanna, Jessica Alba, Serena Williams, Harry Styles, and dozens […]
Every License Has Its Day in Pet Products
Licensing has been a big business within the pet products and services industry for at least a decade, and has had a presence for many years before that. While new deals do not come up as frequently today as they did five or so years ago, IP owners and pet products marketers continue to partner […]
Luxury Labels Wage A Charm Offensive
Bag charms have been a notable accessory in the luxury handbag sector over the last year or so, part of a broader ongoing trend pairing fun with high-end fashion. The craze has also been driven by the industry’s current focus on Y2K-era retro styles. Miu Miu and Balenciaga were among the labels that notably highlighted […]
Retail Results: Hard Times for Home Goods
Four major multi-category retailers that released their 2024 financial results in the last month showed significant declines in sales of home goods. The category often (but not always) lagged behind other segments, according to the companies’ filings and third-party analyses of the results. The numbers illustrate the continued challenges that have been facing this sector […]
Court Craze Continues
Summer is peak season for pickleball, and the newly popular sport—which was invented in 1965—continues to gain strength as the fastest-growing participation sport in the U.S. It follows that commercial partnerships centered on the activity remain top of mind as well, from sponsorships and promotions, to logoed paddles, to designer-driven pickleball collections featuring apparel, footwear, […]
Feeling Blue
A number of recent licensed and collaborative products have taken denim—or at least its look and feel—into categories where it has not traditionally had much of a presence: Lingerie. Last week, American Eagle said it was pairing with sibling lingerie and casual apparel brand Aerie for the first time to launch a limited collection of […]
A Matter of Pride
By Karen Raugust on June 17, 2024 in Branding/marketing, Diversity/Inclusion, Licensing, Politics/social movements
The significant consumer backlash suffered by companies such as Target, Bud Light, Disney, Starbucks, the L.A. Dodgers, and others for their Pride promotions in 2023 has led some key companies to reduce their public support of Pride Month in 2024, or avoid acknowledging the moment altogether. For example: Target is cutting back on its Pride […]
Chefs Prep More Plant-Based Products
Chefs and food influencers, both vegan and meat-eating, have over the years participated in collaborative initiatives involving plant-based dishes, such as creating limited-time menus in colleagues’ vegan restaurants, introducing other chefs’ vegan menu items in their own restaurants, or participating in pop-up vegan dinner experiences. They have also slowly become more active in partnering with […]
Making News with Consumer Products
Legacy newspaper and magazine brands have been struggling financially for years, in part because of increased competition from digital news and information sites. More recently, however, the latter have been facing equally steep challenges, as consumers rely less on—and often mistrust—official news organizations and turn instead to independent, often opinion-driven sources they follow on social […]