Youth Movement

In the last year, fashion brands have been actively looking to the kids’ sector for growth opportunities, often by expanding their children’s businesses—or entering this sector for the first time—through licensing: 

• Superdry got into the kids’ space in a licensing deal with U.K. retailer Next, announced earlier this month. The 95-piece collection, which Next will be manufacturing and retailing exclusively, is aimed at boys and girls aged 2-10 and will debut online in October. It will launch in physical retail in November, starting in five stores, and marks the brand’s inaugural move into this age range. 

• Kontoor Group’s Wrangler brand paired with Brand Machine Group for a kidswear line debuting in the autumn/winter 2024 season. The initiative, which was revealed in August, features contemporary takes on some of Wrangler’s flagship Western styles, including its classic jeans models, tops, and accessories. BMG had previously introduced children’s collections for Lee Jeans, another Kontoor brand. 

• Abercrombie & Fitch is expanding its Abercrombie Kids assortment through a partnership with Haddad Brands. Abercrombie continues to produce clothing for ages 5-14, with Haddad handling distribution in international markets, starting with the fall 2025 collection. Haddad is also bringing the brand to younger consumers, adding infant and toddler categories to the line. The agreement was announced in August. 

• In July, WHP Global said it had licensed its G-Star denim brand to FFI Global to extend its presence in the children’s sector. The kids’ collection, which includes jeans, jackets, t-shirts, and accessories, will offer durability and comfort, as well as style. G-Star is known for its sustainable practices, and the products will integrate organic cotton and recycled materials. The first products launch globally in early 2025.

• AllSaints is working with Next on a premium childrenswear collection, through an agreement made public in June. An initial 45-piece range included sweaters, t-shirts, and dresses for children aged 4-13, followed by a second, 145-piece range that is rolling out between July and October of this year. The products, which represent the first children’s assortment for the brand, are being marketed under the SmallSaints name. 

• True Religion added two kids’ sportswear licensees, through agreements revealed in February. Star Ride is distributing True Religion kidswear in the U.S., Mexico, and several Central American countries, while Mad Engine handles Canada. Both lines, in boys’ sizes 0-16 and girls’ 0-14, launched for back-to-school 2024 and sell through True Religion’s stores and e-commerce platform, as well as other retail channels. The True Religion brand has been in the kids’ space for 10 years. 

• Authentic Brands Group licensed Centric Brands to produce kids’ apparel in the U.S. and Canada for three of its surf-related labels, Quiksilver, Billabong, and Roxy. The partnership was unveiled in November 2023, with the first products for boys’ sizes 0-20 and girls’ 0-16 hitting retail in spring 2024. Initial categories included sportswear, activewear, and swimwear, with outdoor, surf, and skate to follow.  

Of course, licensing may not be the right tool for expanding into the children’s space for all brands at all times. British label Lyle & Scott, whose kidswear business had been licensed to BMG for seven years, said in February 2023 that it had decided to bring the program in-house starting with spring/summer 2024. Its reasoning was that managing the brand internally would help it expand its wholesale distribution internationally, beyond the 42 countries where it had a presence at the time of the announcement, and would aid in the expansion of its own branded retail footprint, which includes specialty childrenswear locations.