Leading football clubs around the world, like other sports organizations, have been forging deals with design labels for fashion-forward apparel collections. Some of the examples in the second half of this year: Manchester United paired with True Religion for a line of premium denim for women and men, along with a future junior’s range, sold […]
Archive | Fashion
Model Citizens
Fashion models have inspired licensing and merchandising programs going back at least to Twiggy in the 1960s. Since then, social media, reality television, and other modes of publicity have come to the fore. As a result, today’s consumers not only know more models’ names and faces, but are also familiar with their likes, dislikes, hobbies, […]
Characters and Clothing Meet in Poland
Collaborations between classic characters and contemporary fashion labels are a global phenomenon. A recent case in point is Poland, where three high-profile examples involving global entertainment properties and local designers or fashion retailers have attracted attention this summer and fall: Two retail chains, Reserved and Sinsay, created clothing collections featuring the Pink Panther, in a […]
Fashion x Fashion Collaboration
When it comes to lifestyle collaborations involving licensed properties, much of the attention is directed toward celebrity, character/entertainment, and sports brands that pair with fashion labels. But one of the most active areas of collaboration consists of partnerships between two different labels within the fashion industry. Among the examples introduced or announced in the last […]
Stretching Out
Several recent activewear collaborations have involved specialist brands noted for their expertise in yoga, dance, fitness, and bodywear pairing with celebrities and designers: Gaiam signed actress Jessica Biel for the latter’s first capsule collection. Products include leggings and tops, as well as capris and jackets, in neutral colors. Distribution is through retailers and etailers including […]
Extended-size Expansions
Activity in the historically underdeveloped “plus-size” sector of the fashion industry has been growing and evolving over the past five years. This fall, the interest is as intense as ever, with a number of retailers and brands enhancing their assortments of extended-size apparel. Many of the new initiatives represent add-ons to existing ranges rather than […]
Hat Trick
Athletes playing on professional sports teams have increasingly entered the men’s apparel market, especially through collaborations, proprietary brands, and direct-to-retail deals. These have included players known for their careers in football (e.g., Russell Wilson with his Good Man brand), baseball (Mo Vaughn with his MVP Collections), basketball (Russell Westbrook with his ongoing capsules at Barney’s […]
Mother-Daughter Design
The “mini-me” trend in high-end fashion—in which the design of children’s apparel, even for toddlers, emulates the look of adult pieces—goes back more than two decades. But it has been gaining traction over the past five years, driven in part by social media shots of celebrities’ and influencers’ children and their fashion-forward style choices, as […]
Vision Quest
In these days of collaborations, limited editions, and other in-and-out programs, it is sometimes easy to forget that long-term, traditional licensing deals are still going strong, especially in certain sectors. A case-in-point: eyewear. Collaborations and limited programs exist in this category as well, of course. But properties such as fashion, lifestyle, and luxury brands, among […]
World Cup Couture
With the finals of the FIFA World Cup coming up this Sunday, pitting France against Croatia, it seems like a good time to look at the impact of the competition on the world of high fashion, officially licensed and otherwise. Here are some of the strategies involving fashion labels, designers, sports licensors, and retailers trying […]