Differentiation in the denim category can be difficult to achieve (through licensing or otherwise), compared to other sectors of apparel that allow for more variation and flexibility in terms of design and fabrics. In addition, there is significant and strong competition in this segment, both from denim brands such as Levi’s and Wrangler and from […]
Archive | Fashion
Pro Athletes’ Goal: Menswear Deals
Through social media, television exposure, and paparazzi pictures, many major league athletes have become known for their fashion sense off the field. As a result, several current and former athletes have entered the men’s apparel category, mostly through direct-to-retail licensing deals and often with a focus on tailored suits and related accessories: Former NFL defensive […]
More Fashion Options for Your Pet
The pet products category has seen a recent bump in activity tied to celebrity-driven fashion and lifestyle brands. Notable names entering or announcing their entrance into the market over the past six months include: Ellen DeGeneres, who licensed Posh Paws for a line of pet accessories under her ED lifestyle brand, which also has deals […]
Sleeping with the Enemy
Two specialty apparel retailers, Oasis and The Limited, have added their names this year to the ever-growing stable of retail chains embarking on outbound licensing programs. Oasis, a U.K. fashion retailer with 300 stores in the U.K. and Ireland and 79 elsewhere, retained Golden Goose as its licensing agent last month. It already has licensees […]
Multitasking Is In Fashion
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 […]
Building a Bridge
The fashion sector within the licensing business has traditionally been somewhat set apart from the character, sports, art, and corporate arenas. To many fashion executives, licensing is viewed as a core tool for brand extension, fully integrated into other operations, rather than an “industry” on its own. Many do not see themselves as part of […]
Stop and Smell the Clothes
More licensed products made of fabric are incorporating scent as a differentiator. In some cases, the pairing is purely for novelty appeal. The limited-edition, eight-piece Wildfox Resort 14 Barbie Dreamhouse capsule collection of apparel and accessories, debuting last November, included some items with a sunscreen or cotton candy scent that lasted through 10 to 12 […]
Style Above All
Celebrities from Sarah Jessica Parker to David Beckham to Taylor Swift are often referred to as style icons, especially in connection with their expansion, through licensing or collaborations, into apparel and accessories. Some celebrities have become so defined by their style that their identification as style icons often transcends any mention of the career that […]
West Meets East
U.S.-based licensors of classic characters are making inroads into the Chinese market by forging deals with fashion-forward retail operators. Three examples announced in the last month illustrate the trend: Twentieth Century Fox paired with Her-Chain Clothing, a multibrand retailer, and HongFang Group to open Simpsons flagship apparel stores across the country. King Features and its […]
The Rise of the Athleisure Class
The emergence and growth of the “athleisure” category within the women’s fashion industry—consisting of clothing that is appropriate for everything from working out to running errands to casual social outings—has been a well-documented trend over the past couple of years. And licensing has had a role in several of the highest-profile launches, especially within the […]