This year has seen significant numbers of mergers and acquisitions in the global fashion industry, with much of the action centered in the luxury and/or direct-to-consumer spaces. Some of the reasons given for the high level of activity include consolidation in the digital-first DTC space; the need to strengthen omnichannel distribution capabilities; a wish to […]
Archive | Fashion
Better Together
Licensors have over the years become more flexible in how their IP is integrated into licensed merchandise, as they look for ways to keep their properties and products fresh and embrace ideas from their licensees on how to do so. A relatively new manifestation of this trend is some licensors’ openness to redesigning their corporate […]
Clear and Compliant
A fashion trend was born when operators of sports contests, music festivals, concerts, and other big gatherings, due to security concerns, began requiring ticket holders to carry bags that were clear and limited in size, in lieu of traditional backpacks and purses, in order to gain entry. Enterprising designers, seeing sports and music fans replace […]
Tour de Collaboration
The pairing of cycling gear with fashion, art, and lifestyle labels—a trend that fashion industry watchers trace back to Rapha’s first collaboration with designer Paul Smith in 2007—continues to flourish in 2023, with a number of high-end cycling apparel brands announcing capsules with notable names in the fashion and lifestyle segments. Here is a look […]
What to Wear to The Barbie Movie
The licensing program for The Barbie Movie, set for a July 21, 2023, release, has more than 100 merchandise licensees on board, alongside a bounty of promotional partnerships, and it comes with high expectations for success. It is reminiscent of movie licensing programs of yore, which routinely had long licensee lists, although those would have […]
Fast Forward on Phygital Fashion
Fashion and lifestyle brands, especially in the luxury and athleticwear spaces, have been active experimenters in the use of NFTs. Many of the initiatives to date have focused on using NFTs to enhance consumer engagement and reward fans with exclusive content or experiences. Increasingly, however, fashion labels are trying to tie NFTs with physical products […]
Leaving a Footprint
Footwear brands, designers, and 3D printing manufacturers have been collaborating on 3D-printed shoes for at least a decade, and the number of examples has slowly been growing over time. This year designer collaborations have been notable enough on the runways that 3D-printed footwear has been called out by fashion watchers as a key trend of […]
Now Hear This: OTC Creates Opportunity
By Karen Raugust on May 22, 2023 in Consumer electronics, Diversity/Inclusion, Fashion, Licensing, Wellness
Hearing aids became available over the counter in the U.S. in October 2022, making them more accessible and lowering prices. The change has enticed consumer electronics companies including Bose and Sony, who see potential in the market and are entering the category alongside the traditional specialist marketers. A few collaborations are starting to emerge in […]
Designers Bring Diversity to Hockey
Professional hockey clubs, like pro teams in other sports, are increasingly collaborating with local designers on limited-edition lifestyle apparel collections, many with an eye toward diversity: The Arizona Coyotes of the National Hockey League introduced a new third jersey at the beginning of this year in collaboration with designer Rhuigi Villaseñor, founder of the luxury […]
Standing in Someone Else’s Shoes
As retailers continue to increase brand-extension activity based on their proprietary IP—through licensing or other models—footwear has, not surprisingly, become a key category of interest for retail chains in the fashion and lifestyle spaces. Sometimes the licensed or collaborative shoes are sold primarily in the licensors’ own stores, but they often find distribution opportunities in […]