Earlier this year, a deal between wedding gown maker Lulu Felice and manga artist Ai Yazawa produced a collection of wedding dresses and other wedding-appropriate formal wear tied to two of the artist’s properties, Nana and Neighborhood Story. Some of the pieces—each line features nine dresses and two tuxes—replicate gowns worn by the lead characters […]
Archive | Licensing
Sports Licensors Win with Wine
Historically, sports viewership has been much more associated with the consumption of beer than with wine. But that situation has been changing over the past few years as sports leagues, teams, and governing bodies have increasingly paired with wine marketers, opening up a new category for promotions and, in some cases, licensed products: In July […]
Hidden Treasure
A design technique that is currently trending in collaborative apparel collections is to hide meaningful text and graphics in linings, pockets, and collars where they are not visible, except to the owner of the piece. A few examples from the world of sports and sportswear this past summer illustrate: Sportscraft, the long-time creator of the […]
Greeting Card Brands Send a Message
Three U.K. greeting card brands have recently taken steps to expand their presence in the market by forging representation agreements with licensing agents to help them facilitate their move into additional product categories or regions: Brilliantly Brave, a new greeting card publisher whose mission is to promote good mental health, both through its messaging and […]
QSRs Scare Up Some Halloween Fun
As the days count down to Halloween, a deal between Chipotle and Spirit Halloween for novelty costumes has added to the options consumers have had at their disposal to dress up as their favorite fast-food dishes come October, whether for trick-or-treating or holiday parties. In fact, quick-service restaurant chains offering costumes depicting fan-favorite foods has […]
Singing the Praises of Fitness
Musicians have been increasingly turning to gyms and fitness companies for commercial partnerships. These initiatives are often mainly promotional in nature, but they tend to have a merchandise component of some sort as well. While musicians have been involved with athleisure collections in the past—think Beyoncé with Adidas or Carrie Underwood with Dick’s, now both […]
Masterpieces on the Clothes Rack
For fast-fashion retailers, offering continuous collaborations with licensed properties, from character and entertainment IP to luxury fashion labels, has long been fundamental to their business model. Working with licensed IP is a critical tool for enabling a never-ending stream of in-and-out products that keeps their young customers coming back regularly to hunt for inexpensive treasures […]
Character-Sports Collaborations for the Win
Just over a year ago, we wrote about how tie-ins bringing together sports organizations and entertainment properties, including musicians and characters, were experiencing a cyclical surge, with collaborations between the NBA, My Hero Academia, and Hyperfly; Major League Soccer, Adidas, and Marvel; and Lacrosse Unlimited and Peanuts among the examples at the time. The trend has […]
At First Blush, An Unexpected Pairing
NYX Professional Makeup announced this month that it was working with chef Gordon Ramsay and his daughter, beauty and lifestyle influencer Holly Ramsay, to create a cake recipe inspired by NYX’s new introduction, Buttermelt Blush. The exclusive recipe—which includes ingredients found in the beauty product, such as shea and almond butters, and results in a […]
Strong Characters Lift Protein and Energy Sector
Nutritional products meant to build strength and stamina and/or increase concentration, verve, and vigor in everyday tasks, have been increasingly active as a category for licensing. Properties from sugary food brands to celebrities have lent their names and/or flavor profiles to protein powders, energy drinks, protein bars, and similar offerings. Characters that embody strength, power, or heroism collectively […]