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 […]
A League of Their Own
The U.S. sports licensing landscape is expanding, incrementally, with the launch or expansion of new merchandise programs tied to professional sports leagues beyond the “big five” of the National Football League, Major League Baseball, National Basketball Association, National Hockey League, and Major League Soccer. Property owners—mostly brand-new leagues—that have recently introduced licensing and/or sponsorship initiatives […]
Hosts With the Most
TV and radio presenters—hosts of talk shows, reality TV series, game and competition shows, and the like—comprise a growing sector within celebrity licensing. Some recent examples of merchandise initiatives involving TV presenters include: Ellen DeGeneres, among the most active in the group, who recently announced a line of 60 fashion pieces at Walmart under the […]
A Spoonful of Sugar
So much for a healthy breakfast. A trend in the world of licensed and co-branded breakfast foods is to pair cereals with sugary snacks, with each of the big-three cereal makers recently introducing or announcing its own example: Kellogg’s confirmed in August that it would release a Pop Tarts cereal, Pop Tarts Crunch, in 2019. […]
Family Fandom
By Karen Raugust on September 17, 2018 in Character/Entertainment, Demographic groups, Infant products, Licensing
It wasn’t that long ago that a property associated with violence, swearing, and/or adult themes would be unlikely to find its way into the baby products category. But things have changed, as three recent deals illustrate: • Blizzard Entertainment licensed Líllébaby for baby carriers made of a printed fabric inspired by Battle of Azeroth, the […]
Toy Story
As we approach the all-important fourth-quarter selling season for toys, it seems like a good time to take a look at what has been happening in the industry since Toys ‘R’ Us closed the last of its U.S. stores in June of this year, after declaring bankruptcy in September 2017: Other retailers are trying to […]
Healthy Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous
Despite upheaval, consolidation, and the struggles of brands such as Blue Apron and Chef’d, the meal kit business continues to look to high-profile properties from outside the industry for new branded and signature programs. One of the strong pockets of activity of late consists of celebrities launching healthy meal kits, with many examples focused on […]
Offline Offerings
Most of the attention when it comes to licensed properties with digital origins—e.g., downloading, streaming, social media—has historically been on influencers, entertainment properties, and games. Add to that list a growing number of brands associated with distribution platforms and lifestyle destinations, which have been proliferating in the licensing and experiential arenas since early 2017. Among […]
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 […]