By Gary Symons
TLL Editor in Chief
The Care Bears is not a brand typically linked to the world of haute couture, but that changed this week.
Cloudco Entertainment, owner of the durably beloved Care Bears brand, has partnered on the release of a limited-edition 40th anniversary couture dress by renowned fashion brand JimmyPaul.
“We are honored JimmyPaul and Difuzed chose to celebrate the Care Bears 40th Anniversary with such a special piece. His colorful, whimsical, and dreamy design captured the spirit of the Care Bears perfectly,” said Cloudco Entertainment’s Vice President of International Licensing, Roubina Tchoboian.
JimmyPaul is known for the use of colorful juxtapositions and a melange of pop culture references, using expressive handcrafted garments and materials – all while having an optimistic view of the world of art and design. Cloudco felt JimmyPaul was a perfect choice for the project, as his work shows that fashion can be fun and have humor, while creating collections that give way to deeper storytelling.
The design, which features several of the Care Bears integrated into what can best be described as a rainbow-hued, cotton candy confection of a dress, was a partnership with both JimmyPaul and Difuzed BV, a leading producer of licensed apparel. The deal was brokered by J&M Brands, a leading licensing agency based in the Benelux region.
Cloudco says the dress marks the launch of a special fashion collection that will create unique collector’s items as well as a mass market collection consisting of apparel and accessories, in the United States and EMEA starting in Q2 2023.
The Care Bears were first introduced in 1982 through consumer products, greeting cards, and later a series of animated television shows and feature films, and quickly became one of the most popular and enduring children’s properties in the world.
To celebrate the Care Bears’ 40th anniversary, JimmyPaul in conjunction with Difuzed, created a bright, colorful, body-hugging, mini-tule dress inspired by the original illustrations, which pays homage to the Care Bears paintings by Elena Kucharik. The Care Bears express their story in a gigantic, rainbow-colored, heart-shaped cloud, “filled with love, fun, friendship and a touch of whimsy.”
Well, maybe more than just a touch of whimsy. This much whimsy would normally have to be shipped by a cargo ship, but there’s no doubt the design is making people smile.
“With this creation, I wanted to show all the positive attributes Care Bears and JimmyPaul stand for,” said Paul, co-founder and designer of the JimmyPaul fashion brand. “While I was working on this dress, the Care Bears made me smile and reminded me how fun it is to create.”
The dress will be unveiled at Brand Licensing Europe, and Paul himself will be available for interviews and to discuss retail opportunities at BLE on Sept. 20 and 21 at the Difuzed Booth C161.
“The collaboration between Difuzed, JimmyPaul and Cloudco brings an exciting new retail opportunity from the catwalk to the high street for existing and new fans of Care Bears,” said Gustavo Antonioni, General Manager for Difuzed BV.