Ruth McCarthy Manton, a pioneer in the business of fashion licensing, passed away at her home on Christmas Eve. Manton was also among the first female fashion journalists in the industry, but it was her innovative work after founding Aries Design Management that made her a force to be reckoned with in the licensing business. Manton's idea was to link up top designers directly … [Read more...] about Fashion Licensing Pioneer Ruth McCarthy Manton Dies at 95
Apparel
VF Corp. Completes Acquisition of Supreme
Two giants of the global shoe industry have merged, as VF Corp. announced it has completed its acquisition of long-time partner firm Supreme, a streetwear company that has collaborated with VF on its North Face, Vans, Timberland and Dickies brands. Supreme, a private company, will now become a wholly-owned subsidiary of VF in what the company calls a "$1 billion global … [Read more...] about VF Corp. Completes Acquisition of Supreme
Erve Europe Lands Deal With Blizzard Entertainment
Licensing company Erve Europe has signed a deal with Blizzard Entertainment adding the wildly popular Overwatch and World of Warcraft games to its product portfolio. Erve Europe is a leader in character licenses and brands for the continent, producing branded fashion and apparel featuring TV, film, cartoon and video game heroes. As part of Erve Group, the company has six … [Read more...] about Erve Europe Lands Deal With Blizzard Entertainment
Bad Boys Ride Together, Die Together, and License Merch Together
Is it really possible that it's only now, 25 years after the first Bad Boys movie dropped, that one can actually buy Bad Boys' merch? Apparently so, and shoppers have only the week before Christmas to get their hands on the Will Smith/Martin Lawrence-themed clothing line at an online pop-up shop, the badboysmoviestore.com. In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the first … [Read more...] about Bad Boys Ride Together, Die Together, and License Merch Together
Bruce Lee and Me: Apparel that Honors the Past While Making a Better Future
Guest Column by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Aristotle said that a friend is a single soul dwelling in two bodies. Bruce Lee and I were friends like that but, man, our two bodies couldn’t have been more different. Bruce was a 5’8” Chinese-American martial artist and I was a 7’2” African-American basketball player. There were other differences: he was raised in Hong Kong, I was raised in … [Read more...] about Bruce Lee and Me: Apparel that Honors the Past While Making a Better Future
Deal Summary: Spread Group, Emoji Co., Lucasfilm, League of Legends
Another week, another slate of great deals in our industry, as we lead our coverage today with expansion of an existing agreement with Warner Bros. and Spread Group. Spread Group Expands Warner Bros. Collaboration Beyond Europe Spread Group - formerly known as Spreadshirt - has worked with Warner Bros. in Europe since 2012, developing more than 1,700 designs for the … [Read more...] about Deal Summary: Spread Group, Emoji Co., Lucasfilm, League of Legends
Konami’s Bomberman and Contra Sign New Merch Deals
Two iconic ... if not historic ... Konami video game franchises will be getting some new merch, thanks to a pair of new licensing agreements signed by Konami Cross Media NY. Bomberman and Contra will soon have more product to offer fans with the conclusion of the new licensing agreements, said Jennifer Coleman, Vice President of Licensing and Marketing, Konami Cross Media NY, … [Read more...] about Konami’s Bomberman and Contra Sign New Merch Deals
We Can All Look Better, Thanks to Queer Eye Licensing Deal
Sartorially challenged men and women everywhere can rest easy, knowing a new licensing agreement will bring the Emmy award winning fashion sense of Queer Eye to an ecommerce portal near you. Scout Productions, the company behind the hit series, announced on November 5 a multi-layered licensing program of new products and the launch of QueerEyeStore.com, bringing fans all … [Read more...] about We Can All Look Better, Thanks to Queer Eye Licensing Deal
Licensed Back-to-School Sales Expected to Rise 2.0% in 2020
Contact the editor at karina@plainlanguagemedia.com Licensed back-to-school sales are expected to climb to $9.6 billion in the U.S. and Canada, according to The Licensing Letter’s estimates. With licensed retail sales up 2.0%, or $188 million, the back-to-school season is expected to help bolster recovery following a difficult second quarter of 2020 and lackluster -0.9% growth … [Read more...] about Licensed Back-to-School Sales Expected to Rise 2.0% in 2020