The Licensing Letter

Fashion

Disney Dresses Up with Fashion

If you think Disney licensing is all about mass merchant toys and T-shirts, think again. Fast fashion retailer Forever 21 this week rolls out a limited-edition Disney Pixar capsule collection of women's, men's and kids's clothing and accessories that feature character portraits of Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Dory, Nemo, Mike Wazowski and others along with phrases that play off the … [Read more...] about Disney Dresses Up with Fashion

Off-price Channel Continues to Gain Ground Ceded by Department Stores

With the back-to-school retail season in full swing and the holidays just around the corner, there's mounting evidence that the licensed product distribution trends highlighted in TLL Annual Licensing Business Survey—including the growth of the dollar/value/off-price channel and the decline of department/mid-tier stores are picking up steam in 2016. Off-price retailers will … [Read more...] about Off-price Channel Continues to Gain Ground Ceded by Department Stores

Apparel Fuels 3.1% Growth in U.S./Canada Fashion Licensing—Global Growth Is Even Higher

Growing competition; continued decline in the brick and mortar backyard; currency devaluation in Europe and Asia; a fourth quarter retail fiasco. 2015 was a tough year for the fashion industry. Yet, for all of the challenges, fashion licensing prospered in not only in the U.S./Canada but worldwide, according to The Licensing Letter’s Annual Licensing Business Survey. Global … [Read more...] about Apparel Fuels 3.1% Growth in U.S./Canada Fashion Licensing—Global Growth Is Even Higher

2015’s Most Intriguing Fashion Licensing Deals

Here are 10 highlights from 2015, in no particular order, that made headlines and drove the $39.3 billion worldwide industry for licensed fashion merchandise. See the complete story here, including worldwide retail sales of licensed fashion merchandise; breakdowns by property type and product category in the U.S. and Canada; and breakdowns by distribution channel. January: … [Read more...] about 2015’s Most Intriguing Fashion Licensing Deals

Vegan Cosmetics: The Newest Wave in Fashion Brand Building

By Glenn S. Demby, Esq. Quality is no longer enough. Today's consumers also want their brands to have a moral and social conscience. Few sectors have been more responsive to this demand than fashion. Perhaps the most dramatic illustration of this is the proliferation of vegan makeup brands. The Appeal of Vegan "Natural, organic and clean are the buzzwords across the beauty … [Read more...] about Vegan Cosmetics: The Newest Wave in Fashion Brand Building

Shopping for School Supplies, Electronics Moves Online

Back-to-school shopping—including school supplies and electronics—is expected to grow dramatically in the ecommerce channel in 2016, mirroring the growing channel share for ecommerce in licensed product sales overall, as consumers shop for savings. While back-to-school shoppers are still heading primarily to bricks-and-mortar stores, they are increasingly purchasing … [Read more...] about Shopping for School Supplies, Electronics Moves Online

Stephen Curry & His Warriors Top NBA Sales List

By Karina Masolova Reigning NBA MVP Stephen Curry and defending NBA Champion Golden State Warriors reigned as No. 1 on the NBA's most popular jersey and team merchandise lists for the 2015/2016 season. The team's NBA Finals 2016 win landed them on the top of the popular team merchandise list for the first time since January 2015. See the results below, which are based on … [Read more...] about Stephen Curry & His Warriors Top NBA Sales List

Licensed Cannabis the Next Big Thing

This year’s Cannabis World Congress & Business Exposition New York (CWCBExpo NY) welcomed a disparate crowd as businesses sought to stake a claim in an industry estimated to be worth $5.7 billion in the U.S. in 2015, according to ArcView Market Research and New Frontier. While TLL estimates place retail sales of licensed legal cannabis at less than 1% of all industry sales, … [Read more...] about Licensed Cannabis the Next Big Thing

E-commerce Sales Top $11 Billion in 2015; Led by Trademarks and Entertainment

By Karina MasolovaOver $11 billion in licensed merchandise was sold through e-commerce retail channels in the U.S. and Canada in 2015, according to The Licensing Letter’s Annual Licensing Business Survey. Factoring out automobiles and fuel, the U.S. Commerce Department estimates that 10.5% of all U.S. retail sales in 2015 were made online. In contrast, TLL estimates that … [Read more...] about E-commerce Sales Top $11 Billion in 2015; Led by Trademarks and Entertainment