If you couldn't make it to last month's SURTEX conference in NYC, here are key takeaways about the current state of licensing of surface designs for home goods, fashion, paper and other goods, courtesy of consultant Jeff Grinspan who put together the conference program: Although the industry is more competitive than ever, it's also rife with opportunity; More retailers are … [Read more...] about 10 Things about the Current State of Art Design Licensing You Need to Know
TLL
Klum Speads Color From Down Under
Heidi Klum is ready to import her colorful line of men’s underwear, HK Man, to the U.S., she told WWD in a recent interview. HK Man was launched in Australia and New Zealand and is currently available in the U.S. online via www.heidiklumintimates.com. The site also teases a pending expansion of Klum’s lingerie brands to Europe. Bendon manufactures HK Man, as well as Heidi Klum … [Read more...] about Klum Speads Color From Down Under
Madonna Takes Hard Candy Global
Speaking of fitness-inspired licensing deals, Madonna will expand her Hard Candy Fitness brand with help from Epic Rights, just signed for global merchandising and branding programs. Hard candy Fitness operates luxury fitness clubs in Moscow, Sydney, Mexico City, Rome, Berlin, Toronto, and other big cities around the world. … [Read more...] about Madonna Takes Hard Candy Global
Jillian Michaels Gets a New Licensing Agent
Trainer and life coach Jillian Michaels, from NBC’s The Biggest Loser, signed with Shark Branding to license her brand for categories including swimwear, eyewear, fragrance, cosmetics, skincare, hair care, food appliances, and household cleaning products in North America. Shark Branding will work with Michaels’s company, Empowered Media, to ramp up licensing activity in North … [Read more...] about Jillian Michaels Gets a New Licensing Agent
Larger Fashion Lines a Plus for Retailers
Demand for plus-size women’s clothing is expected to increase strongly through 2019, according to researcher Ibis World, due to factors including rising per capita disposable income, a decline in healthy eating, greater designer collaboration, and greater availability of premium products. The trend is showing up in licensing: In November, plus-size fashion retailer Torrid will … [Read more...] about Larger Fashion Lines a Plus for Retailers
Garfield Gets Global Push
Fat cat Garfield will grow a bit more this year with new direct-to-retail deals in Europe and Asia, a new licensing agent in Japan, and stepped up activity in the U.S. Licensor Paws Inc., is taking Garfield direct-to-retail with new programs with Original Marines in Italy, Undiz in France, and C&A and Rei do Mate in Brazil. In Japan, Tohokushinsha Film Corp. is its new … [Read more...] about Garfield Gets Global Push
Two Buy Fredrick Fekkai
Fragrance and beauty marketers SA Designer Parfums and Luxe Brands are teaming to acquire the Fredrick Fekkai luxury haircare brand and seven salons from Procter & Gamble. The acquisition is part of the companies’ plan to expand their portfolios through brand ownership and licensing to cover all major markets. Together they will launch an Ariana Grande fragrance throughout … [Read more...] about Two Buy Fredrick Fekkai
Peppa Pig Joins the $1 Billion Club
Preschool property Peppa Pig has become a $1 billion property. There was no official announcement. Officials of Entertainment One Ltd., which has licensed Peppa to more than 600 licensees worldwide, recently mentioned Peppa’s having sales above $1 billion in discussing the company’s earnings for the fiscal year ended March 31. Even if it was not delivered with fanfare, the news … [Read more...] about Peppa Pig Joins the $1 Billion Club
Who’s News
Leslie Ferraro, a 16-year Disney veteran most recently as EVP of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, replaces Bob Chapek (current chairman of Parks and Resorts) as president of Disney Consumer Products where she will oversee global operations.Jim Gabel, president of Wolverine’s Performance Group, takes over day-to-day control of the Merrell brand after brand president Gene McCarthy … [Read more...] about Who’s News
Legal Trap to Avoid: Control Licensee Quality or Risk Losing Your Trademark
A winery’s only quality control is the occasional sip and knowing that the licensee’s winemaker has a “world class reputation” (Barcamerica Int’l USA Trust v. Tyfield Importers, (2002)); A bridal franchise collects no royalties and exerts no control over how licensees run their shops (Eva’s Bridal Ltd. v. Halanick Enterprises Inc., (2011)); An internet network trusts its … [Read more...] about Legal Trap to Avoid: Control Licensee Quality or Risk Losing Your Trademark