By Allison Watkinson
TLL Reporter
Konami Cross Media NY has secured partnerships for the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise that will bring licensed apparel to fans around the world.
The new licensing partners include Vanquish Fitness, Creating Fun and Steady Hands.
“Each of our new partners is looking to expand their anime presence in the marketplace and Yu-Gi-Oh! is their top choice,” said Konami Cross Media NY VP, Jennifer Coleman. “These agreements will bring new lines of athletic wear, high-end jackets and bespoke knitwear, a new apparel offering for the Yu-Gi-Oh merchandising business.”
Launched in 2015 by Oliver Maloney and Ruben O’Brien, Vanquish Fitness is an apparel brand and online retail company that focuses on offering athletic and fitness fashion.
As a new licensee for the anime franchise, Vanquish Fitness will develop a collection of gym joggers, hoodies, fitness apparel and track suites inspired by characters and imagery from the Yu-Gi-Oh! IP.
Creating Fun is a boutique apparel and online retail brand that combines bespoke craftsmanship with modern streetwear style.
The company has signed on to develop a collection of unique and high-end fashion products for the well-known anime series.
Known for its knitwear collections, Steady Hands is a bespoke fashion and décor brand that has built a strong fanbase through its use of social media marketing and online engagement.
For the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise, Steady Hands will deliver a line of bespoke knitted products, as well as other items like t-shirts, button-ups and blankets.
The main apparel collection will follow a Steady Hands’ capsule collection for the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game that features a range of branded accessories.
Konami Cross Media initially connected with Steady Hands at the recent Licensing Expo event.
First launched as a manga series by Kazuki Takahashi, Yu-Gi-Oh! follows a young boy named Yugi Mutou who is possessed by an ancient spirit after activating an artifact called the Millennium Puzzle. Throughout the series, Yugi and his friends have to face numerous challengers who wield other Millenium artifacts through card-based Shadow games.
Since its debut, the Yu-Gi-Oh! IP has expanded into a global multi-media franchise that includes numerous manga volumes, anime series, feature films, trading card games, licensed consumer products and more. Konami Cross Media NY is responsible for handling the licensing rights for the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise outside of Asia.
Photo Credit: Yu-Gi-Oh! Crossbody Bag, courtesy of Steady Hands.