The Licensing Letter

Accessories

Licensing Litigation

Hollywood Reporter reports that Disney "narrowly preserved" a win against author Royce Mathew in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals over its Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. The legal battle has been on-and-off for over a decade, but the current controversy centers around a release Mathew signed when he withdrew a 2005 complaint alleging that Disney had used his work. Mathew … [Read more...] about Licensing Litigation

LVMH Brings Eyewear Licenses In-house

Luxury goods group LVMH will set up a manufacturing joint venture with eyewear manufacturer Marcolin to give it more control over its eyewear brands. The French licensor will own 51% of the venture, and Marconi the rest. The deal also involves LVMH taking a 10% stake in the Italian company. Marcolin will begin manufacturing eyewear for the Celine and Louis Vuitton brands from … [Read more...] about LVMH Brings Eyewear Licenses In-house

Licensing Shorts

Government seizures of counterfeit products totaled over 31,560 goods in fiscal year 2016, up over 9% to an estimated $1.3 billion based on the MSRP of seized goods. The top categories were apparel and accessories (over 20% of all seizures, valued at $110.8 million). Watches and jewelry continued to be the top products seized, with a value of more than $635.5 million. Handbags … [Read more...] about Licensing Shorts

Retail Sales of Licensed Wearables Up in Every Territory in 2015

By Glenn S. Demby, Esq. Worldwide retail sales of apparel/accessories/footwear tied to licensed properties were up a robust 3.9% at just below $66.1 billion in 2015. Wearables is a bellwether of overall licensing business due not only to its size, but because it provides an outlet for so many of the industry's most important property types including fashion, … [Read more...] about Retail Sales of Licensed Wearables Up in Every Territory in 2015

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

Lady Gaga and Elton John Become the Latest to Launch a Macy’s Exclusive

By Glenn S. Demby, Esq. Limited-edition celebrity lines are an old hat for Macy's. But the upcoming Love Bravery line set to debut at 150 stores next week is a bit different. The exclusive apparel and accessories collection comes from not one, but two, slightly offbeat celebs who don't normally do many of these deals—Lady Gaga and Sir Elton John. Love Bravery is also a … [Read more...] about Lady Gaga and Elton John Become the Latest to Launch a Macy’s Exclusive

St. Patrick’s Spending to Reach $4.8 Billion

A robust 55% of Americans, or 133 million people are planning to indulge in the Irish spirit on Thursday according to the National Retail Federation’s St. Patrick’s Day consumer survey conducted by Prosper Insights and Analytics. On average, they’ll spend $35 in grocery stores, restaurants and stores selling green merchandise. Although not as high-profile as other holidays, … [Read more...] about St. Patrick’s Spending to Reach $4.8 Billion

Toys/Games, Food/Beverage & Apparel Lead Growth on Products Side

For the second straight year, toys/games was the fastest growing product category, posting an 8.1% increase. Growth in toy and game merchandise has mirrored (and fed off of) the success of the entertainment/character property type over the past three years. As in 2013 and 2014, connection to “A-list” entertainment properties like Frozen, Star Wars and Minions drove growth in … [Read more...] about Toys/Games, Food/Beverage & Apparel Lead Growth on Products Side