The Licensing Letter

Accessories

Fashion Rumble in Eyewear & Fragrance

Both the FTC as well as EU antitrust regulators have closed their respective investigations into a proposed $58.49 billion (€48 billion) merger between eyewear giants Essilor and Luxottica. The EU said that it "coordinated closely" with the FTC on the case, unconditionally approving the merger and stating that the deal would not harm competition. French-based Essilor controls … [Read more...] about Fashion Rumble in Eyewear & Fragrance

Around the World—10/30/2017

Epic Rights and Pan Inc. will develop music artist and celebrity merchandising and branding opportunities in Japan together. Epic executives Lisa Streff and Dan Levin will manage the day-to-day business with Pan Inc. American eSports organization Cloud9 has raised $25 million in Series A financing from companies and parties including WWE, the Beverly Hills Sports Council, … [Read more...] about Around the World—10/30/2017

Roundup: Business & Legal

The parentco of Coach, Kate Spade New York, and Stuart Weitzman will re-brand itself as Tapestry effective Oct. 31, 2017. CEO Victor Luis told WWE that the shift reimagines Coach as a "true house of emotional, desirable brands," that will "extend into new categories and markets" within "the very attractive and growing $80 billion global market for premium handbag and … [Read more...] about Roundup: Business & Legal

Experiential Roundup

Nickelodeon and Spin Master take Paw Patrol to Visionworks locations as part of a back-to-school initiative. Kids who have completed their annual eye exam get a free gift, which includes a Paw Patrol activity sheet, crayons, stickers, and a character mask. Beginning this July, the retailer will also debut it first-ever kids’ line of Paw Patrol frames, designed and distributed … [Read more...] about Experiential Roundup

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