Starter teams with Pull&Bear for women’s SS22 capsule

Iconix Europe’s sportswear brand Starter has teamed up once again with Inditex’s youth fashion label, Pull&Bear, to launch a second collection, for spring/summer 2022. 

The new womenswear collection has been created with the aim of combining streetwear with athleisure sportswear for a younger fashion-forward demographic. The colour story is comprised of a mix of Americana-inspired colours such as red, white and blue, offset against neutral beige.

Pieces include an oversized jersey hoodie with shorts co-ord, which incorporates both pile embroidered and printed logos, giving a nod to the initial collection. The collection also offers a variety of printed t-shirts, all of which include printed logos.

To complete the look, Pull&Bear has also developed a selection of varsity-look embroidered logo socks.

This collection is available now in the European/UK markets, both online at pullandbear.com and in a selected group of stores.

Starter marks its 50th anniversary with Pull&Bear collab

 

LEGO Technic unveils McLaren Formula 1 Race Car

LEGO Technic has debuted the McLaren Formula 1 Race Car for fans and collectors of both brands. Designed in close collaboration between engineering experts from the LEGO Group and McLaren Racing as the new Formula 1 race car was in development, the new model plays homage to the team’s 2021 season livery, while giving fans a glimpse of what they might expect from McLaren Racing’s new F1 season model.

The LEGO Technic version of the McLaren vehicle is fully modelled on the life-size version and features a V6 cylinder engine with moving pistons, steering activated from the cockpit, suspension and a differential lock.

“The partnership between the LEGO Group and McLaren continuously develops each time we get together for the next collaboration,” says Neils Henrik Horsted, Head of Product, LEGO Technic. “We never stop trying to excite and inspire our fans by pushing the limits of possibility through the technology and designs produced both on the racetrack and with LEGO building.”

James Key, Executive Director, Technical, McLaren Racing, adds: “We are excited to unveil the unique LEGO Technic model of our McLaren F1 car, a fun and engaging product that celebrates our 2021 season livery while giving fans a hands-on interpretation of the new 2022 F1 car design. This has been made possible by an agile collaboration with the LEGO Group team, who have truly embraced the spirit of our brave and bold approach to design. The final product looks fantastic, and we cannot wait to make this available to our fans.”

The 1,432-piece model measures over 13 cm high, 65 cm long and 27 cm wide and comes with sponsor stickers.

The LEGO Technic McLaren Formula 1 Race Car will be available globally from 1 March 2022 from LEGO.com, in LEGO stores and other retailers globally, and McLaren’s worldwide retailer network, with an RRP of 179,99€ / 179,99$ / £159.99 GBP.

 

Marks & Spencer launches collaboration with SmileyWorld

Marks & Spencer has collaborated with SmileyWorld to create an exclusive capsule collection of clothing, footwear and accessories for kids, launching in store and online from 10 February.

Designed to celebrate positivity, the unisex pieces feature fun, uplifting slogans, with bright eye catching colours, and include nostalgic tie dye clothing and accessories.

An M&S spokesperson said: “With SmileyWorld being a proven evergreen trend in the kidswear arena, the collaborative collection offers unique prints with SmileyWorld icons. With popping tones and fun shapes, this collection is all about embracing uniqueness and not being afraid to be playful with style.”

The SmileyWorld collection will be available exclusively at M&S Online at www.marksandspencer.com and in-store from 10 February.

Prices range from £10-£20.

Billie Faiers unveils home and lifestyle brand Chapter B at Spring Fair

TV personality Billie Faiers has unveiled her new home and lifestyle brand, Chapter B, at Spring Fair at the NEC Birmingham. Billie will develop the brand in partnership with consumer product experts Hunter Price International. 

After being on our screens for over a decade, Billie has become one of the most recognisable faces in entertainment TV. With her life being documented for the nation to see for so many years, Billie has created a loyal following who love her interior design style. Chapter B not only fulfils a long-term life goal for Billie, but also seeks to satisfy her fans’ demand to see more from her in this sector.

Chapter B will encompass home furnishings, accessories, soft textiles, kitchen and dining, for both adults and children. The brand embodies affordable luxe design, combining timeless and on-trend statement pieces, which will evolve each season.

The debut Chapter B collection will go live at the end of August and two of the UK’s leading retailers, Next and Very, have already been confirmed as launch partners. The launch collection will range in price from £15 to £50.

Inspired by Billie’s own children, the Chapter B launch will also include the first ‘Kids Club’ collection, comprising storage, 3D shaped cushions, throws and accessories that can be used everywhere from the nursery to the living room.

Speaking about her new brand, Billie Faiers said: “I can’t believe the day is finally here and we’ve officially launched Chapter B! It’s a hugely proud moment for us all – the start of a very exciting chapter.

“Hunter Price has been the perfect partner to bring my vision for Chapter B to life. It’s required a huge team effort to get to where we are today, from buying and design, to sales and marketing.

“To also have Very and Next as launch partners is an absolute dream. Their customer base has real synergy with where we are positioning Chapter B in the market. We have ambitious goals for Chapter B to become a leading home and lifestyle brand in its own right. We’ve got a long way to go but I believe I am working with the best in the industry to make this a huge success.”

Allana Holmes, head of sales at Hunter Price International, added: “Bringing Chapter B to market in the UK marks a big milestone for Hunter Price.

“We’ve heavily invested in this sector as a business over the years, as it’s been a key area of growth for us. Home and interiors form a huge part of Billie’s life. It’s been well documented that she’s currently building her dream family home and has taken on all the interior design work. She has real credibility within this arena, with a following of millions who look to her for home and interiors inspiration.

“The quality of products will speak for itself and will show we mean business when it comes to creating beautifully crafted products for the home.”

Further details for the consumer launch of Chapter B will be unveiled over the coming months.

For all the latest updates, follow @ChapterBOfficial and @HunterPriceInternational on Instagram, or visit www.Chapter-B.com and www.HunterPrice.co.uk.

 

Rubber Road scores FA deal

Ahead of the much-anticipated FIFA World Cup later this year, Rubber Road has announced a new partnership with The Football Association to produce branded merchandise for 2022.  

The company already has a wealth of partners across global entertainment, tv, movies, gaming, comic books and music, and the addition of sport strengthens its ever-growing portfolio.

Rubber Road and its design arm Numskull Designs are known for creating, manufacturing and distributing official licensed merchandise including gaming accessories, lamps, wireless chargers, collectables and more. One of the new FA branded products will be a Gaming Locker, perfect for storing gaming gear.

Liam Taylor, Commercial Director at Rubber Road, says: “We are massive football fans at Rubber Road and are very excited to be taking our business down a sporting route. Scoring a partnership with The Football Association is the perfect way to kick off.”

Rubber Road’s existing partners include Universal, Warner Bros, Netflix, Xbox, Sony Pictures, Sony PlayStation, SEGA and Hasbro. Franchises in the portfolio include Minions, Harry Potter, DC Comics, Sonic the Hedgehog, Back to the Future, Stranger Things, Jurassic Park, Star Trek, Ghostbusters, Lord of the Rings, Friends, Jaws, Destiny Resident Evil, among others.

Record sales for Pokémon in its 25th anniversary year

The Pokémon Company International has announced that Pokémon celebrated a fantastic year at retail in 2021, seeing a significant increase in sales across Europe for its Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) and toy ranges as it celebrated its 25th anniversary.

Named Best Gaming Licensed Property at the 2021 Licensing Awards, Pokémon was the number 1 property for 2021 in France, Belgium, and the Netherlands, and saw the highest year-on-year sales increase across all listed properties in the UK, France, Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands, according to figures recorded by information specialists NPD Group. Pokémon is the number 1 gaining property in 2021 across the EU8, according to data gathered by NPD, growing by +106% vs. 2020.

Pokémon was the number 1 NPD toy property in France with sales almost double that of the number 2 brand, achieving 102% growth YOY. Pokémon also had five items in the top 50 toys of the year, including Pokémon TCG Battle Academy, the first-ever board game adaptation of the TCG which won the Best Game category at the 2021 US Toy of the Year Awards, coming in at number 7 with over €5m in sales.

In 2021, Pokémon achieved its highest-ever annual position in both Germany and the UK. It was number 9 in Germany with 100% growth, and number 7 in the UK with 78% growth.

Pokémon was number 1 in both Belgium and the Netherlands, achieving an amazing 183% growth in the Netherlands and 125% in Belgium, where its sales were almost double those of the number 2 brand.

In addition to Pokémon’s success in western Europe, TPCi is currently eyeing future growth and is extending its localised marketing efforts for the popular Trading Card Game to Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Israel.

The new Pokémon TCG: Sword & Shield – Brilliant Stars expansion, which introduces the Pokémon VSTAR mechanic, launches on 25 February.

Pokémon toys include Mattel’s Mega Construx Celebration Pikachu, strategy game Pokémon Labyrinth from Ravensburger, and the award-winning range from Jazwares including the popular Pokémon Carry Case Volcano Playset backpack.

“2021 was an exceptional year for Pokémon,” says Mathieu Galante, Licensing Director EMEA for The Pokémon Company International. “Our packed programme of exciting activity and new and different best-in-class product launches, including a host of fabulous anniversary items, resulted in huge demand and surging sales. We are delighted with the superb performance at retail which demonstrates the brand’s continued iconic cultural relevance, and we continue to work hard to bring more innovation to fans over the coming months.”

“Pokémon TCG sales were simply sensational in 2021, breaking all previous records,” says Simon Benton, VP Pokémon TCG Sales Europe. “We would like to thank our retail partners and distributors for their continued support in showcasing the products to consumers. Pokémon is the number 1 NPD property in three countries and also saw astonishing three-digit year-on-year gains across the majority of our key territories. These figures have cemented the phenomenal success of the brand’s 25th anniversary year. With increased TCG distribution set to launch in Eastern Europe, we look forward to expanding our reach in 2022.”

Since its launch in Japan in 1996, Pokémon has grown into one of the most popular entertainment properties in the world, encompassing video games, the Pokémon Trading Card Game, mobile games and apps, animation and movies, Play! Pokémon competitive events, and licensed products.

It is one of the most successful video game franchises of all time with more than 368 million video games sold worldwide. In addition, more than 22 billion Pokémon TCG cards have been shipped to 77 countries in 13 languages, while the mobile game sensation Pokémon GO has received more than one billion downloads globally since launch in 2016. More than 1000 episodes of the animated TV series span 24 seasons, licensed for broadcast in 176 countries and regions in more than 30 languages.

 

 

Metal poster specialist Displate lands Pucca deal

Displate, a leading managed marketplace specialising in creating one-of-a-kind metal posters, has signed an agreement with DeAPlaneta Entertainment to sell unique magnet-mounted metal posters of Pucca, the lifestyle brand based on the iconic South Korean animated character. The new metal posters are now available worldwide on the Displate website.

Pucca joins Displate’s portfolio of well-known brands such as Star Wars, DC Comics, The Witcher, Cyberpunk 2077, Marvel and NASA. Each Displate is a thick metal plate with gallery quality giclée print on it, verified by the Production Master’s signature and hologram for added authenticity and collectors’ value.

For every Pucca purchased poster, Displate will be planting one tree in order to have a positive impact on the planet. To date, the company has sold over 5 million posters and planted over 16 million trees.

“We are thrilled to announce a cooperation with DeAPlaneta Entertainment, which gives us a chance to provide our customers with one-of-a-kind officially licensed metal posters featuring the beloved Pucca,” says Monika Radtke, Partnerships and License Manager at Displate.

Having achieved over 554 million YouTube views and around 2.2 million social network followers, Pucca is a hit all around the world. Pucca has already developed important partnerships for lifestyle with designers such as Maria Escoté, Inditex brands Pull&Bear and Bershka, and White, the Italian designer who created the Pucca True Love capsule. In addition, Pucca launched her own Pucca Store across Europe to allow her fans to find exclusive Pucca fashion, designware and accessories.

DeAPlaneta Entertainment is Pucca’s licensing agent and distributor in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa (EMEA).

 

Dreamtex partners with Universal Brand Development for home décor collection

Home textile specialist Dreamtex has collaborated with Universal Brand Development to add Universal’s globally popular franchises to its portfolio. The collaboration will bring new home décor collections to the market across a variety of brands, including Jurassic World, Illumination’s Minions, as well as DreamWorks Animation’s Trolls and Spirit.

With Universal set to release blockbuster movies Jurassic World Dominion and Illumination’s Minions: The Rise of Gru in summer 2022, the new products will come at an ideal time to capitalise on high consumer awareness and demand for film merchandise. Dreamtex intends to capture the action of these eagerly anticipated cinema releases within its home textile ranges, bringing famous characters and their adventures to life in fans’ bedrooms and living rooms.

Dreamtex has already begun working on the collections and there has been a great response within the industry, with buyers registering their interest. The new designs and products are set to launch as early as this spring.

Ben Sherman introduces Team GB-inspired Humanz NFTs

Extending the Ben Sherman and Team GB collaboration to outfit the official delegation of Team GB athletes, Ben Sherman has re-imagined the iconic line as wearables for the Metaverse. 

Through a partnership with Tokns Commerce and Humanz, Ben Sherman is offering an exclusive opportunity for Team GB fans to own the first custom-designed Humanz NFTs.

The delegation of 250 unique Humanz will wear artist interpretations of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games Opening and Closing Ceremony look worn by the Team GB at the Beijing Games. While the physical items retail as a limited-edition Ben Sherman x Team GB collection available to purchase online from Ben Sherman and Team GB websites, the NFT collection will be available exclusively at TeamgbNFT.com.

Humanz is the creation of a team of illustrators, designed to be a simple, fun and appealing form factor, capable of endless possibilities, representative of familiar characters throughout history, and from all over the world and beyond. An ambitious collection of the remaining 10,000 Humanz will be available to the broader NFT community in a public minting event in March 2022.

Tim Reid, Senior Vice President, for Ben Sherman, commented: “We are thrilled to extend our support of Team GB beyond the Beijing 2022 Games and into the Metaverse. As an iconic fashion brand, this is part of a comprehensive plan to bring Ben Sherman into the world of virtual goods and spaces.”

“We are very excited to partner with Ben Sherman to make creative collectibles available to Team GB fans first,” adds British Olympic Association Commercial Director Tim Ellerton. “As the first Olympic Team to launch an official NFT collection in support of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, we are proud to include this collection alongside our Official Team GB collection at TeamGBNFT.com.”

 

BlackMilk Clothing to release tokidoki collection

BlackMilk Clothing has announced an all-new collaboration with iconic kawaii lifestyle brand tokidoki.

Fans of tokidoki’s fun characters and bold, cute style will be able to wear designs featuring their favourite characters from the brand’s universe – including Unicornos, Mermicornos, Cactus Friends, Moofia and more – on BlackMilk’s signature leggings, overalls, jackets and dresses.

The collection, entitled ‘Sometimes…’, will also introduce a new category for BlackMilk customers with the debut of the company’s very first backpacks, featuring favourite tokidoki prints.

A BlackMilk spokesperson said: “BlackMilk Clothing is well known for both its unique licensed collaborations and its fun, brightly coloured prints, so the playful nature of tokidoki is a perfect fit for the brand.”

The ‘Sometimes…’ collection features 17 quirky licensed tokidoki styles complemented by original BlackMilk prints and designer pieces, and can be viewed on the BlackMilk website. The collection will be available for purchase from 8 February.