Category Archives: Lifestyle

Oxford’s finest | Start Licensing’s Ian Downes on exploring The Ashmolean through licensing

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Founded in 1683, The Ashmolean is the University of Oxford’s museum of art and archaeology, with world famous collections spanning Egyptian mummies to contemporary art. Recognised as the first museum to open its doors to the general public, The Ashmolean holds its ability to tell human stories ‘across cultures and across time’ at the centre of its narrative strain.

And that’s a narrative that the museum has seen vast success in translating into the licensing space, too. Now, with Start Licensing’s own Ian Downes leading the Great British – and one of Oxfordshire’s finest – establishment’s deeper dive into the licensing sector, and with the promise of life springing back into the country’s museum and heritage sector itself, The Ashmolean appears more ready than ever to explore the depths at which its licensing story can be told.

We catch up with Start Licensing’s Ian Downes to learn more about the potential.

With such a wealth of heritage and history not just surrounding the Ashmolean but within it, where do you begin with addressing its potential in the licensing space? Perhaps at the very beginning would make sense, how did the Ashmolean take its first steps into the licensing space?

Like many Museums the Ashmolean has looked at licensing as a way of creating a new revenue stream and a platform for promoting its collection to the public. They have been active in licensing for a number of years and have also had a very active publishing programme. The licensing team at the Ashmolean felt they would benefit from some additional support from a third party agency and ran a tendering process to recruit an agency which I am pleased to say Start Licensing won.

One motivation for the Ashmolean to work with an agency was to extend its reach into new parts of the licensing market and to access new ideas. They had a good foundation of licensees already including well known names such as Surface View, Flametree Publishing, Woodmansterne and Fox & Chave. This has given them exposure in the market and insight into the workings of licensing. Part of our role is to build on this and identify new ways of working.

A key part of this has been to identify core areas for developments such as home decor coupled with identifying design resources. The team at the Ashmolean has been sourcing reference material from the collection on a theme by theme basis to help with business development – for example, we have reference for parts of the collection like ceramic tiles and also design themes like Christmas. This makes it easier to target licensees with ideas. In addition the Ashmolean is working very closely with certain licensees to develop opportunities. For example it’s now working with an apparel company to support it designwise as it responds to retailer briefs and design requests. This hands on approach appeals to licensees and reflects the way that licensees have to pitch to retailers these days.

What has this all taught you about the relationship that the museum could have with the licensing space, and the potential for what the Ashmolean could bring to the ‘heritage licensing’ space?

Given there are some very successful heritage brands in the market already, I think we have to work harder to create a point of difference. I think part of this is being design lead and making it easier for licensees to access the collection in a thematic way.

We need to also be tuned into trends and retailer requests. It is good to know that the Ashmolean is prepared to put time into development work in this way. The fact that licensees can work directly with the Ashmolean team is a good thing and an attractive attribute. Licensees can benefit from the Ashmolean’s detailed knowledge of the collection and its suitability for licensing. We are also working on opportunities that are driven by the Ashmolean’s exhibition programme.

Exhibitions create a real focus on specific parts of the collection and are in a sense, design refreshes. Recently the Ashmolean has had a Pre-Raphaelites exhibition featuring work from John Ruskin. On the back of this we have developed a licensing deal with the Isle of Man Post office and also Conway Stewart for a high end Limited edition pen featuring Ruskin. Both licensees were able to leverage their launches off the publicity the exhibition received.

We are also keen to develop mini programmes fired up by parts of the Ashmolean collections which are particularly strong, such as their coin collection. They have a specific coin gallery that tells the story of money. They have some fabulous coins such as the Oxford Crown minted in Oxford during the English Civil War – we think this sort of thing should interest direct marketing companies who produce collectible coins.

I read that the Ashmolean was the first museum to open its doors to the public, which gives it a rich history in making art and cultural exploration accessible to everyone. Is this an ethos that carries strong within your approach to licensing? What story are you telling through your licensing partnerships and plans? 

Where possible, licensed products are set in the context of the collection. For example the Conway Stewart pen includes a booklet that tells the story of the Museum plus focusses on John Ruskin. The Ashmolean is able to support licensees in this way to add colour and depth to products.

As mentioned earlier, licensing can also create a window for the Ashmolean to shine a light on its collection, helping to bring it to a new audience and to inspire people to visit the Museum. The Museum is a fantastic source and resource. We think licensing can help celebrate the collection and give fresh impetus to it. Seeing designs from the collection feature on licensed products is great and a way of celebrating the original work and creators.

Done well, licensing of a heritage brand can help demystify things and can bring things alive for a new audience. It is also a great chance for licensees to access a wonderful resource that will give them a really authentic story to sell to consumers and retailers.

How is the Ashmolean using licensing to unlock history, art, and different cultures for new generations? What role does the licensing strategy play in preserving the legacy of the museum, and how is this reflected in the partnerships you embark on?

One aspect of this is that licensing is a source of income which helps support the Museum’s work. So there is a direct practical benefit. Licensing can help in bringing parts of the collection to the fore that were maybe overlooked before and it can help draw attention to particular parts of the collection.

Flametree has had great success with Dutch Still Life artwork from the collection. Its calendars have been a great showcase for artwork and may well have encouraged people to come to the museum to see the art in situ.  We are trying to take a product sector and thematic approach to licensing backed up with appropriate materials sourced from the collection. As well as design elements this includes the back story and context for artefacts. This puts the licensing into a context and in some cases helps inspire a direction of travel. For example knowing the story behind the Ashmolean’s ceramic tile collection will help licensees in their product development and also to build a marketing story. In turn this will help consumers gain a better understanding of the collection and the influences behind it.

“I think it is important to innovate in product development terms whilst protecting the legacy of the collection. Innovation can be married with elements of the collection well.”

How has ‘heritage licensing’ changed over recent years? What do consumers expect in terms of brand narrative and storytelling in ‘heritage licensing’ today, and how is this reflected in your approach?

I would say it is a category of licensing that is much more established now and it has moved more into the mainstream. It is less the domain of specialist licensees and a wider cross section of licensees are engaged with it. There is, of course, still a bedrock of licensees that are experts in the category and have built great distribution for heritage brands.

I think consumers are more interested in the authenticity of products these days and products using heritage licenses can provide a very authentic backstory. I think consumers are interested in things like design themes and influences. Heritage licensing by definition has history behind it and that creates a point of difference in a licensing context. Telling the story of objects in conjunction with licensing is a good selling point for licensing and licensees. They can add value to their products and create products that engage with consumers because of the context around them.

The licensing and storytelling potential the Ashmolean boasts must be hugely exciting to explore. What level of creativity does the depth of the portfolio afford you with your licensing plans? 

It has been really enjoyable exploring the museum and its collections with an eye on licensing and design. Pre Lockdown this was something we could do on site, but in recent times this has moved to a more online or virtual process. The Ashmolean has a great website which is a useful reference point for design inspiration.

The licensing team at the Ashmolean has also been very proactive in their support of the licensing programme. They have researched the collections on our behalf to respond to licensing briefs and ideas. This has helped give us a great tool kit to share with licensees. In addition we have created some product concepts and visuals to show licensees how the collection can be translated to licensed products. There is a fair degree of creative freedom for licensees and they can access a whole spectrum of source material to build designs from. We are also exploring specific themes to fit into product opportunities like Male Gifting and Grooming. Here we are accessing specific assets such as art prints and illustrations that fit that category.

We have also created a Curated by design style to allow us to use the Ashmolean name and branding in a different way and to open up the potential for different parts of the collection.

How do you strike the balance in innovating and retaining the heritage and legacy of the museum? 

 I think it is important to innovate in product development terms whilst protecting the legacy of the collection. Innovation can be married with elements of the collection well. We are open to new ideas and new opportunities but would always want to make sure that the Ashmolean’s assets are used in an appropriate way. They work in new categories for licensing such as spirits – there is an Ashmolean Gin, for example. I think part of the skill set is matching products with assets in an appropriate way.

How has the consumer’s relationship with ‘heritage licensing’ changed in the last 12 months? Has lockdown and the pandemic changed the way in which people want to experience art and culture? How does this influence your licensing strategy?

 I think museums, galleries and other institutions worked hard to provide opportunities for the public to remain engaged with them. This ranged from virtual tours to online talks and in other cases collaborating with third parties to develop easy to access content. For example, the Ashmolean worked with the BBC in the early days of Lockdown to produce a programme that was a tour of their Young Rembrandt exhibition. People couldn’t visit the Museum but by filming the exhibition in situ people could still see it and get a sense of it.

The Ashmolean also has a strong following of members and supporters. It has stayed in touch with them throughout the lockdown and has still published the members’ magazine. The magazine has featured licensed products such as the John Ruskin pen. My sense is that people are keen to get back into museums and early indications are that visitors are coming back to the Ashmolean.

The Ashmolean normally has a significant percentage of visitors from outside the UK most notably from the US, China and Japan. We would expect these visitors to return in due course. From a licensing point of view, I think we are keen to showcase and represent all aspects of the Museum’s collection. My sense is that Ashmolean visitors enjoy the rich mixture of the collection and enjoy strolling around the whole Museum. It is important we allow licensees and licensing to reflect this.

What categories or licensing partners will be key to you as you continue to build on the Ashmolean portfolio? Are there any categories you’d like to take the brand into, or boundaries you’d like to push to the next level in art and heritage licensing?

There are a number of categories already in place including Woodmansterne for greetings cards, Surface View for print on demand wall art and coverings, Fox & Chave for ties, The Oxford Artisan Distillery for gin, Flametree for calendars and PJ Studio Accessories for scarves.

In addition, there art good relationships with companies like King & McGaw who work with the museum on print on demand art prints. We have added in the Isle of Man Post Office and Conway Stewart recently. There is also a new deal with start up business Blu Goblin for special edition postcard prints.

We are in active conversations with an apparel company, home decor companies and soft furnishing companies. We are keen to develop these further and also to broker partnerships with brand owners to develop collections in tandem with the Ashmolean.

Beyond the collection, the Ashmolean can support licensees in areas like PR , photo shoots, displays and sponsorship. There is scope for partners to create very rounded partnerships that feature licensing but go beyond a straight product relationship – for example, a paint company could sponsor an exhibition, have their paints used on the gallery walls and sell a licensed range. We are also keen to engage with companies from the arts and crafts area – the Ashmolean has been inspiring people for years. It seems sensible to think that companies who manufacture art kits, craft kits and accessories might see a value in partnering with the Museum to build new collections which can be linked to content from the Museum and featuring well known artists.

We also think it would be great to work with companies based in and around Oxford. One idea is to try to persuade Mini to develop a Limited Edition Mini featuring design elements sourced from the Museum and then feature the Mini at the Museum. The Mini is manufactured roughly three miles from the Ashmolean. Would be great to see two of Oxfordshire’s best known names work together.

What can we expect from the Ashmoelan in the licensing space in the coming year and beyond? What’s the next step for you guys in the sector?

We are keen to keep the momentum going – we have new partners and a number of the existing partners are adding to their ranges. It has also been great see how partners like Woodmansterne have embraced the opportunity and partnership. at the last Spring Fair Woodmansterne used an Ashmolean artwork to theme their stand featuring a large scale artwork as the centrepiece.

It is great to see an experienced licensee like Woodmansterne recognise the quality of the Ashmolean’s collection and to celebrate it in such grand style. We hope to develop some more partnerships that work across different levels and allow both partners to build the partnership beyond a product relationship.

We are always opening up the archive to inspire fresh thinking and ideas. We hope to invite more licensees and retailers to visit the Ashmolean and see the collection for themselves. It won’t fail to inspire and impress.

Sesame Street enters the mindfulness market with Headspace podcast and Penguin Random House books

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Headspace, a global leader in meditation and mindfulness, and Sesame Workshop, have launched a new podcast project that uses meditation and mindfulness techniques to help children relax during their bedtime routines.

The first episode will launch on June 13, 2021 with 11 subsequent episodes launching every Sunday through August 29.

Developed by a team of early childhood and meditation experts at Sesame Workshop and Headspace, Goodnight, World! looks to help children practice transitioning from their active days to naptime or bedtime. Each episode includes: a wind-down story narrated by a rotating cast of Sesame Street friends; a “sleep journey” led by one of Headspace’s sleepcast readers, and a soothing soundscape of music and relaxing sounds that evoke places like Big Bird’s nest and Abby Cadabby’s fairy garden.

“Maintaining healthy routines helps young children understand their world and feel secure – especially this year, when we’ve all experienced so much upheaval and disruption,” said Gabriela Arenas, Sesame Workshop’s vice president of licensing, North America.

“Even beyond bedtime and naptime, mindfulness is a powerful tool to help kids calm their bodies and regulate their emotions, skills that set them up for success in school and in life. We’re thrilled to work with Headspace to make the practice accessible to families everywhere.”

Episodes of Goodnight, World! are structured to follow families through a typical bedtime routine. In the opening stories, Sesame Street characters model the same feelings of reluctance that many kids experience before bedtime – and tap into the same mindfulness strategies described later in the episodes.

Guided “sleep journey” meditations use techniques like belly breathing, visualizations, and affirming self talk to help kids independently manage the transition from waking time to bedtime.

“Teaching kids the fundamentals of mindfulness and meditation that they can use not only at nap and bedtime, but any time of day, is critical in helping them grow and is at the core of our mission to improve the health and happiness of the world. That’s why we’re so excited to expand our resources for families through our partnerships with Sesame Workshop and Random House Books for Young Readers,” said Morgan Selzer, VP Content at Headspace.

Headspace and Sesame Workshop are also working with Random House Children’s Books to adapt their successful Sesame Street Monster Meditation series of animated shorts into a six-volume series of board books for children aged two to five years old.

The books will include the same characters, themes, and plotlines as the popular videos, which have been viewed more than 30 million times to date. The series launches with Sesame Street Monster Meditation: Being Patient with Cookie Monster on June 29, 2021, and continues with Sesame Street Monster Meditation: Getting Ready for Bed with Elmo on September 28, 2021.

More books are planned for 2022.

“Sesame Workshop and Headspace have created something truly exceptional with their Sesame Street Monster Meditation video series,” said Sonali Fry, VP and director of classic brands and preschool publishing, Random House Children’s Books.

“Through entertaining stories that feature fan-favorite Sesame Street characters, they provide young children with valuable mindfulness techniques. We are excited to continue their mission through our new collection of board book adaptations, which will introduce emergent readers to a variety of helpful meditation exercises for every occasion.”

Royal Ascot launches its first online shop and lines up new premium British brand partnerships

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Ascot Racecourse has launched a suite of new licensed product collections for 2021, with a selection of premium British brands and its first online shop through a flurry of deals brokered by IMG.

In a landmark moment for the racecourse, The Ascot Shop was launched in April and represents Ascot’s first e-commerce offering. Beyond the eight on-site stores managed by IMG, Ascot and Royal Ascot collections will now be showcased and available for consumers to purchase globally throughout the year via The Ascot Shop.

Meanwhile, new licensed products for 2021 include L.K.Bennett ladies ready-to-wear silk dresses, jumpsuits, skirts and tops, suits and silk scarves, plus Ascot’s first footwear collection, featuring courts and wedges. Available now from L.K.Bennett stores in the UK and China and John Lewis, prices range from £175-450.

In another first, 2021 marks the first year Royal Ascot will permit navy blue morning suits inside the Royal Enclosure. To celebrate, Favourbrook has launched its first Royal Ascot collection featuring a navy morning suit in addition to the more traditional grey and black variants. The collection also includes pinstripe trousers, waistcoats, ties and pocket squares.

Radley’s 2021 Royal Ascot collection has 13 new styles, including small leather goods for the first time, in wearable shades of Chalk, Salt Lake Pink and Butter Brown. The silhouettes are inspired by traditional leather saddlery techniques and one of the styles features hand-drawn illustrations.

Additionally, Charbonnel et Walker has created a bespoke top hat chocolate box, featuring a new flavour duo combination of milk sea salt and strawberries and cream truffles. Longstanding partners Christy’s London and Oliver Brown are also launching new Ascot-inspired collections in time for the Royal Meeting.

Felicity Barnard, commercial director at Ascot Racecourse, said: “We’re delighted to launch these new product collections for 2021 and extremely grateful to all our licensees who have created such elegant and inspiring collections. In a year when public attendance at Royal Ascot will be much reduced, we’re thrilled that The Ascot Shop website will provide people with the opportunity to purchase the Ascot and Royal Ascot collections online for the first time.”

Tim Smith, associate vice president of licensing, IMG, added: “We’re extremely excited for the return of the summer racing season and are delighted to have worked with Ascot Racecourse to launch a curated portfolio of beautiful products specially designed to celebrate the occasion, as well as the online Ascot Shop.”

RHS celebrates opening of RHS Garden Bridgewater with limited edition Moorcroft pottery

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The Royal Horticultural Society is celebrating the opening of its fifth Garden – RHS Garden Bridgewater – with the launch of two new collections of limited edition art pottery from its licensing partner and renowned producer of heritage art pottery, Moorcroft.

One collection is inspired by the new garden itself, while the second collection – the RHS Fiori Bottan Collection – is inspired by 45 extraordinary 17th century Italian watercolours that are part of the 25,000 superb images in the RHS Lindley Collections of botanical art.

Two vases have been made to mark the opening of RHS Garden Bridgewater. The first, called Bridgewater’s Bounty, celebrates the strong link that the newest RHS garden has with the former residence on the site, Worsley New Hall, which had a rich history of growing fruit – in particular pears – and a wide variety of flowers.

The vase fittingly depicts pears in varying shades of green and yellow, ripe for the picking, surrounded by delicate white pear blossom, with soft golden centres.

The rich brilliance of a joyous flower coming from the warmth of Southern Africa, ranging in colour from pure white to purple, is the inspiration for the name and design of the second vase, called Nerines. This is marked as another appropriate design for RHS Garden Bridgewater where the RHS holds a national collection of nerines within its Walled Garden. 

Both vases were designed by Emma Bossons, a member of the Fellowship of the Royal Society of Arts, who has been responsible for many successful Moorcroft limited editions over the years.

The RHS Fiori Bottan Collection is based on 17th century watercolours depicting cultivated plants including daffodils, anemones, irises, tulips and lilies. Preserved in the RHS Lindley Collections of botanical art, the watercolours have inspired three vases (called Forsaken Love, Potter’s Garden and Italian Iris), a jug (Spring Squill), a plaque (Turk’s Cap Lily) and a coaster (Blue Mist).

These artworks, all based on the extraordinary work of an anonymous watercolourist, are by designer Nicola Slaney, whose creations range from affordable pieces to highly priced, rare collectable limited editions.

Both collections are available to order at the Moorcroft Heritage Visitor Centre, online at www.moorcroft.com and also at the RHS shows that Moorcroft will be attending, including RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival (5–11 July), RHS Flower Show Tatton Park (21-25 July), RHS Chelsea Flower Show (21-26 September) and Malvern Autumn Show (24 – 26 September). 

Moorcroft and the RHS have collaborated a number of times in recent years, notably through the RHS Rose Bouquet Collection, the RHS Beatrix Stanley Collection, Chelsea’s Choice, (a vase celebrating the extraordinary snow-white hydrangea that was awarded RHS Chelsea Plant of the Year 2018) and the 2019 RHS Chelsea Plant of the Year collection of four vases, a jug, a plaque, a coaster and a limited edition ginger jar that encompassed many of the RHS Chelsea Plant of the Year flowers all in one piece. 

Situated near Salford, RHS Garden Bridgewater is the fifth RHS garden and the largest gardening project undertaken in Europe in recent years. The transformation of this 154-acre green space has already begun to enhance the lives of local communities and their environment for the future.

Moorcroft managing director, Elise Adams, said: “Moorcroft’s RHS collaborations are always special but helping the RHS to celebrate the opening of its wonderful new garden has been a real honour. The RHS can always offer strong artistic inspiration and RHS Garden Bridgewater and the treasures of the RHS Lindley Collections have certainly inspired two truly memorable collections.

“At a time when so many of us have been affected by the global pandemic, to enjoy nature in all its forms, whether by gardening or with art pottery in our homes, is more important than ever before.”

Cathy Snow, licensing manager, RHS, said: “These collections again highlight the skill of the Moorcroft design team through a synthesis of nature and craft in perfect harmony. We are delighted to be continuing this association with Moorcroft, which continues to surprise and delight.”

Golden Goose lifts lid on new Del Monte Frozen Fruit partnership with Iceland

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The UK’s popular fruit brand, Del Monte has lifted the lid on a new collaborative partnership with Iceland that will see the retailer launch an extensive new Del Monte Frozen Fruit range.

In a deal brokered by the licensing agency, Golden Goose, the pair have launched the new line exclusively at Iceland and The Food Warehouse, both online and in store. The range has been developed in response to ‘increasing consumer demand for frozen foods.’

A total of 11 lines feature in the range, including single variant packs of popular fruits such as Del Monte Frozen Raspberries, and Del Monte Frozen Blueberries, as well as convenient solution orientated offerings such as Del Monte Strawberry and Banana Smoothie Mix.

The products will be listed across the majority of the Iceland and The Food Warehouse estate in the UK, with selected lines available in the Republic of Ireland. Del Monte Frozen Pomegranate Seeds will be exclusive to The Food Warehouse. 

  Martin Tilney, senior commercial director for Del Monte UK and Europe, said: “Just like Iceland, we are very focussed on offering consumers quality, convenient solutions for creating delicious and nutritious meals at home. We have over 125 years’ experience in delivering handpicked fruit of exceptional quality, kept perfectly fresh in a range of formats including canned and now, frozen too.

“This proposition is perfectly suited to the modern, health aware consumer and we are delighted to be working with Iceland to bring this range to market.” 

Andrew Staniland, trading director at Iceland, added: “We’re proud to be working with Del Monte on this frozen fruit range which allows us to offer the best quality frozen fruit options to our customers. Del Monte is well recognised as a leading household name in the fruit sector and we were excited to see the introduction of frozen options in this exclusive range.

“Frozen fruit not only offers convenience and value, it is also an incredible way to lock in nutrients and guarantee quality by freezing the best varieties at peak season. The exclusive Del Monte range is a great option for our shoppers allowing them to reduce food waste whilst feeding their families delicious, healthy fruit. We’re looking forward to seeing the response from customers as the products launch in stores and online.”

Antonia Habdank-Toczyska, client and strategy director at Golden Goose, concluded: “The Del Monte brand is immediately recognisable as a sign of fruit quality and we expect it to grow the category for Iceland. This strategic partnership is another building block in the expansion of the Del Monte® licensing programme which we will continue to develop.”

Van Gogh Museum secured fragrance partner in Floral Street through Licensing Link Europe deal

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Licensing Link Europe has secured a new partnership between the independent, clean and sustainable fragrance brand, Floral Street, and the internationally revered Van Gogh Museum. The four year deal will see a line of fragrances and scented home products celebrate the works of Vincent Van Gogh.

A first of its kind collaboration, the partnership will explore how the artist’s passion for the natural world has inspired sustainable scent creations.

“I’m honoured that Floral Street has been chosen as the first fragrance brand to partner with the Van Gogh Museum. Drawing inspiration from Vincent van Gogh’s timeless masterpieces, we discovered a shared love of nature and finding beauty in the everyday. Through this collaboration, we are able to tell our story in a new way, in which the beauty of art and fragrance meet,”  said Michelle Feeney, founder of Floral Street

The partnership will see the first global launch in August 2021, and it will bring to life the beauty and optimism of one of Vincent van Gogh’s most famous masterworks. 

“Floral Street and the Van Gogh Museum share a mission to inspire a diverse audience for future generations. Our collaboration offers a fresh and different way to experience the art of Van Gogh,”  said Emilie Gordenker, General Director, Van Gogh Museum.

Paddington sets fresh paws down in South Korea with luxury retailer Hazzys

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The Copyrights Group has struck a new retail partnership for a bespoke Paddington clothing, accessories, and golf line in South Korea with the luxury retailer, Hazzys. The deal will witness the launch of a dedicated range of co-branded apparel and accessories across all 35 of the retailer’s stores in South Korea.

Creative director Hun Kim, currently the head of design at Karl Lagerfeld and previously in senior design positions at Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren and Converse, has been appointed to work on this new collaboration.

The range is currently available in-store and online at Hazzys.com. To further extend the reach of the Paddington range and build additional engagement with South Korean fans, a seasonal golf collection and associated apparel and accessories will launch in late Spring 2021.

“We see that this collaboration will strongly appeal to young Korean customers who have purchasing power. Hazzys’ brand concept of British casual looks and the adorable Paddington graphics are a perfect match,” said Jung Hyuk Park, senior manager, global business for HAZZYS. 

“We are thrilled to be working with Hazzys on this fantastic collaboration. We feel the pairing of these two iconic brands offers something new and exciting to the market,” said Polly Emery, SVP brand and international licensing, The Copyrights Group.

Hazzys first started in 2000 in Korea as a men’s British traditional casual brand. Since then, it has expanded to various areas including Ladies clothing, Accessories, Golf and Kids, offering a lively look with an urban feel. Over the years, HAZZYS has grown beyond Korea’s domestic market to become a global brand appreciated by consumers across the globe.

WildBrain and The Teletubbies show support of LGBTQ community with first adult fashion collection ahead of Pride Month

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WildBrain is partnering with GLAAD, the world’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer LGTBQ media advocacy organisation, to support 2021 Pride Month this June with the launch of its first Teletubbies fashion collection for adults.

Proceeds from sales of the collection will benefit GLAAD to support its culture-changing work to accelerate acceptance for the LGBTQ community.

The Teletubbies Pride Collection will feature ’90s-inspired streetwear and be centered around two themes – “Big Hugs, Big Love” and “Teletubbies Love Pride” – with custom graphic treatments, prints and cues from the Teletubbies, such as their signature colors and antennae shapes.

The range includes a bucket hat, sling bag, muscle tee and tube socks, as well as a limited quantity of bespoke, made-to-order two-piece suits.

Michael Riley, chief brands officer at WildBrain, said: “The Teletubbies have always embraced their own offbeat quirkiness and sense of style. This Pride Month, we’re celebrating that ‘love who you are’ spirit through our collection of ready-to-rave fashion that makes Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa and Po very proud.

“We’ve taken the most iconic elements fans know and love about the Teletubbies and designed a playful Collection with fashion flair that we hope fans will love to wear this Pride Month and all year-long.”

John McCourt, senior director at GLAAD, said: “This Pride Month, the iconic Teletubbies brand is celebrating the importance of self-expression and acceptance in a unique and uplifting way, while giving back to create change. Proceeds from this collection will support GLAAD’s culture-changing programs, including our work to expand LGBTQ images and inclusion in kids’ and family programming.”

The Teletubbies Pride Collection is now available at www.teletubbiespride.com or via @TeletubbiesHQ on Instagram and Twitter with prices starting at $10.99 USD.

Brand Alliance welcomes LIFE to portfolio of global brands in Bulldog partnership

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Brand Alliance is to launch a range of adult apparel based on the LIFE brand thanks to a new partnership with the European agency, Bulldog Licensing.

A creative fashion-focused designer and manufacturer, Brand Alliance boasts more than 20 years’ experience in apparel. The deal will see the team launch a range of day wear and night wear based in the LIFE brand, tapping into its network of key retailers.

The LIFE brand combines the iconic LIFE logo – made famous by the eponymous magazine – with pictures from the brand’s extensive photographic library. LIFE magazine photojournalists captured some of the 20th century’s most defining events, historic figures, and nature, making up an enormous 10 million images. 

With such a vast resource available for licensing, the LIFE collection has enjoyed a key presence across UK fashion retailers with strong sales in the categories of greetings cards, calendars and wall art, as well.

It now joins a roster of major brand names to have partnered with Brand Alliance, who portfolio includes the likes of Coca Cola, VW, Polaroid, UFC, Jeep, and more. 

Rob Corney, MD, Bulldog Licensing, said: “Brand Alliance is a perfect fit for LIFE, its fashion forward, high quality ranges have a great synergy with the brand, and we’re looking forward to seeing the first designs.

“The LIFE brand offers a wealth of material for licensing partners, giving them a free rein with creative direction, while also offering immediate recognition with consumers throughout Europe.”

ARTiSTORY teams with Brand Licensing Studios to build retail and partner base across Italy

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Brand Licensing Studio is the latest sales agent to join ARTiSTORY’s growing European team in a partnership that will see the European outfit focus on securing retail and brand partners in Italy.

Brand Licensing Studio will look for partnerships to feature designs from ARTiSTORYs’ biannually refreshed creative themes across its growing portfolio of art and cultural IP.

Italy is home to the largest number of luxury brands in the world, many of which are looking to expand their presence internationally and appeal to new audiences.  ARTiSTORY is creating designs to appeal to these consumers and content to engage them.

Established in 2018, Brand licensing Studio is a boutique licensing agency specialising in creating brand extensions and merchandising programmes for artists, design brands and iconic retro characters (like Astro Boy). 

Natasha Dyson, co-founder and licensing director, at ARTiSTORY, said: “Having spent 13 years working as a brand and licensing consultant, working for well know companies in Italy, Ambra is well connected and experienced in the key categories we will be developing in Italy across both retail and brands. We’re very happy to have Ambra join the team and excited to work togther to develop long-term partnerships in Italy.” 

Ambra Farioli, managing director at Brand Licensing Studio, said: “When Natasha invited me to join the amazing team of ARTiSTORY, I really felt honored.

“I have been working with several art IPs and I can say it is a growing trend, especially for the luxury industry. However, there are some difficulties in working with art pieces which ARTiSTORY overcomes as they have been able to perfectly translate artefacts for licensing. I am really looking forward to starting work with these IPs across multiple categories.”