The Pokémon Company grows European apparel portfolio with Erve Europe and Van Der Erve

The Pokémon Company International is expanding its European reach once more, having tapped Erve Europe/Van Der Erve, Europe’s licensed apparel and brands specialist, to develop kids and adult apparel for the German, Austrian and Swiss markets.

The new deal will see fashion powerhouse Erve Europe / Van Der Erve collaborate with Pokémon for a collection of kids’ and adult daywear, nightwear, and accessories, all of which is planned to launch at retail in 2021 across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

Specialists in fashion-forward licensed apparel, Erve Europe / Van Der Erve are front runners in design, sourcing, and distribution of branded apparel and accessories in Europe. A preferred supplier of sustainable fashion to leading retailers, they work with department stores, fashion retailers, supermarkets, hypermarkets, discount chains, and resellers, creating bespoke items and collections on demand.

Mathieu Galante, licensing director EMEA for The Pokémon Company International, said: “We are delighted to be working with Erve Europe / Van Der Erve. Its vast experience from 35 years in the industry, exceptional quality, and sustainable practices make it the perfect partner to further grow Pokémon’s fashion presence in Germany, where – as across the whole of Europe – demand for Pokémon apparel and accessories continues to expand.”

Pokémon’s partnership with Erve Europe / Van Der Erve further strengthens its increasing status as a fashion icon and high-street staple. Its growing apparel offering now includes successful ranges at global giants such as Zara, H&M, Bershka, Pull&Bear, and Undiz, innovative collaborations with the likes of Adidas, UNIQLO, and Original Stich, plus capsule collections from leading fashion brands and designers including GCDS, Jeremy Scott, and Bobby Abley.

Aardman teams with British designer Julie Dodsworth to create unique new Shaun the Sheep designs

The British Artisan designer, Julie Dodsworth has partnered with Aardman to create a set of hand painted designs, taking inspiration from the colours of the British countryside and the popular Shaun the Sheep brand.

The new Shaun the Sheep x Julie Dodsworth collaboration not only renders the series’ hero Shaun in a unique new way, but delivers on Aardman’s ongoing ethos of ‘we do more’ buy extending the brand into new areas in new ways.

Painted in Julie Dodsworth’s signature style, the new patterns have been developed to suit a range of categories, from homewares, fabrics, and toiletries, to stationery and garden equipment.

Danny Heffer, creative lead, sales and marketing at Aardman, said: “We are really pleased to be working with British talent like Julie Dodsworth on this new design collection. Julie is known for her floral hand painted style, which translates nicely into Shaun’s rural world.

“It’s been refreshing getting a new perspective on Shaun the Sheep and it we think it will be popular with fans not only in the UK, but in a number of territories around the world. We are currently looking for a range of licensing partners to take along with us on this design journey and help to bring Julie’s interpretation of Mossy Bottom Farm to the retail market.”

Julie Dodsworth added: “I’m thrilled to have been invited to work with Shaun the Sheep and all the team at Mossy Bottom. From the viewpoint of being a genuine fan it has been fantastic to create designs that reflect Shaun’s humour and colourful character. My thanks to all the team at Aardman.”

Brand Central named global consumer products agency for US YouTube-created lifestyle brand Full Send

Brand Central LLC has been appointed the global consumer products agency for the US lifestyle brand Full Send, a label created by collaborative portfolio of YouTube content creators, including the popular Nelk Boys.

Under the partnership, Brand Central will look to develop strategic collaborations as it extends the Full Send brand into retail, tapping into the popularity of the brand’s collaborative popularity across content creators such as @kyleforgeard, @mtvjesse, and @stevewilldoit.

 The licensing agency is looking to attract licensees and retailers on a mission to tap into the world of digital influencers. Both the FULL SEND brand and the Nelk Boys were founded in 2010 and have to date amassed more than 27 million followers across all social platforms. 

“Our team is thrilled to go all in with Brand Central as they are the go-to licensing experts in digital, lifestyle, and pop culture representing brands such as Jake Paul and Ninja,” said Full Send’s business manager, Drew Hill. 

“We are honored to work with the Nelk Boys and the Full Send brand which is the obsession of millions of young adults fans.  We are confident of the success of Full Send at retail and looking forward put together very compelling collaborations that will be become ‘must have’ products of 2021,” added Ross Misher, Brand Central CEO.

British wallpaper brand MissPrint lands Fy deal courtesy of The Point. 1888

The British eco-wallpaper design brand, MissPrint has landed a new partnership with the online homewares, wall art, furniture, and accessories platform, Fy thanks to a deal secured by the brand specialist, The Point. 1888.

Under the new deal, Fy will be showcasing 39 of MissPrint’s hand drawn art prints from this month. The wallpaper brand is known for its unique collection of eco-conscious designs, each hand illustrated and printed in the UK.

Already hugely popular among women, homeowners and interior design enthusiasts, the brand appointed The Point.1888 in March 2020 to extends its audience base by creating products which have wider appeal and are suitable for those renting property, as well as homeowners.

 To date, MissPrint has enjoyed success with brand licensing collaborations such as John Lewis, Dunelm, Quaker Oats and others. The new partnership with Fy should ensure that MissPrint can reach its new target audience, who consider  the online shop as their go-to for home and fashion purchases.

 The Point.1888 is a pioneer of the retail-first model within the brand licensing industry, creating new products based on the gap it sees at retail; rather than what it thinks the brand’s target demographic might like. This supports a higher chance of retailer buy-in and a better sales performance. As a result of early conversations with retailers, the agent identified huge demand for the brand and the partnership with Fy will be the first of many exciting new ventures for the MissPrint brand.

MissPrint co-founder, Rebecca Drury, said: “MissPrint is no stranger to brand licensing and yet this is the first time we have worked on creating an art print collection inspired by our wallpaper designs. It makes perfect sense to create such a product range to attract new customers and I’ve found the whole design process really exciting. We’re so grateful to The Point.1888 for giving us this opportunity and cannot wait to unveil our other plans.”

 Janine Richmond, senior commercial manager for Home at The Point.1888, added: “We’re delighted to have paired MissPrint with Fy as the retailer was top of our target list for reaching style-conscious home renters and owners. Fy only works with the world’s coolest emerging brands, artists and designers and MissPrint’s place on that list is well-deserved.”

Lake Garda inspired lifestyle brand Garda Lakers signs first licensing partner in Spreadshirt

Garda Lakers, the destination and lifestyle brand that takes inspiration from the Italian attitude towards life and the world-famous Lake Garda, has signed its first licensing partnership with the Spreadshirt platform.

Designed to epitomise the culture of the famous beauty spot, known for its close ties to the sporting worlds of windsurfing, sailing, and its aspirational lifestyle, the current range consists of tote bags, t-shirts, hoodies, pillows, and more.

The Garda Lakers lifestyle brand is currently registered for 16 classes, including clothing, food and beverage, sport articles, cosmetics and health care, vehicles, books and magazine, bars and restaurants, and more. The brand is a European trademark owned by the German-based Hartmut Leger.

Sailing under the tag line, Wind of Victories, the Garda Lakers brand has also secured a textile series dedicated to Peler and Ora, the two main winds that blow at Malcesine, the spot on the eastern shore of Lake Garda. The brand has been developed in homage to the natural elements that make the area world famous with the sports scene.

The Spreadshirt products are now available across 15 European countries.