Spike Leisurewear’s Byron Williamson on what makes a great licensed t-shirt

Spike Leisurewear has a distinguished and long history. Can you tell us a bit about the company’s history and the focus of the business?
Spike Leisurewear has been a specialist in pop culture, souvenir, tourist, character and music merchandise for over 30 years. We proudly work with customers across the UK, America, Canada and Europe – and are excited to soon be launching our first account in Dubai.

Our strength lies in our agility, ensuring we can respond quickly and effectively to market trends, customer demands and emerging opportunities. We have built a strong presence within the tourism industry, which continues to be a rewarding and successful market for us.

More recently, our focus has expanded further into the Character and Music sectors where we see significant growth potential. Above all, our priority is to keep our customers happy while continuing to evolve into areas where we identify gaps and opportunities within the market. We are also a heritage brand supplier and will we continue to bring in new licenses to support and strengthen that offer.

Apparel is at the heart of Spike’s business with a lot of focus on t-shirts. In your experience, what makes a good t-shirt design for Spike and your customers?
For Spike, what makes a great t-shirt design is its ability to capture the essence of why fans connect so deeply with a particular licence. Whether it’s an iconic scene, a favourite character or a memorable quote, the design must create an emotional connection with the customer.

Working on the supplier side has given me a completely different perspective on the process. It’s no longer just about the artwork. It’s about every detail that brings the product to life. Are we using the best possible blank? Does the print have the impact and quality it needs? Does the finished product truly do the licence justice?

To some it may just be a t-shirt, but to me it’s a statement of identity and a way for people to express what they love and who they are. That mindset is what continues to drive us at Spike. Our philosophy has always remained the same: deliver the best designs we can, on the highest quality garments possible, while continuing to exceed customer expectations.

Another thing I believe makes a good t-shirt is the effort and time put into it. When we start work on a design, we will be given style guides with approved assets to work with. In my world there is no slapped on logos. They have their place as evergreens in stores but, for us, it’s about how we can take these assets and make something new and exciting… Tell a different story to the one that’s been told a thousand times.

What’s new for Spike in 2026 and beyond?
We’ve welcomed exciting licences such as Steven Rhodes, Moomins, Sesame Street, My Charming Dead and Emily the Strange just to name a few. Each one brings something completely different to our portfolio and opens new creative opportunities for us as a business.

Our focus now is to continue building on the trajectory we’ve created. Every day we’re learning more and improving what we do. We will continue pushing ourselves to deliver stronger products, better collections, and more exciting opportunities for our customers. That constant evolution is what keeps the business moving forward and there’s still so much more to come.

One of the licenses you have worked with for some time is The Beatles. Given the history of the band and the brand, how do you keep things fresh design-wise?
It’s such a privilege to work with what is in my opinion the greatest band of all time. A huge amount of credit has to go to Caroline Mickler and her team who consistently ensures we’re kept fully up to date with the latest style guides, assets and creative direction.

A perfect example of how we can navigate this market is in the recent release surrounding Anthology 4. The level of excitement generated by the launch – alongside the incredible marketing campaign and influx of product into the market – created real momentum for the band and naturally elevated our own collections alongside it. What stood out most to me at that time was the fact I was sat around a table of people who were excited to be talking about and looking at new designs from band who first had their number one hit in 1963. That’s legacy for you.

I also have to give huge praise to our designer Mike who works tirelessly to ensure every design is as strong and authentic as it can possibly be. Attention to detail is everything with a brand like The Beatles. Fans know the history, the artwork and the eras inside out, so every piece must feel considered and meaningful.

Equally important is how those products are marketed. You can create the best design in the world but if nobody sees it, who can agree? That’s why we make sure we promote our Beatles collections across every possible avenue keeping fans engaged, informed and excited about what’s coming next.

You have a great network of retailers. How do you work with your retailers around areas like display?
Both myself and our Managing Director come from strong retail backgrounds which gives us a real advantage when working with customers. Having spent over 40 years combined on the shop floor, we understand what works in a retail environment. That experience allows us to confidently guide our customers on the best ways to display and present products in store.

We also understand the challenges many retailers face throughout the year, particularly within the tourism sector where quieter winter periods can significantly impact sales. Because of this we’re currently working closely with a selection of our tourism stores to help diversify their product offering during the off-season. By introducing music, pop culture and character licences into their ranges, we’re helping them maintain momentum, attract new customers, and create year-round sales opportunities.

A lot of your retailers are in tourist sites and locations. How do you ensure your products and range work in this retail channel?
Keeping my eyes and ears open has been one of the most important parts of my journey with Spike. When I first joined the company, one of the very first things I did was visit a few stores that stock our products. Not only was I overwhelmed by the kindness and passion of the store owners and employees, but it also gave me invaluable first-hand insight into what was working well, what customers were looking for and where we could improve.

It quickly became clear that success in this market is about creating a genuine point of difference. A huge amount of time goes into researching trends, understanding consumer behaviour, and identifying opportunities within the market. I know that in many cases, our products only have a few seconds to catch a customer’s eye from the street, so every design has to make an immediate impact.

That’s why collaborating with incredibly talented artists is such an important part of what we do. One standout example is P.D.Moreno, who created a range of designs inspired by iconic London landmarks. It’s a privilege to work alongside artists like them, whose creativity helps bring fresh energy to an often-oversaturated market. Their work allows us to stand apart, create unique collections and continue offering customers something truly distinctive.

Where do you see growth coming for Spike in retail over the next year or so?
Spike is only just getting started and honestly that was one of the things that excited me most when I joined the company. When I started in February, my first two questions were simple: What does retail actually want? and what’s currently missing from the market?

Since then, we’ve signed 18 new licences – each completely unique and powerful in its own way – and that’s something I’m incredibly proud of. Those additions have transformed our portfolio and opened doors into markets and categories that simply weren’t accessible to us before. That’s where the real growth opportunity lies.

Having previously worked on the retail side, I understand how frustrating it can sometimes be. Retailers are often shown early concepts or small snapshots of what could be possible, and while you can guide a supplier in a certain direction, it doesn’t always guarantee there will be a finished product at the end of the process. At Spike, we want to change that. Our goal is to ensure we deliver a complete, commercially strong product that retailers can confidently take to market.

We’ve worked hard to make our offering as accessible and flexible as possible. We keep our MOQs at a level that works for a wide range of customers, maintain strong print capacities, making sure we have the stock available and a focus on bridging gaps wherever we see opportunities. More importantly, we’re building far more than just a strong apparel collection. Alongside our clothing offer, we’re also developing complementary merchandise ranges that will allow retailers to create a more complete and elevated consumer experience.

There’s a huge amount currently in development, and we’re only continuing to push forward. Our focus is and always will be bringing elevated products to the market.

You work with Aardman on Wallace & Gromit. Design-wise, how have you approached this brand?
It’s already been a huge year for Aardman given the anniversary and the products currently on the market feel stronger and more exciting than ever. At the same time, that only fuels the motivation to keep pushing boundaries and exploring what more can be done, how far we can take the brand, and how we continue evolving it for fans in fresh and unexpected ways.

I always find myself looking at Feathers McGraw, who I genuinely believe is one of the greatest villains of all time. The challenge becomes: how do we push that side of his character even further? How do we lean into his mischievous, darker personality and present him in such a way?

For me, it’s essential to constantly study the market and understand what’s already out there because having a clear point of difference is everything. Seeing collaborations like the Aardman x Uniqlo collection was incredibly inspiring and really got me thinking differently about the direction the brand could take. They put Feathers holding a giant shiny diamond on a t-shirt… Genius! Our approach has been to dig deeper into the characters themselves asking what’s missing from retail, what current trends are emerging, and how we can reinterpret these much loved characters. Has Gromit for example been explored enough within the cottage core aesthetic? Those are the kinds of conversations we love having.

I also think it’s important to look back at the roots of what made people fall in love with Aardman in the first place. I often think about the early days when fans could cut a coupon from a newspaper and send it away for a free t-shirt or when incredibly limited designs sometimes only 50 pieces were released for a promotion. Those products created a real emotional connection with fans and many of those original tees are probably still tucked away in wardrobes today. That nostalgia, exclusivity and sense of personality is something we always try to capture in the work we create now. That is how I’ve approached this brand.

And I couldn’t talk about Aardman without mentioning you Ian. Since starting my licensing journey, you have been a constant support, offering advice and guiding me on the latest trends.

That’s very kind! Now, you also have had a lot of success with Mr Bean. What do you think has made Mr Bean a perennially popular brand in your world?
It’s an inherently British brand and that’s part of what makes it so special. There’s no hidden agenda. It’s created for people to enjoy and connect with. That authenticity is what allows a brand to evolve beyond a passing trend and become a timeless classic.

Mr. Bean is a perfect example of this and it’s a brand that continues to grow in popularity for us year after year. Its appeal is universal reaching across every age group and generation. From young children wanting a Teddy plush to adults looking for a t-shirt or a pair of socks. The brand has an ability to connect with everyone in a genuine and light-hearted way. That broad appeal is incredibly powerful. Few brands can create the same sense of familiarity, comfort, and humour across such a wide audience, which is exactly why Mr. Bean continues to resonate with fans around the world today.

If any licensing agents or rights holders are reading, what advice would you give them on pitching new opportunities to Spike?
I’d honestly say that you don’t have to come to us with the biggest IP in the world. If you have something you believe in, that is fresh to the market, that can turn heads and that screams pop culture – then we will take a look at it. The license speaks for itself. There really isn’t much more to say. Believe in your brand, after that anything is possible.

Finally, thinking about your own wardrobe what are your three go to t-shirts? Why are they your favourites?
My first choice would have to be my Rock Off Billie Eilish Hit Me Hard and Soft Tracklist tee. I can’t quite explain my love for Billie Eilish tees, I don’t think you have to be a fan of hers to know just by looking at her merch that it’s on another level. To understand, seeing a new Billie Eilish design for me is like seeing Led Zeppelins Icarus for the first time. Led Zeppelin represented themselves as a god on a t-shirt. What could be cooler than that?

My second go to is my Kenji Morty tee. For me being surrounded by Kinji product has always just make me smile. Everything from the cutest plush possible to bubble tea keychains. The new Underverse collection is just my everyday staple.

Lastly me being me you’ll always find me in some kind of streetwear. Everyone who knows me can guarantee it’ll show up in either Stussy or Supreme and lately I’ve been loving my Supreme Futura box logo. Futura is an incredible artist, and this tee is a statement on its own.