In one month, we had Puma’s collaboration with Argentinian-Spanish artist Felipe Pantone, Helmut Lang’s capsule with American conceptual artist Hank Willis Thomas and also the release of Uniqlo’s latest collection – and in store take-over – with Roy Lichtenstein.

It’s clear to see that art is infiltrating the fashion industry from every angle spanning sportswear to high end.

Even artists who are no strange to fashion, such as Keith Haring, are getting reimagined and relaunched at the higher end of the industry. The way Etudes has taken a reference and mixed it in with the current burning trend for the seventies – and consumers’ ongoing need for some light-hearted fun is nothing other than genius!

Artists such as Lichtenstein and Haring, who have a strong and recognisable aesthetic, have been circulating the fashion realms for many years and still continue to do so. However, it’s interesting to see that the latest wave of collaborations and collections are not so much based on obvious and sought-after artists, but those who have been hand-picked for their relevance.

Felipe Pantone has always stood out as an exceptional digital artist with an incredible three-dimensional aesthetic in his work. Something which went hand in hand with Puma’s view to create a range innovative designs and fabrications.

At the other end of the spectrum Helmut Lang chose conceptual artist Hank Willis Thomas for his stand-out text-based work, helping the brand to portray what it’s calling “a moment in time where we are all being called to examine our own privileges and biases”.

Everybody now holds the license for various artists and high street retailers will continue to buy the most recognisable and classics, but it will be fascinating to see if the move towards meaningful and strategic art collaborations could be on the cards for more than just those operating within the higher end of the market.

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We caught up with Emma to find out more about her approach to design – and why she feels the fashion industry is changing its perception of the licensing space.

Emma! Thanks for making time. Let’s kick off with an easy one: How did you get started working with brands?
I fell into it! I trained as a lingerie designer and worked with the likes of M&S. From there, I moved onto the Ann Summers-style lingerie and that sparked my interest in catwalks. I then moved into fast-fashion and was designing for firms like ASOS, River Island and Miss Selfridge.

Around that time, a lot of my friends moved to London and I wanted to as well, and fortunately one of my friends got me an interview with Disney and I got the job. So that spun me out of fast-fashion and into licensing.

What were you doing at Disney?
I was a DTR designer. I started off working on Tesco DTR and then moved to George DTR and helped out on Primark too. I knew someone from Fashion Lab – now Global Brands Group – and moved there from Disney. I eventually headed up the fast-fashion team there and then led the UK design team, and then the EU design team. While there I worked on some halo collaborations with the Primark team, like The Simpsons menswear collection and a Barbie ladies range.

Yes, I remember that Simpsons range. It looked great!
We were tight on time with that one! And approvals take some time with that brand. It was a challenge, and we didn’t think we’d get there at one point! That said, when it all came together it looked really great.

Absolutely. Now you’re a creative consultant under the Opinionated Designer name. What prompted the move to launch something on your own?
I was approached by Yaman Tekstil to be their creative director, so that’s who I’m doing a lot of work for at the moment. It was a fantastic opportunity. They’re a new licensee for the UK, and have an exclusive to the MGA brand, LOL OMG. It’s strange because I’ve gone from overseeing 20 designers, but not actually doing design work myself, and now I’m back to designing. Over lockdown, it was a bit daunting to go self-employed, but it’s been fantastic.

What are your first few steps creatively when designing a licensed fashion collection?
I’ll use LOL OMG as an example. From the conversations I had with MGA, it was about establishing the right age group and then looking at other designer brands that operate in that space. I love places like Childrensalon where you have everything from Moschino to your mid-range brands. It’s a fantastic resource for inspiration.

I pull out trends that I feel strongly about. I do use WGSN but I don’t like to stick to it too closely because that’s what everybody works to. Whenever I speak to retailers, they’ll always say ‘we don’t want you to force it into a trend’. The licence has to work on its own terms. I’ll also sometimes get a style guide from a licensor and strip that back to some key trends and key colours.

Is there any key things designers can do when working on a licensed range to help bolster its chance of success?
You can’t just start designing straight away. You have to understand the brand and who they’re targeting. Look at past collections and see what’s worked and what hasn’t.

“Before, some buying teams would have their main range – and licences were a bit of an afterthought. These days, people are looking at them as being far more hand-in-hand.”

Look at a brand like The Simpsons. Could you have something inspired by the colours of Marge Simpson, rather than just a graphic of the character? Bobby Abley does some incredibly smart work with brands that doesn’t go in the usual directions.

Different briefs require different thinking. Some will be edgy, and you can play around, while others will have a defined customer base and they’ll know what works for them. It’s a real case-by-case basis.

I also think it’s key for licensees to keep licensors in the loop with designs as early as possible. Lots of people take things out of style guides, blow them up, put it on a t-shirt and that’s that – and I should add, there’s a time and a place for that for sure – but licensees should try and push things with their licensors. That’s how you innovate.

Is the world of licensed fashion in a good place at the moment?
Well, I’ve always felt that, for some buying teams, they have their main range – and then licences are just an afterthought. These days, I feel like people are now looking at them as being hand-in-hand. Fashion brands now see the potential of working with licences, whereas some were a little bit snobby towards it in the past. It’s cool now. Look at Primark; brand collaborations are now one of the biggest parts of their business.

Before I let you go, how do you fuel your creativity?
I love catwalks. I’m constantly researching catwalks and I’m always learning too. New skills, new software – especially as digital catwalks become more of a thing, it’s useful to have that capability. But yes, looking at catwalks really inspires me and pushes my creativity forward.

Brill – huge thanks again Emma.

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The unexpected partnering of Versace and Ford in their pre-Fall 2019 collection led to mixed reviews, however in the eyes of creatives in the industry it was seen as a great new aesthetic for a heritage brand, incorporating bright blocky colours and oversized logos.

It was polar opposite to the stripped back vibes that streetwear brands have been giving their auto industry collaborations over the past few years.

This is highlighted perfectly in last week’s release of the second collaboration between New York fashion label Aimé Leon Dore and Porsche. A sophisticated 70s summer vibe with muted tones and products ranging from trucker caps to leather driving gloves, it somehow manages to exude a timeless elegance alongside a cool street feel.

Another collaboration in this space that felt stylish and authentic was Porsche’s link up with Puma last year. Paying homage to the brands’ heritage automobiles in a tight capsule collection with an obvious nod to PUMA’s cool, subtle styling – the collection flew off the shelves.

It was no surprise then that PUMA chose their next automobile partner in BMW for a range that gives off a fashionable, classic aesthetic.

This follows in the footsteps of streetwear giant KITH who released a collaboration with BMW to huge acclaim last year.

The phrase that has been banded around a lot over the last couple of years is “Anybody who loves fashion, loves motors.” To some extent I feel that’s true, as many of the fashion brands that have collaborated with auto manufacturers have gone on to create designs for the cars themselves!

The collaboration I mentioned earlier between Aimé Leon Dore and Porsche also saw the fashion house venture into the auto world, with the firm’s founder and creative director Teddy Santis redesigning a 911 Super Carrera.

“Working in partnership with Porsche is always a deeply humbling experience and a privilege, but this project specifically left me with a deeper appreciation for the company, its core values, and the amazing people that work there,” said Santis.

The same is true of KITH’s partnership with BMW. The fashion brand’s Ronnie Fieg designed an exclusive vehicle for BMW in the form of the BMW M4 Competition x KITH.

The model was limited to just 150 units and the project saw the BMW and BMW M logos redesigned for the first time in their history. Instead of the blue and white BMW trademark, a co-branded roundel emblem with Kith lettering sits on the bonnet.

“Everything we work on at Kith must come from an authentic place,” said Fieg.

“Some of my favourite childhood memories were visiting my grandfather and driving around in his BMWs in the 1980s. I remember that he had an E21 320i and that his most prized possession was an E30 M3. These moments in my life have really shaped my passion for BMW, so working on this project with them has brought everything full circle.”

Towards the back end of 2020, we also saw Virgil Alboh collaborate with Mercedes-Benz on “Project Geländewagen”. The collaboration saw Abloh work with Mercedes-Benz’s Chief Design Officer, Gorden Wagener, to create something to make consumers look at Mercedes-Benz designs with a fresh perspective, driving ideas of ‘luxury’ away from a polished aesthetic to something rawer.

Another interesting tie-up came earlier this year between Drake, Chrome Hearts and Rolls-Royce. With its uber-branded interior and overstated exterior, it’s a great example of how collaborations between car brands and fashion houses can be embarked on in radically different ways.

It’s interesting to see then how this integration of industries is going to pan out in the near future. We have seen a lot of VW on the high street for many years and although motoring has never been at the forefront of the licensing industry, is this pattern starting to change?

The announcement this week that Mattel is bringing a new dimension to kids licensing with Hot Wheels partnering up with Tesla makes me think that there’s much more to be explored with car brands across the wider licensing industry.

It’s most definitely one area to keep your eyes on!

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Until now, it seems…

McDonald’s enjoyed a lot of hype in the fashion press last week around the launch of a Big Mac lunchbox that’s available to buy in its restaurants in Korea when purchasing certain meals. Buying their merchandise in stores – is this a model we could see more of?

The last quarter of 2020 saw McDonald’s announce two streetwear collaborations with Cactus Jack and J Balvin. While the J Balvin range was shelved back in January due to production issues, both streetwear firms gave very different twists on the McDonald’s brand.

Cactus Jack gave us an Autumnal palette using heritage looks and styling not entirely out of place with a true streetwear brand aesthetic.

Elsewhere, J Balvin’s planned range expanded on the fun and creativity of the brand’s heritage, playing around with this with some Nineties-inspired pieces and even a few novelty launches.

After covering off the streetwear collaborations, McDonald’s then moved into the sporting arena and released a duo of all-American-inspired kicks in the form of adidas’ Pro Model 2G and Eric Emanuel’s Forum ’84 High. These have already become collectibles, only one month on.

More recently, McDonald’s has collaborated with the K-Pop supergroup BTS to offer fans the option of ordering a BTS meal at its restaurants. The band’s signature order includes Chicken McNuggets, Fries, Coke and for the first time ever in the US, Sweet Chili and Cajun dipping sauces inspired by popular recipes from McDonald’s South Korea.

“We’re excited to bring customers even closer to their beloved band in a way only McDonald’s can – through our delicious food – when we introduce the BTS signature order on our menu next month,” said Morgan Flatley, Chief Marketing Officer, McDonald’s USA.

It’s yet another prong of attack for McDonald’s to move into the hype culture, without the apparel attachment.

McDonald’s is no stranger to a celebrity collaboration, but seeing it become more of an icon across different industries – and the knock-on effect this has on the brand – will be interesting.

At the moment, McDonald’s seems to be keeping out of the mainstream fashion market and working towards more of a collaboration-based model. Could I see everyone walking around in a golden arches T shirt bought from a high street retailer? I’m not sure. Would I be happy to go into a McDonald’s restaurant to buy their latest merch? I’m still not sure.

All I know is that it is definitely one to watch!

Emma Horton is a Designer and Creative Consultant at The Opinionated Designer.

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Reading the recent news of the first ever Pantone store launching in Hong Kong and the world’s first Corona store landing at Mexico’s Cancun airport, it got me thinking – surely there are other brands that deserve their own retail space?

A dedicated physical store is certainly now seen as the next step for a lot of brands in terms of kudos and brand trajectory. It doesn’t take a genius to work out that these stores also act as a huge billboard for each brand – just look at M&M World’s current store locations since they opened their first store on the Las Vegas Strip in 1997. They also reside in Orlando, New York City, London and Shanghai.

These stores were once seen only as vanity projects, but are now serious commercial ventures and in terms of the all-important licensees, in many cases, they’re an extremely welcome customer to sell into and showcase their product.

One that jumps out for me would be a Monopoly store. Such an iconic brand and one of the most recognisable on the planet. I know the temptation would be to open this in Mayfair or Park Lane, but I actually think it would be more fun to look at Old Kent Road for this one!

So many of these ‘brand first’ physical stores seem to originate at or gravitate to the airport. Two brands that Star Editions are proud to work with, Miffy and Moomin, both have an airport store in Schiphol and Helsinki respectively, and this makes perfect sense.

Each brand has become synonymous with their country of origin and so not only is there a commercial reason for Miffy and Moomin to be there, but they are also quite literally, from a tourism perspective, acting as “the face” of the airport and the brand ambassador for their country.

Some more obvious suggestions might be a Marvel store, a DC Comics shop, or a Star Wars store – can you believe these don’t already exist in the UK as standalone stores? I’m going to stick my neck out and say this is because Forbidden Planet do too great a job here to make these viable!

Certainly, for any brands out there pondering whether a bricks and mortar store front would be beneficial, it’s now easier than ever to dip your toe into the choppy retail waters. Pop-ups are the perfect opportunity to see if your brand has enough pull to bring in the big bucks.

Everyone and anyone who’s anyone is doing it! Hello Kitty Café, New Balance Pub, Polaroid Lab, Ruinart Champagne hotel, Tiffany Ice Rink and even a Magnum Pleasure Store. Here’s a clip of the brilliant Magnum pop-up in action, but do Google them all, they are each as fantastic as they sound!

It would be remiss of me to not mention online stores right now, not least because for Star Editions, I am part of the team that manages, builds and runs the official Print on Demand web shops for over 30 brands. This is now the fastest moving and fastest growing sector that I have ever seen within the licensing world, with brands and partners realising that they can own their own online retail space, without any of the day to day running costs. This really is a no-brainer for smaller and larger brands alike, with such a low-cost entry point and an instant worldwide audience.

With these more accessible entry points into retail, I expect – and hope – that many more brands will follow suit and ramp up their D2C presence.

Who do you think is missing a trick by not having their very own store and retail space? Which brand would you travel halfway across the world to visit their dedicated brand store?

Louis Kennedy’s Nick Prichard and The Opinionated Designer’s Emma Horton were kind enough to share their thoughts…

Nick Prichard, Development Director, Louis Kennedy

At a time when the High Street is full of shuttered store fronts and ‘For Sale’ signs, any new store has to be sure it can attract buyers. There has to be an audience ready to spend from day one, combined with the potential to grow that audience going forward.

On the example mentioned by Will, youngsters entering the ‘Harry Potter stage of life’ add to the legions of existing fans, everyone wants to be a designer these days so Pantone is known well beyond studios and well, we all want to be on the beach with a Corona or branded towel!

Louis Kennedy recommends adding to these successes with a Subbuteo Store, based on the iconic “flick to kick” table game from the 1960s and 1970s.

It will appeal from day one to the kids of those days, now entering retirement age, with free time and disposable income to spare. Handled correctly it can grow to appeal to the ever-expanding legions of football fans, be they “legacy” – as die-hard supporters now seem to be referred to – or the global markets chased by the likes of the doomed ESL!

There is massive potential for an innovative licensing exploitation of many aspects of the game from the iconic player pieces to the ancillary add-ons. Plus, in-store tournaments can add a real experiential vibe before the digital gurus take the possibilities on screen.

Such global possibilities will definitely last longer than the 48 hours that other football related initiatives seem to last these days!

Emma Horton, Designer and Creative Consultant, The Opinionated Designer

In the ever-evolving world we live in, where the lines of fashion, art, culture and digital are becoming more and more blurred, I would love to see a full physical concept store from Highsnobiety.

Such a source of inspiration and information in the industry, I would love to see them fully come to life and be at the forefront of the physical, as well as the digital, world.

The Co.Lab, a pop-up retail concept they curated at Selfridges back in January 2020, was a perfect example of talking directly to your audience and of storytelling within a physical environment.

Their extensive knowledge of the industry and constant finger on the pulse with brands has resulted in some awesome collaborations. One of my most recent faves is the Highsnobiety drop engineered to sit alongside the launch of the latest Adidas ZX 8000 sneakers. It hones in on the clean and paired back aesthetic, and alongside it sits a collection of Highsnobiety hoodies, t shirts and accessories to complete a full look in one stop.

The story of the new age of retail and the physical shopping experience is going to keep iterating and with it, the way that brands and retailers of all aspects look at the consumer experience.

Excitingly, this can open up the way for any digital platform with an already huge following to enter the physical market in new and innovative ways.

Thanks again to Emma and Nick for some great suggestions there!

Let me know who you think should be next? Or do you think that online is now the more sensible place for these brands to exist in their own sphere? I would love to hear your thoughts and can be contacted at will@StarEditions.com.

The post Talking Brands: Pantone, Harry Potter and Corona have all launched physical stores. Which brand should be next? appeared first on Brands Untapped.

The strategic partnership between the two, stemming from their shared iconic brand values and reach across both popular culture and sports, has been praised across the industry.

From Starter’s take on the iconic Budweiser logo to the timeless Nineties nostalgic nod to contemporary streetwear, the collection feels relevant to the current worldwide and industry trend, as well as remaining classic and true to both brands.

Although this collection has a clear connection and heritage value behind it, it follows in the footsteps of a string of collaborations with seemingly more obvious meanings behind them.

The Palace Skateboards and Stella Artois collection released earlier this year was openly tapping into the British pub culture in a bid to perk up the consumer and get excitement building around finally being able to drink a cold beer in the pub again.

The outcome was a streetwear brand capsule range that was doing exactly what everyone was hoping and expecting – bold logos and prints with a mix up of garments spanning across bucket hats made from bar towel fabrications to denim jackets.

It’s interesting then that every time you read a review or blog article about these alcohol collaborations, there are always disclaimers about acting responsibility and alcohol consumption. Add to this some collaborations we’ve seen with streetwear brands partnering with liquor brands for non-fashion ranges and it opens up the questions even further.

Both Ambush and Sacai – with Moet and Absolut Vodka respectively – have chosen to opt for the product placement route for their collaborations. Maybe these are more marketing moves than anything designed to generate hard cash, but they’re still interesting deals nonetheless.

The future of alcohol and liquor brands in the licensing world is one that’s going to be really interesting to watch.

From experience working in the industry for many years – and always being asked to steer away from this genre – I am intrigued to see how these collaborations will affect the mainstream fashion market.

Are you feeling thirsty yet?

Emma Horton is a Designer and Creative Consultant at The Opinionated Designer.

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