Iconic global brand Barbie will be the star of Brand Licensing Europe’s day one keynote, ‘Barbie x Fashion’, delivered by Mattel President and COO Richard Dickson.

“Barbie is one of the world’s greatest fashion and licensing icons, collaborating with everyone from Balmain, Karl Largerfeld, Moschino and Diane von Furstenberg, to M.A.C. and River Island,” says Informa Markets SVP of Licensing Anna Knight. “And, like all fashion icons, she has evolved, disrupted, inspired and led from the front – she is the perfect star to take centre stage during BLE’s fashion themed year and it’s no surprise she was labelled ‘The forever icon’ by Italian Vogue. Thank you, Mattel and Richard Dickson – we can’t wait for your keynote at BLE in September.”

During his Barbie x Fashion keynote, taking place at 1pm on Tuesday 20 September, Richard Dickson, Mattel President and Chief Operating Officer, will take BLE visitors on a rollercoaster ride, looking at Barbie’s amazing legacy to date and heralding the remarkable runway that lies ahead.

Brand Licensing Europe is Europe’s leading trade event and takes place from 20-22 September 2022 at ExCeL London. Registration is free and open now.

Richard Dickson first joined Mattel in 2000 and, in his role, he leads Mattel’s portfolio of global brands, overseeing innovation strategy, design and development, and brand marketing. He also oversees franchise management, which includes licensing and merchandising, episodic content, live events, and digital gaming.

During his time at Mattel, Richard Dickson has grown some of the world’s most powerful and purpose-driven brands, including Barbie – the most diverse line of fashion dolls – and Hot Wheels. In 2021, Barbie was the #1 toy property globally, Hot Wheels was the #1 vehicle property globally, and Fisher-Price was the #1 Infant, Toddler, and Preschool property globally, per The NPD Group.