Frida Kahlo renews partners with Sass & Belle across gifts, kitchen, gardening and more

The licensing programme surrounding the iconic Mexican artist and icon, Frida Kahlo is continuing to grow, thanks to the renewal of a partnership with Sass & Belle and its range of officially licensed gift products for the UK and global markets.

An extension of the partnership brokered by Art Ask Agency, the Barcelona-based licensing agency for the Frida Kahlo consumer products programme, the new Sass & Belle collection now features some 30 new SKUs across gifts, kitchen items, gardening, ceramics, and accessories.

“Sass & Belle’s products are delightful. They have even launched a Frida Kahlo plant mister,” said Beatriz Alvarado, head of international affairs, Frida Kahlo Corporation.

“Since we began transporting our customers to the heart of Mexico around two years ago, our hugely successful Frida Kahlo collection has grown from a handful of products to around 30 skus, with many more ceramics launching in the coming months.”

Daisy Coombes, marketing manager, at Sass & Belle, said: “Here at Sass & Belle we are known for our characterful designs. But Frida has fast become one of our bestselling collections, making her our most-loved character design.”

https://www.sassandbelle.co.uk/gifts/theme/frida-gifts/

Art Ask Agency reports ‘excellent worldwide sales’ of Kare Design’s Pets Rock wall art collection

The Barcelona based Art Ask Agency is reporting ‘excellent sales results worldwide’ for the initial launch of a collection of Pets Rock wall art launched earlier this year by the home decor licensing partner, Kare Design.

Pets Rock is a brand centered on a cast of quirky artistic characters from the worlds of music, film, history, and fashion that have lent themselves to the home decor market across a wide age group and range of territories.

The Kare collection includes glass framed wall art, acrylic wall art and canvas prints. Since its launch, Art Ask Agency has cited ‘excellent sales results worldwide.’ Kare Design GmbH is a recognised name in the home decor market with more than 200 shops in 50 countries.

‘The Kare brand symbolises furnishing ideas which are unique, non-conformist and authentic. Since 1981, the company has been surprising its fans worldwide with an incomparable and inexhaustible variety of new furniture, lighting and furnishing accessories, all expressing an intense passion for design,’ read a statement from the firm.

“Having Kare Design GmbH for a partner for Pets Rock is a great combination. Both stand out from the crowd and are very authentic,” said Maria Strid, owner of Art Ask Agency.

In addition, Pets Rock has recently launched a new style guide, The Love Book, with themes of positivity, love, hope and happiness because “life is better together”.

The new guide features rainbow-coloured assets and is available to licensees in addition to The London Book style guide. Both style guides compliment the quirky Pets Rock characters from the worlds of film, fashion and music.

The first licensee to launch the new style is Teneues Books with their second Pets Rock book launch planned for September 2021 in all distribution channels.

Art Ask Agency signs Frida Kahlo apparel range with Park Agencies

Art Ask Agency has signed a new Frida Kahlo licensed apparel collection in partnership with the UK licensee, Park Agencies to bring a 20 SKU collection to the Polish fashion retailer, Medicine.

Nearly 1,000 stores across Poland, Russia, Slovakia, Ukraine, and Belarus, as well as online, saw the launch of the new range this week, with items ranging from t-shirts, blouses and denim jackets, to skirts, airy dresses and socks and scarves. The collection features items for both men and women.

“This has been one of my favourite collections of 2020/2021. By designing different pieces inspired by Frida’s unique folk art, we can make sure her iconic style and image lives on. I love every piece,” said Deepal Parmar, licensing manager, Park Agencies Ltd.

“It is hard not to recognize the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo. Dark eyebrows and red lips are elements of her image that ensure that her character never loses its expressiveness. This is also what the new Medicine collection, inspired by her art, is like – it is impossible to pass by it indifferently. Express yourself,” added the Medicine fashion buying team.

BRANDBQ Sp. z o. o. is the owner of the Medicine brand, which was established in August 2013.

Medicine clothing is created by Polish designers, and famous artists are often invited to cooperate to create unique, limited collections. Medicine focuses on a creative approach to fashion by creating original collections, original prints, and collaborations with young artists.

Art Ask Agency celebrates Frida Kahlo’s licensing success as Calzedonia launch surpasses expectations

Art Ask Agency is celebrating the continued success of its Frida Kahlo licensing programme having most recently watched the Calzedonia Frida Kahlo collection launch and marketing campaign surpass all expectations.

Across all social media platform, the firm has seen high engagement as fans from across the globe welcome the latest product offering from Calzedonia. The officially licensed range features seven pairs of socks, catering for various consumer targets and styles, including casual, elegant and sport, and four pairs of embellished tights.

According to the team, various models in the collection have already sold out, with new stock on its way.

“The Frida Kahlo Corporation is proud to celebrate Frida Kahlo. In her lifetime she would become many women, all of them different and contained within one. Frida was a Woman, a Daughter, a Sister, a Wife, a Friend, and a Lover.  She was an Artist who painted flowers and who today is the muse that inspires this collaboration with Calzedonia for those of us who dare to be different,” said Beatriz Alvarado, head of international affairs, Frida Kahlo Corporation.

Gruppo Calzedonia is a main player in the legwear and beachwear sector on a European level and one of the main ones worldwide. Calzedonia has a well-established online sales channel which is giving Frida fans the possibility to purchase products online and in store, despite any pandemic restrictions.

The Calzedonia press team said in a statement: “Kahlo’s signature style, from long circle skirts to embroidered blouses and intricate floral compositions in her hair, is rich with aesthetic imagery and has allowed the artist to resonate with audiences even in the 21st century, becoming the focus of international fashion and inspiring the collections of haute couturiers and the fashion world in general, from runways to streetwear trends.

“Socks, entirely on-trend today and stars of countless cool outfits in recent months (loungewear and otherwise), come alive with fun, bright prints in true ‘Rebel’ style.”

Frida Kahlo socks it to the man in ‘rebel style’ with new Calzedonia partnership

Art Ask Agency is continuing to grow the Frida Kahlo licensing programme – and socking it the restrictions of the pandemic –  having secured a new collaboration with the global legwear and beachwear retailer, Calzedonia.

Under the new deal, Calzedonia will launch a range of socks featuring seven different Frida Kahlo designs to cater for differing consumer targets and styles, including casual, elegant, and sports. The firm will also launch a collection of four embellished tights in a campaign that will be supplemented with marketing communications in stores worldwide.

“We are extremely proud and honoured to be partnering with the amazing team at Calzedonia for this licensed product collection and we can’t wait for the launch,” said Maria Strid, owner of Art Ask Agency.

“Kahlo’s signature style, from long circle skirts to embroidered blouses and intricate floral compositions in her hair, is rich with aesthetic imagery and has allowed the artist to resonate with audiences even in the 21st century, becoming the focus of international fashion and inspiring the collections of haute couturiers and the fashion world in general, from runways to streetwear trends,” said the Calzedonia press team in a statement.

“Socks, entirely on-trend today and stars of countless cool outfits in recent months (loungewear and otherwise), come alive with fun, bright prints in true ‘Rebel’ style.”

Anne Stokes partners with What’s Your Passion Jewelry for fantasy collection

What’s Your Passion Jewelry has partnered with the fantasy artist, Anne Stokes to create two new pieces designed to embody the unique and magical in the Celtic Dragon Necklace and Dragon Medal Necklace.

The collaboration marks the latest addition to What’s Your Passion Jewelry’s growing portfolio of licensed that includes partnerships with the likes of Marvel and Shield Hero.

The jewelry is hand crafted in the USA by a team of skilled artisans under the What’s Your Passion brand – a name that has been making fine jewelry for decades. Each item is shipped carefully in a collector’s box that can be used as a display. All items in the collection are .925 sterling silver.

“What’s Your Passion Jewelry make some really elegant jewelry in gold and silver. This delicate pendant is a really lovely rendition of my Celtic Dragon motif that features in many of my fantasy artworks. Silver has often been associated in folklore with protection from evil. For example, it’s only with a silver bullet that you can kill a werewolf,” said Stokes.

Anne Stokes posts weekly online video content exploring how the artist uses fantasy myths and legends in her artwork. The content has built up an audience of fans, while licensees benefit from having their products featured alongside the artworks.

The Anne Stokes Collection covers a broad range of Fantasy subjects including Unicorns, Enchanted Forests, Gothic themes and Dragons, from the famous artist Anne Stokes. Assets include main artworks, patterns, elements and logos and is updated regularly with new content.

A solid, long standing brand with over 70 licensees and worldwide merchandise sales in mainstream, independent and online retailers as well as a massive following of loyal fans.

The deal was brokered by Anne Stokes’ global licensing agency, Art Ask Agency.

Art Ask Agency partners with Moleskine for Frida Kahlo luxury notebook range

The Barcelona-based licensing firm, Art Ask Agency, has landed yet another partnership for the female icon Frida Kahlo having secured a new deal with Moleskine and the launch of three luxury notebooks.

The collection is designed to inspire fans to seize the creative moment and express themselves in words or drawings. Each colourful notebook in the collection reflects Frida Kahlo’s vibrant artistic approach and introspective nature. It has been billed as ‘a unique and sophisticated Moleskine interpretation, featuring iconic elements and quotes.’

With a fully comprehensive digital and physical marketing campaign, under the title of “Explore your own reality”, this range will create high visibility for the officially licensed products and for Frida Kahlo.

Selected physical stores will present the collection with full in-store installations at iconic retail sites in Milan, Rome, London Regent Street, Paris, LA, San Francisco, New York, Beijing and Shanghai. Fans are also invited to take part in the Frida challenge, to create a self-portrait that represent themselves portraying the true you, entries closing November 28th.

Additionally, there is a full spread editorial on Frida Kahlo in Moleskine’s magazine FOLD, distributed worldwide and online. https://www.foldmagazine.com/frida-kahlo-self-expression-liberation

“This launch is truly one of my dearest dreams come true. Moleskine is the height of quality and heritage when it comes to notebooks and I am the number one stationery freak,” said Maria Strid, owner of Art Ask Agency.

Simona Sbarbaro, Moleskine brand and communication director, added: “Frida Kahlo was truly a legendary woman and her legacy reverberates to this day, as her work and life continue to inspire and touch the lives of so many.

“Moleskine is immensely pleased to join forces with the Frida Kahlo Corporation in a celebration of this truly remarkable artist and woman with a Limited Edition Collection dedicated to her.”

Art Ask Agency signs Italy’s Yamamay for new Pet Rocks nightwear and loungewear collection

Art Ask Agency has partnered with the Italian intimates retailer, Yamamay to launch the first stage of its Pets Rock collection of nightwear and loungewear in over 500 stores in Italy and worldwide, as well as online.

June witnessed the launch of the summer range with maxi t-shirts and short PJs. The winter range, to be launched in September, will included warmer nightwear for the whole family. The collection carries the signature comical and light-hearted feel that the Pets Rock brand is known for across the globe.

“These characters, that combine two apparently different universes, the animal world and the one of celebrities and VIPs, create an ironic effect that plays on a subtle humour, typically British, that we are sure that our Italian and foreign customers will appreciate,” said Gianluigi Cimmino, CEO of Pianoforte Holding – Yamamay.

“When we were offered this collaboration, we thought it would be perfect for our audience, and it seems that now it will be even more: after such harsh times, we definitely need to add to our days a bit of lightness, positivity and humour.”

Kate Polybank, managing director of Takkoda, Pets Rock, added: “We are excited to be working with Yamamay on this fun collection. Who wouldn’t want these items to snuggle down in at home? Thanks to the expertise of Yamamay the products will surely be a great success.”

Established in 2001, Yamamay is an Italian brand that has become a world leader in the underwear and beachwear markets, developing a network of over 700 stores worldwide. Its product range includes underwear, lingerie, corsetry, swimwear, nightwear, clothing, and accessories, all of which offer customers an internationally renowned level of glamour and elegance.

Art Ask Agency celebrates Frida Kahlo’s 83rd birthday with UK licensee product launch

The Barcelona-based licensing firm, Art Ask Agency is preparing to celebrate the 83rd birthday of the iconic artist Frida Kahlo this July 6th with two worldwide product launches from its UK licensees, Spectrum Collections and The Vampire’s Wife.

Under the new deal, and in time for the big day, Spectrum Collections is launching a new range of make-up brushes and accessories which give Frida fans the opportunity to make themselves up surrounded by Frida Kahlo products.

The range includes make-up bags, a collection of brushes and a special Frida Kahlo head brush, characterizing Frida Kahlo with flowers in her hair as the bristles.

In parallel, The Vampire’s Wife has launched a special edition Frida Kahlo T-shirt with a creative graphic designed by Eri Wakiyama. The Vampire’s Wife is also known for the Villanelle Dress, worn by style icon Villanelle (Jodie Comer) in the third series of the successful Killing Eve. The Frida Kahlo T-shirt sold out within one hour of launching.

“When you wear a Vampire’s Wife item, you are not just putting on clothes, but rather a composite of all the things we find beautiful in the world. It is an act of loving memory and deep gratitude for all the wonder in the world,” read a statement from The Vampire’s Wife team.

“Launching with a partner like Spectrum Collections really helps solidify the Frida Kahlo licensing program in the UK & Europe and The Vampire’s Wife collaboration is delightful. We are mega fans of Villanelle and are sure Frida would be too,” said Maria Strid, owner of Art Ask Agency.