Peanuts Worldwide teams with PUMA for footwear, apparel, and accessories

Peanuts Worldwide is teaming with the sports company PUMA for the launch of a new line of footwear, apparel, and accessories aimed at kids and adults, all featuring the classic characters from creator Charles M. Schulz.

In a deal that has been brokered by WildBrain CPLG’s German team, the PUMA x  Peanuts adult offering will witness the launch of classic PUMA styles adorned with members of the Peanuts gang, including Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and Woodstock in basketball inspired scenes.

The clothing will bring a collection of tees, hoodies, and sweatpants for both men and women. The footwear includes the Future Rider and classic basketball style, the Ralph Sampson. Rounding out the adult items in the range are beanies and a backpack.

Meanwhile, the kids’ Peanuts collection encompasses visuals of the characters playing sports including baseball, football and more. In a variety of items for girls and boys, the collection features hats, backpacks, and classic T7 track suits. Key PUMA footwear styles including the Mirage Mox and Ralph Sampson will also be available in junior, preschool, and infant sizing.

Tara Botwick, senior director, territory management EMEA for Peanuts Worldwide, said: “The PUMA x Peanuts collaboration brings together two iconic and internationally loved brands. We’re confident both kids and adults will love the sportswear and accessories that mix PUMA’s distinctive styles with eye-catching Peanuts art in a line full of character, imagination and nostalgia.”

The PUMA x Peanuts collection is now available at PUMA.com and at PUMA stores and select retailers.

Popeye lands its first Australian sportswear partnership with The WOD Life

Merchantwise Licensing has brokered the first Australian Popeye sportswear collection withe the popular online sportswear label, The WOD Life. The deal was struck on behalf of King Features Syndicate.

Launching this month ahead of the Australian summer season, the limited-edition range of fashionably branded Popeye sportswear apparel for women and men includes a high-waisted booty short, fleet bra, motion shorts, slash crop, flex short and printed tank.

‘Popeye’s heart of gold, brave and compassionate personality shines across a number of branded sports and training accessories including a scrunchie, printed socks, an immerse headband as well as a quick dry towel and a face mask covering,’ said the company.

The branded range also extends to training support items including wrist wraps, strength wraps, a four-inch Velcro lifting belt as well as knee sleeves.

The WOD Life will be heavily supporting the range with a ‘Hype’ campaign pre-release followed by an early access marketing activity ahead of the launch at the end of this month. The WOD Life will also drive extensive marketing, digital, media and influencer outreach campaigns for the collaboration.

“For the past three years, The WOD Life has been releasing successful limited edition prints for our customers which can sell out in a matter of hours, said The WOD Life’s director, Ben Dineen.

“Popeye is a cartoon character which our customer base would be familiar with and may have grown up watching Popeye cartoons on TV or the movie during their childhood. We think our customers are going to really relate to the new Popeye x TWL range and will be excited to get into their training space to show off their new style.”

“We are so excited by this Popeye partnership with The WOD Life. Not only is it the first time we have launched an Australian Popeye branded sportswear collection, it is an incredibly comprehensive range featuring apparel, accessory and training support products that are sure to please both Popeye fans and The WOD Life’s extensive customer base,” said Merchantwise Licensing’s general manager, licensing, Kerryn McCormack.

Miffy celebrates 65th anniversary with a year of licensing and collaborations success

It’s been a 65th anniversary celebrated in style for Dick Bruna’s iconic white bunny character, Miffy, whose fans have been ‘spoiled by an array of new products’ released throughout 2020.

A highlight of the milestone year – and not one to be forgotten anytime soon – has been the Miffy Design Challenge, in which brand owner Mercis invited design and fashion students from across the world to re-imagine the character by designing a new outfit for a 3D Miffy.

No fewer than 82 highly creative entries have been whittled down to 10 winners, each of which has been produced as an exclusive, limited-edition plush collection by Dutch licensee, Bon Ton Toys. Launched in the UK with a competition via the Miffy Shop. fans were given the chance to win one of the exclusive winning plush toys before it is launched to retailers across the world.

This summer saw the launch of a high-end collection of Miffy bags and purses from Strathberry, as well as a new range of craft kits from Stitch and Story that brought Miffy and friends, including Poppy Pig and Boris Bear brought to market. Licensed to Charm launched a range of silver and gold Miffy-inspired jewellery for the teen and adult market, while still to come is a new Miffy Christmas charm from the gift partner Magpie, and bamboo plates will follow recent tinware lines.

In publishing, Dick Bruna became the star of the latest edition of Thames & Hudson’s series The Illustrators which celebrates our greatest illustrators and acts as an introduction to the art and techniques of Bruna including his creation of Miffy. A new treasury of four Miffy classic stories was also published by Simon & Schuster in October. 

Translating well into fashion across the ages, Tobias and the Bear launched a new baby and toddler collection with a new distinctive and stylish unisex handwriting. A partnership with Next in girlswear has been rewarded with a Licensing Awards nomination, while another success story for this year was the Miffy NHS Heroes T-Shirts initiative.

Alicia Davenport, licensing director at DRi Licensing, said: “In spite of this year’s many challenges we were happy to be able to celebrate Miffy’s milestone birthday with so many genuinely beautiful and innovative new collections. And as we come to the end of this celebratory year, it has been a wonderful pinnacle for Miffy to be selected as a Finalist in the prestigious Licensing Awards, Classic Licensed Property category.”