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Spotlight On... Licensed Giftware
Brands Talking This October’s Brand Licensing Europe (BLE) is a very special one, with the show celebrating its milestone 21st year at a brand a new venue for the show, ExCeL, at London’s Docklands. With licensed giftware more prolific than ever, and with a fresh range of licences and licensees launching at the Autumn shows, PG&H reveals who is launching what for the coming season.
Nemesis Now: Metallica
EastWest: Tache EastWest recently signed an extensive licensing agreement with greeting card company Tache for gifts, homeware and stationery products. Samples of selected products will be launched at Autumn Fair with the full range available from December. Designs from Tache’s popular card brands, to include Lashes, Krafty and the London range, will be featured on notebooks, keyrings, ceramics and glassware. “We spotted the company at PG Live in June, and were very impressed with the breadth and original look of the ranges the brand offers,” explains Terry Taylor, director of EastWest. “We immediately saw the potential of taking the greeting card artwork and translating it onto gifts and stationery, providing EastWest with something different for our customers.” Tache joins other licensed greeting card brands at EastWest, to include Bug Art, Rose Hill and American card company SE Hagarman, as well as art brands that include Bree Merryn, House of Turnowsky and The National Gallery. Below: The EastWest licensing arrangement with Tache covers its Krafty, Lashes and London ranges.
Formed in 1981 in Los Angeles, Metallica remain one of the founding ‘big four’ bands of thrash metal, alongside Megadeth, Anthrax and Slayer. Currently on a mammoth three year WorldWired tour, finishing in November 2019, Nemesis Now has added the thrash metal juggernauts to its portfolio. Inspired by the artwork from Metallica’s third studio album, Master of Puppets, the range features high quality resin sculptures, tankards, goblets and shot glasses, as well as a collection of printed hip flasks, wallets, purses and crystal clear pictures. “Designed with an electrifying passion, our range of Metallica merchandise was created and 3D sculpted in our Staffordshire headquarters,” explains Nemesis Now’s managing director Andrew Norman Smith. “Our aim was to create products that any metal militia member would be proud of because after all ‘Nothing Else Matters…’,” quips Andrew. Working closely with the licensing company, he says that Nemesis Now has managed to immortalise the bands spirit, with the collection formally released at Autumn Fair in September. Above: Metallica from Nemesis Now.
BB Designs: Hype Hype started life in 2011 as a self-funded project designing printed clothing and accessories and has now grown to become one of the UK’s most recognisable brands. “We will be introducing a new range of Hype stationery, drinkware and accessories which will be available to order from September 2019,” confirms BB Designs’ head of operations, Sagar Brahmbhatt. “The collection features edgy, cool and individual styles with a focus is on bold prints, cool colours and lifestyle ready designs.” Above: The Hype collection from BB Designs. Progressive Gifts & Home Worldwide
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