Licensing Museum & Heritage Book 2024

2024

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LEADER

Inset: The museum and heritage sector has been steadily growing in strength, stature and support for a number of years.

Culture club

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ccording to the Department for Media, Culture and Sport, between July 2023 and September 2023, there were 12.5 million visits to DCMS sponsored museums and galleries (including Natural History Museum, Science Museum Group, National Gallery, V&A, Imperial War Museum and Tate Modern among others).

Since the pandemic, visits have been increasing each year and are 24.4% higher than the equivalent period last year.

From a licensing and consumer products point of view, the museum and heritage sector has been steadily growing in strength, stature and support – from licensees and at retail - for a number of years.

This has been underlined by the increase in their participation in the Brand & Lifestyle Licensing Awards. Last year, the category was represented in all 12 of the prestigious Product categories, with the sheer depth of product ranging from fragrance, stationery and apparel through to food and beverage, lighting, wallpaper and kitchenware, and much more besides.

It’s a healthy backdrop to launch a dedicated museum and heritage licensing publication, and the Max team has thoroughly enjoyed becoming absorbed in the art, architecture, flora, fauna, design and history.

For our inaugural issue, we have aimed to capture the vibrancy, innovation and energy of the sector. We have looked to cover all areas of museum and heritage licensing – including heritage institutions, museums, gardens, estates, charity and historic brands and institutions of 50+ years (including universities).

The sector is dynamic, inventive and not afraid to push the boundaries when it comes to collaborations and, as we’ve discovered, has an appeal which stretches across international borders.

We hope you enjoy the issue – please do share your thoughts with the team; we’d love to hear them.

The Licensing Museum & Heritage Book Team Samantha Loveday, Jakki Brown, Tessa Clayton, Ian Hyder and Rob Willis.

Samantha Loveday - Group Editor Ian Hyder - Chief Executive Officer Jakki Brown - Managing Director and Editorial Director Rob Willis - Chief Operating Officer Mark Grayson - Creative Director Tel: 020 7700 6740 E-mail: hello@max-publishing.co.uk Copyright 2024. The publishers cannot accept legal liability for any errors or omissions, nor can they accept responsibility for the standing of advertisers nor any organisation mentioned in the text.

ISSN 25158643.

@licensingsource

SPORTS BOOK

THE ONLY AWARDS TOTALLY DEDICATED TO AWARD BRAND AND LIFESTYLE LICENSING THE AWARDS ARE NOW OPEN FOR ENTRIES. THEY ARE FREE TO ENTER AND DONE SO ENTIRELY ONLINE DEADLINE FOR ENTRY IS FRIDAY 8TH MARCH 2024 The 2024 winners of the awards will be revealed at a lavish afternoon event held at The Royal Lancaster Hotel, Lancaster Terrace, London on Thursday 25 April 2024

The B&LLAs bring together retailers, licensees, brand owners and representatives to celebrate excellence in brand and lifestyle licensing.

For information on reserving tickets or tables to the event, please contact: Clare Hollick at Createvents Ltd using clare@createvents.co.uk or calling +44(0)1183 340085 For information on sponsorship or any other enquiries please contact: Ian Hyder, Joint MD of Max Publishing on +44 (0)7525 634306 ianh@max-publishing.co.uk

www.brandlicensingawards.co.uk Max Publishing, United House, North Road, London, N7 9DP T: +44 (0)207 7006740 W: www.max-publishing.co.uk

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CONTENTS

What’s Inside?

6-10

State of the Nation

11

In Focus: Glasgow Life Photo Library

13

In Focus: Royal Shakespeare Company

15

In Focus: Natural History Museum

17

In Focus: National Trust

18-19

The Big Interview: Van Gogh Museum

21

In Focus: V&A

22-23 Collaboration Focus: Natural History Museum x Dunelm 25

In Focus: Morris & Co

27

In Focus: RHS

28-29 Licensee Feedback

39

31

In Focus: University of Cambridge

40-43 Spotlight On Greeting Cards

33

In Focus: Jewel

44-47 Powerful Partnerships:

35

In Focus: Historic Royal Palaces

36-37 Beyond Borders: The International Appeal of the Museums & Heritage Sector

In Focus: Half Moon Bay

Brand Collaboration Highlights 48-49 The Importance of the Style Guide 51

In Focus: National Gallery

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STATE OF THE NATION

Courtesy Trustees of the Natural History Museum, London

Popular culture

The inaugural Licensing Museum & Heritage Book opens with a round up of some of the latest news from across the sector.

The Ashmolean adds to collection The Ashmolean Museum’s licensing programme continues to go from strength to strength, with the addition of five new licensees.

Atlantic Mats is developing a range of mats inspired by objects from the Museum.

Doormats and runners have been inspired by Ashmolean artefacts such as Iznik tiles and a Jali screen, for example. China Petals is launching a range of three mosaic kits including a flower mosaic coaster kit with the featured design sourced from a block printed textile fragment and a butterfly mosaic kit inspired by a design from the Museum’s Worcester Porcelain collection; Gibson’s Organic Liqueurs is using Above: Jericho Coffee Traders has created a special ingredients such as crab apples Ashmolean heritage blend. for a new range of liqueurs; Jericho Coffee Traders has created a special heritage blend which is being sold in a tin that features Turner’s painting of Oxford high street, part of the Ashmolean’s collection; and the Indian Block Print Company is producing block printing kits.

“It is very satisfying to see these new licensees come on board,” said Ian Downes, md at the Ashmolean’s agency, Start Licensing. “They are joining a licensing programme that is enjoying great success both in qualitative and quantitative terms.”

Dec McCarthy, head of publishing and licensing at The Ashmolean Museum, continued: “The diversity and creativity is truly inspirational and I feel that we are finding many inventive ways to showcase the Museum’s incredible collections to a wider audience.”

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V&A highlights collaborative launches V&A rounded out 2023 with a number of new collaborations across several categories.

The Museum’s third range of womenswear with Love & Roses came to life through a ‘grand and opulent’ campaign, shot at Syon House. The AW23 collection was inspired by Indian, Persian, Baroque and Renaissance style textiles, and includes flowing dresses and graceful separates.

Meanwhile, premium gift pack producer Fells launched new designs across gifts such as Cocoa Dusted Truffles, English Breakfast Tea, Salted Caramel Biscuits and Hot Chocolate. The Marching Soldiers design takes inspiration from a commemorative handkerchief of printed textile adorned with policemen, the Queen's Guards, a royal Coronation coach, flowers and flags.

Chocolate purveyor, Prestat also unveiled its V&A Magical Garden collection, pitched as a ‘fusion of British wit, decadent flavours and vibrant packaging’ that pays homage to the Alice in Wonderland tales and artwork by Sir John Tenniel.

Above: Fells’ latest range included a selection of V&A teas.

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STATE OF THE NATION

Bimber Distillery travels the underground

B&LLAs 2024 are open for entries

London’s Bimber Distillery has revealed the launch of the fifth release of its celebrated The Spirit of the Underground Collection, produced in conjunction with Transport for London.

Release No.5 showcases four new stations: Bond Street, Hammersmith, Above: Four new stations are Regent’s Park and featured in the latest launch from Bimber Distillery.

Tottenham Court Road – each adorned with striking labels and packaging designs that explore the pasts and presents of each of the four famous London locations.

The Collection, which will total 44 individual releases, features a selection of iconic single malt whiskies that celebrate the heritage and diversity of the distillery’s home city. With eye-catchingly unique designs, each bottle presents a different tube station on the London Underground network – the oldest underground passenger railway service in the world.

Ellen Sankey, brand licensing manager at TfL, said: “The continuation of our partnership with Bimber Distillery sees the release of four new bottles, named after some of our most recognisable Tube stations, which is particularly significant as last year was the 160th anniversary of London Underground.

“We are proud to be collaborating with a Londonbased independent brand, highlighting again that the city houses products of great quality. The creative and original use of our branding to help portray unique elements of our city’s history shows the benefit that an innovative, long-term collaboration like this can have.”

Entries for the Brand & Lifestyle Licensing Awards 2024 are now officially open – with the event returning to the Royal Lancaster London on Thursday 25 April 2024.

Now in its ninth year, the B&LLAs gives the brand and lifestyle licensing and retail sector an opportunity to be recognised and rewarded separately to the massive character and entertainment licensing sector.

The B&LLAs 2024 – which is owned and organised by Max Publishing – Above: Natural History Museum’s Maxine Lister was the recipient of the Brand will look to reward Ambassador Award at the B&LLAs 2023. brand and lifestyle licensing activity which has taken place in the UK between 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2023, across Product, Retail and Property categories. In addition, the Brand Ambassador Award will be presented to a special individual (brand owner, licensor, retailer, licensee or supplier), acknowledging their contribution to the brand licensing sector, while the Rising Star Award will recognise and reward excellence among those ‘new to the brand licensing sector’ in the UK. The deadline for nominations and entries across all categories is Friday 8 March, 2024.

The entry and nomination process for all categories is free and via online submission – all the forms can be accessed from the dedicated B&LLAs website at www.brandlicensingawards.com.

Natural History Museum extends Royal Mint partnership In a continuation of the successful Tales of the Earth series, the Natural History Museum has collaborated with The Royal Mint to launch a third collection, celebrating some of the Museum’s most iconic specimens from its dinosaur collection.

The first coin in the Iconic Specimens series launched on The Royal Mint’s website in December 2023. It features Tyrannosaurus and pays tribute to the discovery of this legendary beast in 1900, with the jawbone of this incredible find still on display at the Museum today.

This marks the first time that Tyrannosaurus has been depicted on a UK fifty pence.

The three-part collection will also feature Stegosaurus and Below: The new collection marks the first time that Tyrannosaurus has been depicted on a UK fifty pence.

Diplodocus on their own coins, which will each become available to purchase in 2024. All three coins have been designed by British paleo-artist Robert Nicholls, with guidance from Professor Paul Barrett at the Natural History Museum.

“Dinosaurs have long since sparked feelings of curiosity and awe, and it is brilliant to see three of the most iconic specimens – including a nod to the nation’s favourite dinosaur, Dippy – immortalised on a 50p coin,” said Maxine Lister, head of licensing at Natural History Museum.

Rebecca Morgan, director of commemorative coin at The Royal Mint, continued: “For nearly 200 million years, dinosaurs roamed the Earth so it’s fitting that they are honoured forever on an official UK coin. Seeing these dinosaurs on a 50p coin we hope it will delight and inspire both current and budding palaeontologists for years to come.”

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University of Cambridge launches the Polar Collection The Polar Collection is the latest brand launch from Curating Cambridge, the University of Cambridge’s licensing division.

In collaboration with the University’s Scott Polar Research Institute (SPRI) and Polar Museum, the collection marries the famous polar expeditions of the past by Scott and Shackleton with current world leading research into the effects of climate change on the polar environment and indigenous peoples.

“This is an incredible opportunity to partner with one of the world’s leading universities and align with the important research that takes place at the SPRI,” said Len Dunne, ceo at Curating Cambridge. “Licensees can access the Polar Museum’s treasure trove of visual assets and co-brand with the SPRI knowing that royalties from the sales of these items go back to support the Institute’s polar regions research.”

Professor Neil Arnold, director of the SPRI, added: “Partners will not only be inspired by our work and the Museum’s collections, but also have the opportunity to align with our values and produce products to the highest environmental and sustainability standards.”

The Polar collection launches with a bespoke lookbook of assets, category direction and branding options.

Blonde Sheep secures Thyssen Bornemisza National Museum Blonde Sheep Licensing has become the global master licensee for the prestigious Thyssen Bornemisza National Museum in Madrid, Spain.

The partnership brings together the world of art and licensing and will see iconic works from the museum’s collection transformed into a diverse range of licensed products including apparel, accessories and home décor among others.

The Thyssen Bornemisza National Museum is renowned for its exceptional collection of European and American art spanning from the early Renaissance to the 20th century.

“By combining the timeless beauty of the museum’s collection with our expertise in licensing, we aim to create high-quality products and integrate art into people’s daily lives,” said Natasha Dyson, founder and ceo at Blonde Sheep Licensing.

Ana Cela, head of the Museo Thyssen’s Book and Giftshop, added: “By partnering with Blonde Sheep Licensing, we hope to bring the beauty of our collection to a broader audience and foster a greater appreciation for art in diverse and unexpected ways.

Below: The museum was inaugurated in 1992 and is housed in the Villahermosa Palace.

Inset: Licensees will be able to access the Polar Museum’s treasure trove of visual assets.

Craghoppers teams with the National Trust British travel and adventure brand, Craghoppers is collaborating with the National Trust on a new collection designed to help care for the great outdoors.

Inspired by the countryside under the National Trust’s care, the sustainable collection’s colour palettes are reminiscent of crisp, autumnal treks, combining bold patterns and prints found in nature.

Items will include fleeces, insulated jackets, active fitting legwear, packable waterproof jackets and trousers, plus a full accessories range.

It is also developed with some of the outdoor apparel industry’s most sustainable technologies to date – from kit made with 100% recycled materials, to a plant-based DWR made from renewable sources and part recycled synthetic down.

“A sustainably led attitude is such a huge part of Craghoppers’ identity and we strive to ensure that it is in everything we do. So, teaming up with the National Trust feels like the natural next step on our journey,” commented James McNamara, brand director at Craghoppers.

Becky Stanford, head of brand licensing at the National Trust, continued: “We’re proud to be able to build this longterm collaboration with Craghoppers and are excited by their desire to champion the care of the great outdoors for future generations.”

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Joanie Clothing makes it a hat trick with Natural History Museum Joanie Clothing is joining forces with the Natural History Museum for its third collaborative collection.

Every item in the 19-piece collection is made from a responsible fabric, including organic cotton and LENZING ECOVERO viscose.

The product range has been designed in collaboration with the Natural History Museum and features iconography and illustrations from its collections alongside familiar Joanie shapes and some brand-new silhouettes.

“Visit More Museums! It’s a great New Year’s resolution and part of a series of Joanie Jumpers that implore you to listen to your elders… ‘Read More Books,’ ‘Eat Your Greens.’ Come with us on a journey through time and space to the magical world of the Natural History Museum as we once again delve into the archives,” said Lucy Gledhill, brand director at Joanie.

Emma Russell, senior licensing manager at Natural History Museum, added: “It has been such a joyful experience to collaborate once again with the team at Joanie, alongside the wider team at the Museum, Above: The new range features iconography and illustrations from the Museum’s collections. to bring this third collection to life.

Morris & Co brand extends further into the US Luxury interior design and furnishings company, Sanderson Design Group is continuing to expand the Morris & Co brand into the US, securing a third major deal for the territory.

ENVOGUE International has inked a five-year agreement covering the US and Canada for the exclusive production of Morris & Co. bedlinen, bath linen and tote bags, plus non exclusive for a broad range of Morris & Co. products including cushions, ready-made curtains, bathroom accessories, doormats, kitchen mats, chairs, benches and poufs.

The first products from the agreement will be launched for spring/summer 2024.

The deal marks the third major agreement secured for the US following on from Ruggable and US retailer Williams Sonoma (tableware and cookware).

“The agreement builds on our strategic focus on the USA and marks further progress in the development of our licensing activities,” commented Lisa Montague, Sanderson Design Group’s ceo.

RHS grows with new partners The RHS ended 2023 on a high with the signing of several new partners and endorsements across a wide variety of categories.

It has endorsed VegTrug products, with a specific emphasis on the company’s core item: the classic VegTrug, a planter that allows people to easily grow their own The RHS has endorsed VegTrug fruit, herbs and vegetables in the Above: products including its classic planter. smallest spaces.

Paul Owen, co-founder and UK manager at VegTrug, said: “This endorsement from the UK’s favourite gardening charity is a wonderful inspiration for many people to start 2024 by enjoying the undoubted benefits of home growing.”

Other new partners include House of Sarunds which is producing a special RHS range of English chocolate, confectionery and biscuits for launch early this year; West Design Products for art, craft, stationery, toy and education products; and Haws, with a deal that not only involves an endorsement by the RHS of the full range of Haws watering cans, but also a Haws and RHS collaboration on new watering products.

Cathy Snow, licensing manager at RHS, said: “2024 looks set to be an exciting one for the RHS. Existing licensees have developed a raft of new product all set to launch at the spring trade shows and we have a very exciting fashion accessory licence to announce - as well as entering new product categories and launching new style guides.”

Heritage products line up in Gift of the Year 2024 shortlist The Giftware Association has revealed the shortlist for the Gift of the Year Awards 2024, with a number of brands from the museum and heritage space making their mark.

The shortlisted products span across 20 categories. The products on the list will now go on to be judged for a second time in person, on display at Spring Fair.

Heathcote & Ivory has seen its William Morris At Home Forrest Bathing Refresh & Reset and William Morris At Home Forest Bathing Hair Scent & Style Set shortlisted in Beauty, Bath & Spa and My Gift of All Time respectively. In addition, its William Morris At Home Strawberry Thief Scented Wax Tablets are shortlisted in Home Fragrance.

The RHS features in the Branded Gift and Children’s, Educational and Preschool categories with Burgon & Ball – Gifts for Gardeners 'Asteraceae' collection and RHS Growing Gardeners family gardening range – while Lola Design is also shortlisted in Branded Gift for the ZSL x Lola Design Stationery Collection.

In addition, the Marmalade x National Gallery Reed Diffuser Masterpiece scents collection from Marmalade of London is shortlisted in Heritage Gifts incorporating Commemorative, Collectable and Charitable.

The Gift of the Year Awards 2024 take place on Thursday 16 May at the Royal Lancaster London.

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The Met expands in home décor The Metropolitan Museum of Art has partnered with furniture company, Eichholtz, to launch The Met x Eichholtz collection.

The 90-piece cobranded range features furniture, home décor and lighting which draws inspiration from Above: A shared commitment to design over 5,000 years of and creativity unite The Met and Eichholtz. history and culture from around the globe. Each product has been designed to complement a wide variety of interior aesthetics and is intended to coordinate with other designs offered by Eichholtz.

“A year of being allowed to roam through the museum when it was closed to the public and explore the archives has led us to design a collection that we are incredibly proud of,” said Edwin van der Gun, global creative director at Eichholtz. “The result is a very special collection of handcrafted pieces.”

Josh Romm, head of global licensing and partnerships at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, added: “A shared commitment to design and creativity unite The Met and Eichholtz for this new collaboration, which brings 5,000 years of art home.”

Beanstalk is the licensing agency for The Met, representing the Museum in the US, Europe, Africa, Japan, the Middle East and Latin America.

Landmark deal for National Wildlife Federation The Landmark Project has partnered with the National Wildlife Federation to launch a sustainable collection of graphic tees, sweatshirts, headwear and accessories that reintroduces a childhood hero, Ranger Rick.

Founded on a shared commitment to environmental preservation, The Landmark Project crafts art-forward products that spark an appreciation for America's natural wonders. In tandem, the National Wildlife Federation works to ensure all wildlife, people and ecosystems thrive through the education and empowerment of individuals and organisations to champion wildlife conservation and protect our Earth for generations to come.

The partnership pays homage to Ranger Rick and other classic throwback graphics from the Federation's rich archive.

With each purchase from the collection, The Landmark Project returns a portion of the proceeds to the National Wildlife Federation.

“The Landmark Project captures that sense of wonder and purpose with their new collection, helping us to build on our legacy of wildlife and environmental conservation for generations to come,” said Krista Newberry, head of licensing and partners at the National Wildlife Federation.

Right: The partnership pays homage to Ranger Rick and other throwback graphics from the Federation's rich archive.

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The Musée du Louvre and Lancôme join forces The Musée du Louvre and Lancôme have joined forces in a new collaboration.

Inspired by nine masterpieces of sculpture, and by the lights and colours of the museum, Lancôme has created a new skincare and make-up collection: Lancôme x Louvre.

For the partnership – which launched with a campaign shot at the museum, featuring the brand’s ‘faces’ Zendaya, Aya Nakamura, Amanda Seyfried and He Cong – Lancôme drew inspiration from the Venus de Milo, the Winged Victory of Samothrace, Corinne, the Diana of Gabii, the Nymph with a Scorpion, Echo, Hygeia, the Venus of Arles and the Sleeping Hermaphrodite.

Each one of the sculptures, by its story and the myth it represents, inspired Lisa Eldridge, global creative director of Lancôme Makeup, to create the collection.

“I am delighted by this debut collaboration with Lancôme, which highlights with incredible talent the diversity of forms of beauty found in the Louvre collections – a dialogue between cultures and civilisations that transcends time and geography,” commented Laurence des Cars, president-director of the Musée du Louvre.

Above: The Lancôme collaboration highlights the diversity of forms of beauty found the Louvre collections.

Multi-part series celebrates Norman Rockwell Museum The Norman Rockwell Museum and Norman Rockwell Family have launched the Studio Sessions: The Norman Rockwell Collection – a multi-part series of limited Above: Each ‘Session’ will include digital (NFT) and print a selection of archival pieces editions that celebrate and curated thematically around a explore the artist’s rigorous celebrated Rockwell painting. creative process.

The collection will be produced in collaboration with Iconic, a company that expands cultural experiences with digital innovation, and IMG, the Norman Rockwell Family Agency’s global licensing representative.

Project proceeds will benefit the Museum’s core mission of conserving and presenting illustration art.

Proceeds will also benefit the Rockwell Family’s administration of the artist’s work and legacy.

Studio Sessions: The Norman Rockwell Collection dives deep into the archive of over 18,000 process photographs and draft works created through the mid20th century and cared for and stewarded at Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts.

Each ‘Session’ will include a selection of these archival pieces curated thematically around a celebrated Rockwell painting. The curated collection will be reproduced as limited digital editions (NFTs), and with each digital purchase, collectors will also receive a matching, limited edition, museum quality print.

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IN FOCUS: GLASGOW LIFE PHOTO LIBRARY

A fresh perspective A

city globally renowned for culture, Glasgow is home to nine galleries and museums, including the world-class Kelvingrove Art Gallery, the Burrell Collection and the Gallery of Modern Art. Images from the over 1 million treasures from their combined collections are held in the Glasgow Life Photo Library, which offers rich pickings for brands and licensees looking to add a fresh look to their product ranges, publications, projects or campaigns.

“Our library contains images rarely seen anywhere else,” says Glasgow Life’s publishing and licensing manager Susan Pacitti. “As you’d expect, we have a wealth of material relating to one of Glasgow’s favourite sons, Charles Rennie

With over 1 million objects in its collection, The Glasgow Life Photo Library offers a rich resource of art, history and heritage just waiting to be explored.

Mackintosh, including architectural drawings; our Glasgow Style collections are unparalleled.

But we’re not just all about this city. We have paintings from all the major European schools, including Old Masters, French Impressionists, Glasgow Boys (and Girls), Scottish Colourists, and the pre-Raphaelites. We also have social history images, travel posters and fashion plates, as well as natural history and historic photographs of shipbuilding on the Clyde.

“The Glasgow Life Photo Library is a largely untapped resource when it comes to licensing,” Susan concludes. “We have so much to offer, and with such knowledgeable staff, we can easily help you find the perfect imagery – even what you didn’t know you were looking for!"

Glasgow Museums Photo LLibrar y

A kaleidoscope of images spanniing centuries of culture e and art Glasgow Life Photo Library offers a largely untapped untap pped treasure trove of images. images The Museums’ collections include paintings from all the major European schools, ta apestries, embroideries and dress; Chinese, Egyptian, Greek and Roman wor ks; S alvadorr Dali’s wor ld-renowned Christ of St John of the Cross; stained glass; travel posters; fash hion plates; English oak fur niture; Islamic art; sculpture; ar ms and ar mour; transport; and of course, wor ks by Char les Rennie Mackintosh and the Glasgow Style artists. www.csgimages.org.uk

Glasgow Life Photo Library, Glasgow Museums Resource Centre, 200 Woodhead Road, Glasgow G53 7NN, S cotland, UK Tel: +44 (0)141 276 9452; email: photolibraryenquiries@glasgowlife.org g.uk

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An icon of theatre and literature.

Rooted in the past but always modern.

The words. The plays. The cultural capital.

Quintessentially British but revered by the world.

Join us as we honour the heritage, and celebrate all that is to come…

“We are thrilled to be helping the RSC bring their licensing programme to life. The aspirational power of the RSC, its dynamic organisation, and its rightful stewardship of Shakespeare’s peerless work will make for truly inspired, alluring brand extensions.”

TERI NIADNA, MANAGING DIRECTOR INFO@BRANDGENUITY.COM

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IN FOCUS: ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY Inset: The RSC will be kicking off its licensing programme in earnest in 2024.

Below: The RSC’s collection has a wealth of historic material including the dress Vivien Leigh wore as Lady Macbeth in 1955.

Celebrating the Bard W

A major player on the global stage for over 60 years, the Royal Shakespeare Company is setting the scene for its launch into licensing in 2024.

ith two new artistic directors having joined the organisation in 2023 and the search for a new executive director under way, there are exciting changes afoot at the RSC. The world-renowned theatre company – based in Stratford-upon-Avon, the Bard’s birthplace – is poised to launch into licensing in 2024, offering licensee partners across the globe its expertise, access to its extensive archive and the opportunity to create products and experiences that resonate with Shakespeare fans of all ages.

The RSC’s collections contain “an abundance of assets”, explains the RSC’s licensing manager Michelle Morton. “We have a wealth of historic material: the First Folio from 1623; rare books, artwork, photography, costumes and props. But unlike a museum, our archive isn’t static. We’re constantly producing new assets because we’re always putting on new shows and collaborating with new directors and designers. We also do a lot of work in the digital space, with partners like TikTok and Samsung, so there are always fresh, exciting things happening that people can draw inspiration from.”

Brandgenuity has recently been appointed as the RSC’s worldwide licensing agency and is ready to embrace opportunities both at home and overseas. (The RSC’s reach extends as far afield as the US, China, Australia and India through its Live from Stratford cinema productions

and other initiatives). Obvious categories are gifting, homewares, apparel and health and beauty, but the RSC is also open to partnerships with other brands. “That might involve physical products, or experiences,” says Michelle.

In terms of inspiration, licensees are invited to consider a wide range of angles. “Shakespeare wrote about every aspect of the human experience and that means there’s something to appeal to a broad base of retail customers and consumers across many categories and territories,” says Rockpool’s Vickie O’Malley, licensing consultant to the RSC. “You have the design work and craftsmanship that happens at Stratford, the classic and contemporary productions and, of course, the plays and Shakespeare’s characters themselves. His words and themes such as love, mischief and strong women offer so much inspiration for creative design.”

With the RSC forging a new creative path, and a new season of plays “with high-profile casting” announced this January, the licensing programme is launching at an opportune time – and licensee partners will benefit from the boost to the RSC’s brand profile, says Michelle. “We have a strong social media presence and will be promoting the licensing programme, and the work of our licensee partners, through our various channels. We want everyone to know we’re open for business.”

Left: Michelle Morton, licensing manager, RSC.

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Creating advocates for the planet Licensing contact: Maxine Lister m.lister@nhm.ac.uk +44 (0) 7584 587 304

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IN FOCUS: NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM Inset: Womenswear brand Joanie Clothing returned to the Museum’s archives to draw inspiration for its third collection in 2023.

A world of opportunity T

he licensing team’s goal is to seek out partners that have a shared ethos, prioritising creativity and curiosity alongside a sustainable mindset to create purposeful product that appeals to a broad cross-section of consumers.

2023 was a fantastic year for the Museum’s licensing programme. It started off strong at the B&LLAs, collecting the Best Licensed Heritage or Institution Brand Award for the fourth year running, while its head of licensing, Maxine Lister, received the Brand Licensing Ambassador of the Year award. The Museum also saw its licensing partners Blueprint Collections and Dunelm collect the awards for Best Brand Licensing Gifting Product or Range, and the Sustainability Brand Licensed Product or Range respectively.

The year saw the Museum go from strength to strength, bolstered by its existing partnerships that continue to flourish, including its ongoing collaboration with UK homewares retailer Dunelm – now in its second year – and womenswear brand Joanie Clothing, which returned to the Museum’s archives to draw inspiration for its third NHM x Joanie collection.

With the aim of engaging curious minds to learn and grow, the Museum collaborated with the team at Hasbro to release a new line of clothing and merchandise inspired by Peppa Pig and the natural world, which was made exclusively for F&F and Tesco.

The Natural History Museum is on a mission to create advocates for the planet, and its licensing department has a key role to play. Together with its carefully selected licensing partners, it develops innovative products that reflect the Museum’s core values and inspire a love of the natural world.

Additional new partners included iconic British brand Biscuiteers, which created an enchanting three-piece hand-iced biscuit collection, Blues Group for children’s apparel, East End Prints for wholesale and direct-to-consumer prints, and A2V for arts and crafts and bespoke stationery.

Closing off another successful year, the Museum collaborated once again with The Royal Mint to launch its third collection, a continuation of the highly successful Tales of the Earth series.

The Museum’s licensing department continues to forge ahead with its plans to positively disrupt the heritage licensing sector, with fresh and engaging kids’ product from Galt Toys, Playpress Toys, Seed Pantry and Tonies, alongside new collections from fashion favourites ROKA London and Fable England, all hitting shelves in 2024.

As the licensing and retail industries continue to move at pace, the Museum is determined to remain strategic and agile when setting future plans for growth and expansion, exploring new categories, consumer groups and retail channels.

Head of licensing Maxine Lister says: “We always look to market and consumer insights to build out and refine our strategic plans. We’ve made great strides within the UK, and continue to grow the programme at pace, but we’re also utilising our strong global reach to grow and establish our licensing programme in new categories and territories.”

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5.7 million members and over 44,000 volunteers

Bring your brand to life by working with the National Trust Join our award-winning licensing programme and help us look after nature, beauty and history. Our product ranges are inspired by our values, properties and collections in our care and support the conservation work across the 500 places we look after.

Visit our website

Email us

©National Trust 2024. Registered charity number 205846.

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IN FOCUS: NATIONAL TRUST

For nearly 130 years, the National Trust has worked to care for England, Wales and Northern Ireland’s historic sites and open spaces, preserving them for everyone to enjoy. The charity’s head of brand licensing Becky Stanford explains how its conservation mission is reflected in its licensing collaborations, which aim to move, teach and inspire audiences by creating authentic connections and telling powerful stories.

Inset: Ethical kids’ brand Frugi collaborated with the Trust for a childrenswear collection that supports beaver reintroductions across selected sites.

A trusted partner O

ffering an opportunity to share the National Trust’s stories and charitable purpose with diverse audiences, as well as generating revenue that allows us to continue to look after the gardens, coastline, historic houses, parklands, pubs and villages in the Trust’s care, brand licensing is a vitally important part of the National Trust’s commercial strategy.

Our approach to brand extension includes a strong focus on ethical and environmental sourcing, with the proviso that each collaboration we enter into supports our sustainability goals, and that licensed products offer a genuine link back to the Trust’s values.

The Trust has 28 licensees, spanning the home, garden, lifestyle gifting and outdoor sectors and more. Given that we look after 250,000 hectares of countryside, and we know that many of our visitors love walking, hiking and camping, the latter is a strong category for us and we actively pursue opportunities within it.

However, we have ambitions to move into new product areas during 2024 and welcome ideas from potential licensees outside our core sectors – the more creative, the better!

Having so many diverse locations and collections under the Trust’s care means licensees are never short of inspiration. For example, interiors company Little Greene takes patterns found in the Trust’s historic houses – in

tapestries, wall hangings and tiny fragments of papers found in attic rooms – as a starting point to create beautiful wallpapers, allowing consumers to ‘own’ a small piece of National Trust history in their own homes.

In some cases, the Trust is able to ringfence income from its collaborations to support specific conservation projects – a powerful tool in connecting customers and their purchase decisions with the tangible benefits. A collaboration with childrenswear brand Frugi for a Busy Beavers Adventure collection of ecofriendly kids’ clothing and accessories has helped to deliver ongoing conservation support for the family of beavers reintroduced at the Holnicote Estate in Somerset, making for a lovely circular story connecting the collaboration with our cause.

Being a brand licensee of the National Trust is about so much more than a name attached to a product. Working with us allows a brand to tell a different kind of story to their customers – be that their love of heritage or the strides they are making in how their products are manufactured – and what sets us apart is what we call the charitable ‘feelgood factor’. We find that the opportunity to give back to a charity really resonates at the point of purchase.

Left: Becky Stanford, head of brand licensing.

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THE BIG INTERVIEW: VAN GOGH MUSEUM

Inset: The Museum has recently released its third style guide, in association with Skew Studio.

The Master Plan

Fresh from its 50th anniversary celebrations, and with a Licensing International Excellence Award under its belt, the Van Gogh Museum is setting its sights on new horizons and opportunities. Head of global partnerships and licensing Marijn Veraart tells Tessa Clayton about the VGM’s plans and its partnership ‘wish list’.

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he world’s leading authority on Vincent van Gogh and home to 200 of his paintings, close to 500 of his drawings and more than 700 of his letters, the Van Gogh Museum is a leading light in the museum and heritage sector. Forging a path all its own, its licensing programme has broadened over recent years to encompass new categories and global territories, and successful partnerships with brands that share its core values – resulting in multiple awards for innovative product ranging from vegan perfume to sustainable denim.

“The Museum’s licensing programme feeds into the wider mission of the VGM: to inspire a broad global audience with the life and works of Vincent van Gogh,” Right: Vincent’s Flowers, the explains head of global Museum’s 50th anniversary artwork, was the inspiration partnerships and for a new design by Be@rbrick. licensing, Marijn

Veraart. “As a single-artist museum, founded by Vincent’s family, we are the primary source for everything Van Gogh-related. We can give our partners access not only to Vincent’s works but to his thought processes, his emotions, why he painted what he did and what being creative meant to him, which makes for powerful stories.”

2023 was the Museum’s 50th anniversary year, and aside from three “beautiful” exhibitions, an outdoor celebration on 2 June and success at the annual Licensing International Excellence Awards in Vegas – where it was nominated five times and scooped the top prize in the Best Licensed Brand in the Art, Design, Museum category – the VGM enjoyed some exciting licensing collaborations, including a partnership with Pokémon [see page 45] that “went to every corner of the world”.

Eco-friendly footwear company Cariuma – a brand that shares the Museum’s passion for © Van Gogh Museum

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THE BIG INTERVIEW: VAN GOGH MUSEUM

sustainability – dropped four sneaker designs inspired by Vincent’s love of the natural world.

High-end collectables company Be@rbrick expanded its range with two new designs, based on the 1890 painting Almond Blossom and on Vincent’s Flowers, the Museum’s bespoke 50th anniversary artwork that combines seven of Van Gogh's flower paintings in one spectacular bouquet; it has proven so popular that the Museum has decided to add it to its portfolio of assets for ongoing use. In addition, a recent partnership with Dutch brand Bunzlau Castle for tableware designs based on Van Gogh’s Sunflowers, Irises and Landscape with Houses saw the Museum enter the tableware category, a long-held ambition, for the first time.

Furthermore, in an ongoing collaboration, the museum partnered with Samsung to make Vincent’s art accessible through The Frame, a lifestyle TV that transforms into a work of art, which will, in Marijn’s words, “bring Vincent's paintings into the houses of more people”.

Now, however, the team’s sights are set firmly on 2024 and beyond.

“Homeware is still high on our agenda – it’s such a broad category – as are fashion accessories such as hats, bags and scarves,” says Marijn.

“Vincent loved travelling, which makes luggage and leisure gear a great fit. And we’d love to do more to attract our youngest target group: young children and their caregivers.” She and the team are keen to talk to potential partners in the kids’ arts and crafts category, and in publishing.

“Publishing has huge potential. We’re launching a cardboard baby book in April 2024 in Dutch and English with Dutch publisher Ploegsma, and we’d love to do more in this category.”

New and longstanding partners can now take inspiration from the Museum’s recently published third style guide, produced with brand extension expert Skew Studio. It contains three new themes: one giving a fun, modern twist on Vincent’s sketches, another based around Vincent’s love of travel, and the third inspired by Vincent’s impressions of Provence.

“We’re really happy with it and it's starting to be picked up by our licensees,” Marijn says. “What we like to do with our style guides is inspire

Above: A new partnership with Bunzlau Castle has seen the Van Gogh Museum enter the tableware category for the first time.

not only our partners but also consumers with lesser-known works, and provide jumping-off points for licensees so they can come up with ideas of their own.”

Further ahead, 2025 promises to be “a very interesting year”. Not only is it the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, and the 750th anniversary of the foundation of Amsterdam, it is 100 years since the passing of Vincent’s sister-in-law Jo Bonger – “a fighter and champion” who worked tirelessly during her lifetime to bring Vincent’s work to the attention of the wider world. “The Museum will be celebrating all three events in some way, which will, of course, involve the licensing programme,” Marijn states.

“Whatever we do, we try to be creative, just as Vincent was. We want to keep pushing our boundaries, and be at the forefront of the licensing industry, and always make sure that our passion for the art and the brand is evident in every single licensed product and execution. As a museum and as a licensing team, we will continue to strive to be authentic, in connection and original.

“Right now, we’re looking forward to debuting our latest 2024 deals, which are currently under wraps, and to deepening our collaborations with our existing partners. And we’re always excited to talk to potential new partners, too.”

Left: Marijn Veraart (right) and licensing manager Eva Derksen celebrate the Museum’s 2023 Licensing International Excellence Award.

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The award-winning V&A Brand Licensing programme offers an almost infinite source of design inspiration, allowing both new and existing audiences to connect with the V&A’s vast collections of decorative arts.

For more information please visit: vandalicensing.com Contact us: licensing@vam.ac.uk

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IN FOCUS: V&A

The V&A brand is recognised globally as a powerful endorsement of craftsmanship and excellence in design. The founding mission of the museum was to make art and design accessible to all, and through its global partnerships with designers, manufacturers and retailers, it continues to champion and inspire the creative industry today.

Left: The V&A's interiors collaborations include 1838 Wallcoverings, whose second range launches this January.

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he V&A has a long history of success in the apparel category, which is a key area for growth for the museum.

Launches across the UK, Europe and East Asia include a collaboration with Amsterdam-based jeans brand DENHAM, which last year debuted a collection of unique pieces inspired by Japanese kimono textiles. Womenswear brand Love & Roses launched its third range in 2023, offering statement prints in a joyful palette, based on patterns and nature prints held in the museum’s collections, with a fourth collection scheduled for Spring/Summer 2024. In addition, Olympia Le-Tan, the Parisian fashion house known for reimagining classic book covers and art as artisanal clutch bags and accessories, released limited edition styles inspired by the design sourcebooks and portfolios of 20th-century artists held in the V&A National Art Library. In spring 2023, Japan-based Kyoto Marubeni launched its inaugural range of exquisite garments and accessories, a fusion of traditional Japanese textile techniques with V&A patterns from the Arts and Crafts era by talented designers of the movement, including William Morris.

Another expanding category for the museum’s licensing programme is interiors. In 2023, the V&A and Agnella by Brintons collaborated on a range of rugs that celebrate design and craftsmanship, drawing on a multitude of

artistic influences from tapa cloths and Art Deco prints to Sidney Mawson textile designs.

This January sees the launch of 1838 Wallcoverings’ V&A Decorative Papers II collection, a captivating range of wallpaper designs featuring intricate patterns dating as far back as the 1700s. Also in January, Sofas & Stuff is set to unveil its third fabric range with the V&A, Threads of India. Featuring evocative designs inspired by the museum’s array of South Asian objects and fabrics, it is a tribute to India’s timeless textiles and their enduring global influence.

Giving interior decor a hi-tech spin, the V&A also partnered with Samsung to bring works of art from its collections to the homes of The Frame TV customers. Subscribers are able to access over 70 archived pieces via the Samsung Art Store, including British Arts and Crafts patterns and Japanese woodblock prints.

2024 is set to be an exciting year for the V&A. Following the success of the Gabrielle Chanel: Fashion Manifesto exhibition, the museum will open Tropical Modernism: Architecture and Power in West Africa in March 2024, followed

by Fragile Beauty: Photographs from the Sir Elton John and David Furnish Collection in May, and NAOMI, the first exhibition of its kind exploring the extraordinary career of fashion model Naomi Campbell in June.

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COLLABORATION FOCUS: NHM X DUNELM

Natural partners

Inset: Owls, hares and moths are celebrated in the Moorland collection.

Born from a shared passion for the natural world, the collaboration between the Natural History Museum and Dunelm is a commercial and creative success story. Having exceeded expectations in terms of sales, it has expanded the reach of both brands while raising awareness of key issues facing the natural world – and bagged a B&LLA into the bargain.

Tessa Clayton finds out more.

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licensed partnership between the renowned Natural History Museum and leading homeware retailer Dunelm was first mooted during lockdown by the Museum’s licensing agency IPR. “We recognised early on that both brands shared a synergy,” recalls the Museum’s head of licensing Maxine Lister, “particularly when it came to our approach to sustainability. We were impressed with how much Dunelm was already doing in this area and were keen to join them on this journey.”

The Museum had already experienced early success in the homewares category with its collaboration with Farrow & Ball, as well as its luxury wallpaper collection with Divine Savages.

“We knew that there was an appetite for the brand in this area, but we hadn’t yet fully explored the category,” explains Maxine. “We realised that working with Dunelm would allow us to introduce the brand and our message

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about the work we do to the mass market while simultaneously exploring other product areas beyond just paint and wallpaper.”

Dunelm’s head of design and product development Emma Anthony recalls how the partnership “clicked into place for a number of reasons” in addition to both brands’ shared sustainability goals.

“Obviously, we recognised the wealth of inspiration within the Museum – it’s home to 80 million specimens – but also, the team are just such fun people to work with,” she says.

Early on, it was decided that the first NHM x Dunelm collections Above middle: All NHM x Dunelm bedding is made from responsibly sourced cotton and/or recycled polyester.

Inset: The shell motifs featured in the Shoreline collection were designed with the help of the Museum’s scientists.

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COLLABORATION FOCUS: NHM X DUNELM

would focus on different habitats and the biodiversity within them. The Wetlands Collection, featuring a bestselling kingfisher print, launched in 2022 Above: Dunelm has seen an uptick in customers buying alongside a ‘Signature’ co-ordinated products range inspired by the across its NHM ranges.

Victorian décor of the Museum itself, and a dinosaur-themed children’s collection. Subsequent collections, released each season, have shone a spotlight on woodlands, shorelines and moorlands. Huge care is taken to ensure the designs are as authentic as possible, with Dunelm’s designers working closely with experts at the Museum.

“One designer spent a day with the Museum’s mollusc curator, illustrating shells, which went on to inspire stunning products from the Shoreline collection,” says Emma, “while one of the Museum palaeontologists helped in the development of both the Stegosaurus and Diplodocus plush toys.”

Emma points out that the handles used on the cabinets of its Signature furniture are exact replicas of the ones found at the Museum. “It’s a lovely touch because if you buy into that range of furniture, you're really getting a piece of the Museum to keep in your own home.”

The 300+ Natural History Museum products currently available to customers range from cushions embroidered with delicate marsh botanicals and Mini Beasts Wallpaper to quirky pieces like a gold-coloured octopus glasses holder. “We have a whole vein of product that runs through our collection that we affectionately call ‘Products with Personality’,” says Dunelm design director Debbie Drake. “We know our customers have a sense of humour, and anything with a sense of fun works for us.”

For the Museum, the collaboration has provided an opportunity to explore new categories such as

B&LLA success The NHM x Dunelm collaboration took home the Sustainability Brand Licensed Product or Range Award at the 2023 B&LLAs. “One of the key synergies between both brands has been our commitment to more sustainable practices, from supply chains right through to the end of a product’s lifecycle,” says Maxine. “We are working together to continue to make even more improvements as the partnership grows. Some examples include the use of responsibly sourced cotton and/or recycled polyester for all bedding and curtains, only using FSC certified wood and paper, using traceable sourced mango wood for furniture, and minimising all packaging and providing second-life options wherever possible.

We also use recycled materials where possible across categories; for example, our luxury notebooks are made from recycled leather.”

home fragrance and, most importantly, to bring environmental issues to the attention of a wide consumer base, aligning with the Museum’s mission to create advocates for the planet. Maxine adds: “Dunelm takes great care to ensure that it engages with all regions across the country. We have actively engaged with its regional Facebook groups in diverse ways, including running competitions. Working alongside Dunelm on marketing activities that appeal to specific regions has enabled us to reach new audiences beyond the Southeast.”

The SS24 NHM X Dunelm collection is “the boldest collection yet”, says Maxine. “We’ve turned our attention to the Museum itself and the treasures that are housed there and the secrets about our planet that they reveal. We’ve given artworks by historic naturalists a modern twist to create maximalist prints that will appeal to nature lovers looking to Below left: The Reef collection showcases the beauty and diversity of make a statement. tropical coral reefs.

We’re really excited Below: The collaboration includes plenty of “products with personality”, like these about it.” fossil and shell-shaped garden ornaments.

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IN FOCUS: MORRIS & CO Inset: The William Morris archive is at the root of the brand’s success.

Morris & Co. is the original heritage brand founded by William Morris in 1861. Custodians of his legacy, historic designs and quality craftsmanship are rooted in the brand’s DNA, with original designs protected within its archive and brought to life by the design team, bringing Morris’s timelessly appealing designs to new audiences.

Lovingly Crafted S

ynonymous with the artist, poet, socialist William’s daughter, contributed numerous fabric and designer, William Morris, a leading light and wallpaper designs, becoming the foremost of the Victorian era, Morris & Co. is needlewoman of her time and the head of the responsible for lifting the Arts & Crafts needlework department. Sir Edward Burnemovement, elevating the role of the craftsperson, Jones was a longstanding friend of Morris and a and creating some of the most iconic designs in frequent collaborator. C.F.A Voysey championed British culture. the principles of Morris and Allan Francis Vigers The archive is at the root of the brand’s success. was another contemporary, committed to Home to historical logbooks, samples of every craftsmanship, exemplified in his designs for the wallpaper, printed and brand. woven textiles and the Morris & Co. believes its role “Have nothing in your houses original wooden printing is to share its heritage, not to that you do not know to be blocks used in William gate-keep it, inviting everyone useful or believe to be beautiful.” to join in the joy of creating.

Morris’s day, it is a vault of William Morris, 1877 inspiration, giving the The brand’s work is a design team creative clues celebration of design, handed for upcoming collections, always paying homage down over 160 years, to be enjoyed every day by to the brand’s heritage. This talented British everyone. The brand makes sensitive adaptations design team is committed to the craft of creating and creative re-imaginations of Morris & Co. in Morris’s vision. classics, ever upholding the impeccable standard While the brand was propelled by the personal of craftsmanship which has defined all Morris & passion of one Co. products. man, ‘The Firm’ Licensing partnerships are integral to this has always been celebration of design. By working Inset: Morris & Co. believes a collective of closely with its partners, Morris & that its role is to share its heritage, inviting everyone many unique Co. continues to develop products to join in the joy of creating. talents; J.H. befitting of the heritage, Dearle, was a craftsmanship and esteemed legacy it is proudly life-long known for. member of Manufactured in the UK, Morris & Co. produces Morris & Co. lovingly crafted wallpaper, fabric and paint for all. who rose to Art If you would like to discuss collaborating with Director after Morris & Co., please reach out to Morris’s passing. licensingenquiries@sandersondesigngroup.com May Morris, LICENSING MUSEUM & HERITAGE BOOK 2024

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Blooming amazing design inspiration FIND OUT MORE Scan the QR code or email licensing@rhs.org.uk rhs.org.uk/shop/licensed-products

The Royal Horticultural Society. RHS Registered Charity No. 222879/SC038262

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IN FOCUS: RHS

The beauty of nature Inset: Deals with licensees including Sofas & Stuff underline the diversity of the RHS programme.

On the face of it, the term heritage licensing might imply looking back. For many heritage brands, however, nothing could be further from the truth. Take the Royal Horticultural Society. Britain’s best-known gardening charity has existed for over 200 years. However, its offering is more relevant today than ever.

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he RHS licensing programme builds on the charity’s broad appeal, reinforcing the message of how good gardening is for everyone, and, in particular, supporting a successful drive to extend the reach of the RHS to a wide demographic that today includes children, teens and young adults.

The brand is, of course, primarily associated with gardening. In the coming months the RHS licensing programme will further develop the reach of this category, which already extends from seeds, peat-free compost and gardening tools to stylish RHS Gifts for Gardeners like the latest Burgon & Ball RHS design Asteraceae, Haws Watering Cans and even the Plankbridge RHS Bothy (a contemporary version of a shepherd’s hut).

But the RHS name attracts a broad range of partners, and 2024 will bring some exciting new brand collaborations, new licences with UKbased manufacturers, a focus on sustainability and work with key retailers, boosting brand awareness and helping to generate funds that support the work of the RHS. Partnerships in 2023 that underline the programme’s diversity included Sofas & Stuff (fabrics for upholstered furniture and soft furnishings), Dexam (kitchenware), Turner Bianca (bedding) and Freckleface (home fragrances).

It’s noteworthy that heritage underpins the design assets that make the RHS licensing campaign so successful: the RHS Lindley

Collections, the world’s finest collection of botanical art.

Style guides created using this artwork offer design inspiration, not a rulebook; licensees use the art in ways that suit their products – among them UK Greetings (greeting cards), Riley Blake (quilting and sewing fabrics), Moorcroft (collectable art pottery) and The House of Sarunds (confectionery) .

The RHS itself regularly refreshes these design assets. Cathy Snow, licensing manager at the RHS, explains: “At BLE in 2024 we’ll be launching a new range of artwork inspired by our heritage collection but with a modern twist – a style guide that has taken inspiration from our historical archives, perfectly blending heritage imagery to inspire modern patterns and bringing the outside into the home.”

While the RHS is a heritage brand, it is also actively promoting the benefits of gardening to a receptive modern audience, supporting beautiful products that are high-quality, sustainable and diverse, and combining a modern design sensibility with unmatched art assets in innovative and original ways.

And it’s a heritage brand that is very much looking forward. In fact 2023 was a pivotal year for the RHS, one that saw excellent growth from a number of long-term licensing relationships and sowed the seeds for further expansion. Not bad for an organisation founded in 1804 and granted a royal charter by Prince Albert in 1861…

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LICENSEE FEEDBACK

Shelf confidence A selection of licensees tell Licensing Museum & Heritage Book about their best sellers in the museum and heritage space and the licensed products making their debut in 2024.

Emma Coote, brands and licensing director, Beams International “The Van Gogh Museum is the first museum/heritage property we have brought into our portfolio, with our initial Van Gogh Museum gift packs launching into retail for Christmas 2023. We couldn’t be more thrilled with how the products performed, rating among our best sellers of the year. We are looking forward to increasing our retail footprint for the brand in 2024 and developing our gift range to include gardeningthemed concepts.”

Right: Beams is looking forward to increasing its retail footprint with Van Gogh in 2024.

Armelle Poole-Connor, marketing director, Floral Street Fragrances “Our partnership with the Van Gogh Museum goes from strength to strength, with the launch last year of the

Diane Daley, director, China Petals

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fragrance in the collaboration. Our Sweet Almond Blossom eau de parfum, which follows the international success of our vibrant and expressive Sunflower Pop fragrance, is inspired by Van Gogh’s Almond Blossom masterpiece and was our biggest global launch to date. In 2024 we will build on this momentum with an omnichannel strategy that brings together fine art and fine fragrance to engage and delight a multi-generational audience.”

“Our partnership with the Ashmolean Museum is our first venture into licensing. It has been an interesting experience so far, and working with a heritage brand has helped to open up some fresh conversations for China Petals. It has allowed us to build another product offering that has an engaging story to tell. We have developed three products so far, all based on designs sourced from the Museum. We like the authenticity this brings.

We are looking to build on these new conversations in 2024 and are confident our Ashmolean product range will appeal to retailers who sell heritage, gift and crafting products.”

Above: Sunflower Pop was the first fragrance from Floral Street in collaboration with Van Gogh Museum.

Above: Working with the Ashmolean is China Petals’ first foray into licensing.

second sustainable

Dan Grant, licensing director, Danilo “Museum and heritage brands work well for our calendar and diary ranges as these institutions have some really strong imagery in their archives. Sales in the genre remain consistent, with many consumers looking to purchase the new version of the calendar or diary year after year.

The two key brands we work with are the RHS and the Van Gogh Museum. The VGM offers some of the most renowned artworks in the world, making it appealing to a wide range of consumers of all ages. The RHS archive dates back to 1804, allowing us to utilise both classic illustrative artwork alongside modern-day photography from the RHS gardens and the world-famous Chelsea Flower Show.”

Right: New and updated calendars will be coming for RHS and Van Gogh.

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Below: Dexam unveiled new additions in its successful RHS range in 2023.

Bryony Dyer, md, Dexam “2023 was a great year for our RHS licensed housewares.

We launched new additions to our very popular Benary Vegetables collection, including oven dishes, and introduced two new kitchen textile ranges: Birds and Gertrude Jekyll.

As we head into 2024 we’re excited to be launching another two new ranges, Hooker Fruit and Cottage Garden, both inspired by drawings from the RHS Lindley Collection. It is a real pleasure to be able to access these archives and bring them a new lease of life via our products.

2024 will also see us move the RHS by Dexam collection into new categories.”

Lisa Shand, md, Blueprint Collections “2023 was a good year for the Van Gogh Museum range and sales held up well. The key product drivers in the collection are home office storage items, handbag notebook and pen sets, address books, water bottles and sunglasses cases. Towards the end of 2023, we launched a new collection based around the ‘Vincent’s Flowers’ 50th anniversary artwork, which has had a strong reaction. We will launch further newness for A/W 2024.”

Right & Above: 2023 was a good year for Blueprint’s Van Gogh range.

Gary Coggin, sales director, Crème d’Or “With new launches in Lakeland and John Lewis in 2023, our Natural History Museum range continues to thrive and evolve. When we first started working with the team, our focus was on the iconic dinosaurs,

Above: Crème d’Or’s NHM range continues to “thrive and evolve”.

LICENSEE FEEDBACK

resulting in our bestselling Jelly Dinosaurs line and our Dinosaur Poo. The museum’s vast collection of design assets has given us an incredible array of artwork to work with, allowing us to cater for different consumer groups. We recently launched a selection of luxury Belgian chocolates in Lakeland, with flavours inspired by some of the botanical illustrations in the Museum’s archives. As we head into 2024, we are looking to work with a wider audience of retailers and evolve the dinosaur range – before the concepts go extinct!”

Vanessa Lopez, group publisher and vp, Insight Editions “Our initial collaborations with the Van Gogh Museum launched last year with a deluxe collection of journals, stationery sets and candles.

This year, we’re excited to continue the second phase of that launch, including our first Van Gogh-themed adult colouring book. Releasing 5 March, Colouring Van Gogh reimagines several of his most Above: Insight Editions’ famous, influential pieces into Van Gogh range is more than 60 intricate colouring expanding this year. pages. Our partnership with the museum has been fabulous so far.”

Below: Domaine du Météore has partnered with a major wine distribution agency in South East Asia.

Paul Jenkins, co-owner, Domaine du Météore “Making the most of the first “Following their recent launch, we are looking forward to developing the rollout of our Van Gogh Museum white ‘Sunflowers’ and red ‘Avenue of Poplars in Autumn’ wine cuvées across Europe and the US in 2024. We have also recently partnered with a major wine distribution agency in South East Asia and the wines will be exhibited at their forthcoming trade shows.

In keeping with Vincent van Gogh's love of nature, we have recently produced a new red cuvée – ‘Naturides' – which is a natural wine made with indigenous yeasts present on the grapes and produced without the use of sulphites. This is a true expression of our wonderful and beautiful terroir.”

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THE POLAR COLLECTION CONNECT WITH FAMOUS EXPLORERS, CAPTAIN SCOTT & ERNEST SHACKLETON ALIGN WITH CLIMATE RESEARCH PARTNER WITH A WORLD-LEADING UNIVERSITY HELP FUND FUTURE RESEARCH EXPLORE THE POLAR MUSEUM ARCHIVES

For licensing opportunities and to preview the style guide and assets, contact: licensing@curatingcambridge.com

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IN FOCUS: UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE

A journey of discovery With its 800-year legacy of discovery, it’s no surprise that the University of Cambridge has one of the most extensive collections of art and artefacts in the world.

What is surprising is that many of these amazing stories – from polar exploration to writing the first rules of football – have never been part of a licensing programme.

Until now…

C

urating Cambridge Ltd, formerly known as Fitzwilliam Museum (Enterprises) Ltd, has been quietly building a reputation as an innovator in applying narratives and ideation to the University’s many fascinating stories.

In 2024, it is launching children’s publishing with Nosy Crow and touring exhibitions with ARTiSTORY, as well as continuing its apparel partnerships with H&M and Inditex.

At the heart of the University’s offer is its trademark programme, but it is joined by its magnificent cluster of museums (the largest in the UK outside London), University Library and Botanic Garden. All that plus its sports offering, which includes the famous Boat Race, makes Cambridge University a powerhouse in the cultural enterprise sector.

“Storytelling is at the heart of the licensing programme,” says Len Dunne, Curating Cambridge’s ceo. “We’re constantly amazed by the voyages of discovery that have taken place, and continue to take place, here at Cambridge.”

One example is the Scott Polar Research Institute. Originally founded in 1922, following Robert Falcon Scott’s tragic expedition to the South Pole, to be a centre of excellence for

polar exploration, it’s now a leading institute on climate change. The Polar Museum houses the largest collection of early polar expedition art, photography and artefacts. Licensees can access this treasure trove of visual assets knowing that royalties from the sales of these items go back into supporting climate change research – a valuable SCR angle for partners.

Botanic art is a perennial fashion favourite, and the University’s Fitzwilliam Museum houses one of Europe’s most dazzling collections of flower drawings and paintings from the 17–19th centuries. The collection was the passion of Henry Broughton, 2nd Lord Fairhaven, and features work by his favourite artists, including Jan Brueghel the Elder, Redouté, Ehret and Nicolas Robert. From present day flower favourites to historically popular exotic and rare specimens, the collection also connects with fashion and social media trends such as ‘dark academia.’

With an indelible backstory of sporting origins and traditions, Cambridge now supports over 70 sports clubs. The Boat Race is one of the oldest and fiercest sporting rivalries; licensees can access an aspirational sport, two world-famous universities (Oxford and Cambridge) and the London setting in a single offer. Although an annual race, the licensing and brand activation opportunity extends all year round with the preseason training, squad and crew selection, President’s Challenge, time trials and the race itself. Taking inspiration from historic crew photography and vintage kit through to riverside picnics, striped blazers and boaters, The Boat Race can look to the past as well as capture the thrill of race day and the power and teamwork required to win it.

Inset: The Polar Museum houses the largest collection of early polar expedition art, photography and artefacts.

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Empowering positive change with brands that give back.

New York Botanical Garden x Tea Forté

Museum of Fine Arts Boston x Uniqlo

National Wildlife Federation x Acco Brands

Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation x Kith

INFO@JEWELBRANDING.COM

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IN FOCUS: JEWEL

American icons Historic US institutions with a global reach, the New York Botanical Garden, the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation and the Museum of Fine Arts Boston are poised to expand their licensing programmes into new categories and territories, offering an unprecedented opportunity for licensees.

Ilana Wilensky, president of licensing agency Jewel, explains more.

J

ewel is proud to have three illustrious brands with such storied histories within its portfolio, and welcomes conversations with new licensee partners across a range of categories.

Founded in 1891, the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) comprises a stunning 250-acre garden oasis and the renowned LuEsther T. Mertz Library, which holds an archive of superbly illustrated works dating back to the 12th century.

The institution and licensing programme are poised for incredible growth following NYBG’s new logo and branding, which visually communicates its full engagement in working to solve the dual climate and biodiversity crises.

With audiences increasingly interested in causerelated, nature-focused brands, this new direction inspires people to take action in their own lives and communities around the globe.

NYBG is looking to expand in several categories including fashion, stationery, gifts, home, food and beverage, and health and beauty. Current UK partners include Carousel Calendars and SurfaceView.com (luxury wall décor). The brand has experienced significant growth in Asia with multiple apparel and accessory programmes in Japan, including Logic Co.,

Inset: Steelcase has produced a home furnishings line based on designs by Frank Lloyd Wright for the SC Johnson Administration Building.

Toyoshima, New Era Japan and Snidel Home, and a new partnership with Kangol Kids launching this year in South Korea. Expect some major global fashion collaboration announcements in 2024.

The objective of the licensing programme for the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation is to advance Wright’s design legacy and expose new audiences to the innovation it inherently drives.

Recent licensing collaborations with high-profile partners include a home furnishings line with Steelcase, based on Wright’s designs originally produced for the SC Johnson Administration Building, and a limited-edition sneaker collaboration with New Balance, designed by Ronnie Fieg and sold through Kith. The Foundation followed those launches with a beautifully designed tea collection with Tea Forte and a jewellery collection with Maya Brenner.

The Foundation has an extensive library of design resources and licensees are given access to a breadth of archival materials along with guidance from the Foundation on proper application of Wright’s design principles to ensure products adhere to and advance Wright’s legacy.

Finally, Jewel is excited to announce its newest museum client, the Museum of Fine Arts Boston.

Showcasing masterpieces from ancient to modern from around the world, the MFA’s global collection of nearly 500,000 works tells a multifaceted story of the human experience, a story that holds unique meaning for everyone.

Through its rapidly growing licensing programme, the MFA brings art and culture into everyday life in new and creative ways.

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I N S PIRIN G D ES IGN

FOR LICENSING OPPORTUNITIES PLEASE CONTACT: LICENSING@HRP.ORG.UK

HRP.ORG.UK

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IN FOCUS: HISTORIC ROYAL PALACES

Inset: Kensingon Palace will be showcasing the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection in a new exhibition in 2025.

Jewel in the Crown Historic Royal Palaces looks after the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, Banqueting House, Kensington Palace, Kew Palace and Hillsborough Castle and Gardens in Northern Ireland. Here, its licensing team outlines the wealth of inspiration on offer within its archives, collections, events and exhibitions.

O

ur long-standing licensing programme has inspired partners worldwide to create wallpaper, chinaware, home furnishing fabrics, apparel ranges, kids' pyjamas, chess sets and more.

Our partners benefit from the unique association of working with an iconic British royal brand with global recognition as well as access to over 1,000 years of authentic storytelling, which provides the opportunity to create innovative product that helps conserve our cultural heritage for everyone, now and in the future.

We work collaboratively to identify areas of the palaces that tap into current trends and that will appeal to the licensees' customer base. We also have key themes that work across all our palaces to focus product development: Architecture, Interiors, Gardens, Fashion and Collections. Private palace tours with behind-the-scenes access to view archived collections, an extensive image library and historic stories provide authentic provenance for product, packaging and marketing materials.

We have held successful exhibitions at our palaces and have a great programme planned for the years ahead. We work with partners to see which of these would be commercially viable to inspire product and appeal beyond our palace shops.

Our most recent exhibition, Crown to Couture at Kensington Palace, was the largest that we have ever staged with visitor figures at 128% of their original forecast.

Kensington Palace’s programme includes a focus on fashion again in 2025 with a new exhibition showcasing one of our best assets, the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection. There’s plenty to inspire partners in the apparel and accessories space, but this is also a great opportuniity for partners in other categories too.

Homewares, health and beauty, food and drink, stationery and gifting are all key categories, and we will be announcing some new partners in many of these sectors soon. Our offering for children, including toys and games, is also an area we are looking to grow.

We work continuously with partners on new product ranges, marketing and PR. Support includes photo shoots on site, discounts for palace launch events, tours for VIP trade partners and promotion on our social channels and to our 165,000 members.

Our licensing arm is continually evolving and we are excited to be working with licensing agents The Point.1888 to grow our business globally. We are currently working on a new style guide, set to launch in spring 2024.

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INTERNATIONAL APPEAL

Beyond borders Art and historic artefacts – and the stories they tell – are part of the universal human experience. It’s little wonder, then, that the influence of museum and heritage brands extends well beyond their walls, engaging audiences the world over. Tessa Clayton finds out more.

R

The V&A’s success in home interiors has enowned for its award-winning recently expanded into new territories licensing programme of over 20 years including the Netherlands, Poland, the US and standing, London’s V&A museum has Canada, while its fashion partnerships extend over 95 global licensees, with distribution to the Far East. A recent collaboration with networks to 72 countries; key territories for the FILA saw the launch of an apparel range in museum include the UK, Europe, the US and mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and East Asia.

Singapore inspired by stunning tile designs by “The richness of the V&A archive is a key draw Victorian designer William De Morgan. for our overseas licensees,” explains head of Art isn’t the only source of inspiration when it licensing and business development Lauren comes to global apparel Sizeland. “William Morris is Above: The V&A is currently collaborations. In September 2023, particularly popular, but we offer an touring Beyond William Morris over an 18-month Korea’s Handsome, a part of Hyundai almost infinite source of design period across China.

Department Store Group, debuted inspiration for a multitude of product Below: National Gallery Global and Copyrights Asia streetwear label London Underground categories and markets, reaching teamed with The Prince broad audiences and all age groups.” Hotel in Tokyo to curate two Studio in partnership with TfL, to rooms inspired by works by “offer a fresh reinterpretation of the Product can resonate differently Vincent van Gogh and Claude Monet. heritage mood of London from an across territories, Lauren points out. unexpected perspective”.

“However, there Launched at a pop-up in are also some Seoul's Seongsu-dong similarities across neighbourhood, the fashion global markets. line features garments Home interiors and inspired by London Transport fashion are the top uniforms and a signature performing green colourway reminiscent categories for the of the Tube’s vintage ticket V&A’s licensing booths, tiles and walls. programme, and Outside the retail space, this is mirrored heritage brands have globally.”

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INTERNATIONAL APPEAL

rooms at The Prince Hotel in Tokyo, inspired by works by Vincent van Gogh and Claude Monet.

Each room features art reproductions and amenities inspired by the two renowned artists including bespoke bedspreads, art and key cards.

Touring exhibitions, too, enable brands to spread influence and awareness well beyond their country of origin.

The V&A is currently touring Beyond William Morris over an 18-month Above: The Met Fifth period across China. In Avenue and The Met association with the exhibition, Cloisters attract 3.8 million annual visitors, 17% of which the museum has explored the hail from outside the US. concept of pop-up shops carrying bespoke product ranges developed with Alfilo, the museum’s agent in China.

Similarly, Curating Cambridge has teamed with ARTiSTORY to develop University of Cambridge live experiences for China and South East Asia, beginning with an interactive exhibition launching in China in Q3 2024 exploring the history of science. It will offer an immersive storytelling journey, featuring interactive exhibits, high quality reprints, and bespoke fixtures that deliver a distinctive visitor experience. Licensed merchandise will accompany the LBE and spin-off ranges are anticipated that focus on key scientific embraced other types of partnerships that offer discoveries and research associated with scope for creativity. In August last year, National Cambridge such as Gravity, Evolution, DNA and Gallery Global announced a collaboration with Black Holes. licensing partner Copyrights Asia to curate two

The spirit of NYC

The number one tourist attraction in New York City, The Met’s appeal spreads far and wide from its home city for a number of reasons, says Martin Cribbs, vp brand management, who leads the licensing programme at Beanstalk.

“The Met is one of the most important cultural institutions in the world, attracting attention for its unparalleled collection and iconic status in pop culture,” he explains when asked about The Met’s appeal. “With 1.5 million works of art spanning 17 curatorial departments, the breadth and depth of the Museum’s collection is among the most dynamic globally. The global nature of The Met collection lends appeal to a broad range of audiences, traversing every artistic genre, media and period, with dozens of exhibitions annually.”

The Met has an estimated 50 active licensees and growing in North America, China, Europe, Japan, the Middle East, and North Africa and is planning to expand the programme into Latin America.

Home décor and apparel have been leading product categories for The Met. As a natural extension of the works on-view in The Met collection, designs for the home including bedding, furniture, wall décor, fabric, wallpaper, rugs, and sculpture have been resonant with consumers around the globe. Similarly, fashion is part of The Met DNA, and provides an opportunity for art enthusiasts to celebrate their love of creativity and design in an authentic and personal way every day.

Key for Beanstalk in 2024 will be looking to mirror the success of the US licensing programme into Europe, the Middle East and North Africa and Latin America.

Made in Stratford, shared around the world

Above: Shakespeare means different things in different countries, but there is a huge opportunity says the RSC.

Shakespeare is one of the world’s most widely recognised cultural icons, which means for the RSC’s newly launched global licensing programme, led by licensing agent Brandgenuity, the opportunities are limitless.

“The films of our productions garner large audiences in places like the US and China,” says licensing manager Michelle Morton. “We already work closely with organisations in the States, China and India, all of which are promising markets for licensing, and Australia and Germany are also quite big territories for us in terms of engagement with Shakespeare, and audience and social media numbers.”

Michelle acknowledges that Shakespeare means different things in different countries. “But there’s a huge opportunity for partners to look at the licensing programme in terms of Shakespeare's works themselves, the plays, the characters, the work that happens at Stratford, the contemporary productions and the history, and find something that works in their territory and the category they’re interested in.”

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IN FOCUS: HALF MOON BAY

Inset: The new Arts & Crafts Society brand will capitalise on the enduring popularity of the influential 19th century design movement.

A leader in the licensed giftware sector for over 25 years, Half Moon Bay is branching out with two new in-house brands. Pulteney Press and Arts & Crafts Society will draw on classic British literature and design to bring a wider choice than ever to consumers and to retailers in the museum and heritage space.

Launching into spring

H

alf Moon Bay’s portfolio includes Disney, Harry Potter, Roald Dahl and some of the biggest entertainment brands in the world. For the family-run company, however, iconic British heritage brands are an increasing area of focus. Paddington Bear, William Morris, the RSPB, The Beatles… These are brands that are equally at home in book shops and museum and heritage stores, where they appeal to consumers looking for design-led, on-trend products made as sustainably as possible and to tourists looking to take home a slice of British nostalgia.

“We’re big backers of British heritage brands,” says Half Moon Bay product designer Matt Green.

“They have a strong global reputation – particularly in the US, which is a growing market for us – and inter-generational appeal.”

From cushions to kitchen textiles, stationery to drinkware, innovative design is at the heart of all Half Moon Bay’s products.

“We always challenge ourselves to push things further, to create something that looks amazing on-shelf,” explains Matt. “After more than two decades in the business, we like to think we’re pretty good at it.

Some of the brands we work with have

limited assets, or no style guides, so we create the assets and the look for them. For The Beatles, for example, we have products inspired by classic album covers, but we’ve also created a completely new artwork that’s been approved by Apple. It means we can offer retailers something fresh, outside the norm.”

Giving retailers the widest possible choice is what inspired Half Moon Bay’s latest venture, the launch of its own Pulteney Press and Arts & Crafts Society brands. Pulteney Press will draw on the UK’s rich heritage of literary works, beginning with stationery and giftware products inspired by Jane Austen’s Sense & Sensibility, Sherlock Holmes and Alice in Wonderland. Arts & Crafts Society, meanwhile, will capitalise on the enduring popularity of the influential 19th-century design movement, beginning with William Morris and Charles Voysey-inspired giftware and homeware.

Matt says: “Both collections are about bringing together a mix of authors and artists that sit well together, that we can add to and grow; our retail customers will be able to cherry-pick from them and be confident that everything within the collections has a cohesive look and feel.” Retailers can also be assured of the products’ green credentials; notebooks are printed on FSC paper, for instance, while tea towels and textiles are, where possible, made from recycled cotton.

Half Moon Bay will be soft launching Pulteney Press and Arts & Crafts Society at January’s Top Drawer before the collections’ official launch at Spring Fair in February.

Left: Pulteney Press will draw on the UK’s rich heritage of literary works.

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SPOTLIGHT ON… GREETING CARDS

Spreading the love

Left: A greeting card display in the RA, one of the many galleries to have appreciated the value of licensing their artworks for greeting cards.

Greeting cards have long played a leading role as the most easily accessible works of art, spreading joy both through the images that they grace as well as the messages written inside.

Jakki Brown catches up with some publishers who use their creative prowess to represent all manner of licensed treasures which chime with the public’s taste, while also increasing awareness of these venerable institutions and brand

Museums & Galleries Museums & Galleries was founded in the mid1980s and right from the beginning worked with two giants of the British heritage scene, the Victoria and Albert Museum and the British Library, with both remaining core to the company’s activities today which spans greeting cards, gifts and homewares.

M&G has added a lustrous roster of some the UK’s biggest heritage names, including the British Museum, Tate Gallery, Natural History Museum and Transport for London, as well as lauded contemporary artists Eddie Clarke, licensing manager at Museums & Galleries, highlights how developments in museum and heritage licensing are reflected in the company’s product development: “Since 2013 repeat pattern – notably the classic textile and wallpaper heritage of the V&A spanning the last four centuries - has helped drive an explosive growth in various aspects of M&G’s product output.

Working with the larger museums we are privileged

Inset: Museums & Galleries’ stand at PG Live 2023 which showcased many of its licensing partnerships.

Left: Eddie Clarke.

Below: The V&A remains a core licence for M&G.

to have access to almost bottomless archives which effortlessly deliver just the right image to suit the current market whenever we need it.”

Shifts in attitude from the licensors/brand owners? “There are different standards pertaining to each museum, and we are fastidious about respecting each museum’s IP, and cooperate closely with the museum curators and the product development teams within the museums' licensing departments. Notably, the V&A has a founding mission to inspire, and V&AE actively seeks innovation and creativity within the products it licences, so we have broader creative parameters than, for example, a fine art gallery like the Tate which needs living artist’s (or artists’ estate’s) permissions to publish.

Over the years, the larger museums especially have grown hugely in sophistication, with many actively researching and responding to commercial trends as they emerge. Licensing departments, being commercially-facing, acquire such knowledge naturally, but there is also good cross-pollination of ideas and data with museum shops.”

Any new Museum & Heritage licensed ranges launching in 2024? “Yes - M&G’s foray into organic cotton products goes massive in 2024 with the launch our new kitchen textiles products and also a small range of cushions.

Designs are spearheaded by our licences with the V&A and British Museum.”

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SPOTLIGHT ON… GREETING CARDS As a greeting card publisher, you really rattle through imagery and we soon ran out of suitable

Woodmansterne Publications

Interpreting culture subject matter and needed to approach the through visual imagery museums themselves for repro rights. I remember pleading to allow us to select details of paintings, has been at the core of and saying: “If we print the whole picture on the Woodmansterne back as well, would you then let us crop it for the Publications since its front of the card?” inception in 1953 when Thankfully the stuffy rules soon melted away.

Graham In the early 90s we were approached at a trade Woodmansterne fair by two enthusiastic women from the newly founded a business created V&A Enterprises, who asked us to have a special licensing specialising in colour arrangement with the Above: Since 1995 the slides from many Woodmansterne Art Conservation museum which lasted heritage sites. This Awards have seen approaching for 15 years.

100 paintings conserved and evolved into a greeting Other major licences many bursaries granted. Paul card business which have followed, including Woodmansterne pictured with one of the many post grads who broke new ground in the Ashmolean Museum, have benefitted from a bursary Sanderson and The challenging historic from the Woodmansterne Art National Trust.”

Conservation funds. practice by featuring just a detail of a masterpiece. Its current Right: One of the designs from Woodmansterne’s Sanderson range. licensing partnerships with National Trust, Below: The front and rear of a National Ashmolean Museum and Sanderson continue Trust card from Woodmansterne which helps to the company’s links of with treasures of the spread awareness of the organisation. past to appeal to the tastes of today.

Paul Woodmansterne, chairman at Woodmansterne Publications, reflects on the past four decades: “In the 1980s, museums were very picky over artistic integrity and visual authenticity. When licensing images for reproduction, they would only allow the complete image to be reproduced, but we wanted to pick out interesting details. It was a little like Radio 3 always playing complete movements of classical music, whereas rogue Classic FM was happy to play just the best bits.

Blank Inside

Flora and fauna are depicted in this range of cards to celebrate the beauty of our much loved countryside. The National Trust has been looking after wildlife and habitats since 1895 and, with your support, it’s a job they will continue for generations to come. nationaltrust.org.uk

A minimum of £55,000 will be given to the National Trust through the sale of products in this range.

Produced by Woodmansterne Publications Ltd under licence from The National Trust (Enterprises) Limited (a subsidiary of The National Trust for Places of Historical Interest or Natural Beauty, a charity registered in England & Wales, number 205846).

GREETING CARD

©National Trust Images/Joe Cornish

card, ink, varnish all recyclable as paper

ENVELOPES - 100% RECYCLED

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IJ

© 2 023 woodmansterne.com Printed at the Croxley Press Made in the UK

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ArtPress Publishing ArtPress has worked in collaboration with The Royal Academy and The Courtauld Collection, publishing a collection of cards and wallets.

Linzi Russell Watson, director of ArtPress, shares how these relationships have developed: “Adding licensed museum collections to the ArtPress portfolio felt like a natural fit.

We started with a small RA range back in 2014. Since then, it has expanded annually with everyday and Christmas products. In 2021 we added The Courtauld Collection to our portfolio.

Our licensing expansion chimes with the recent uncertain times, recession, Covid etc. There is a two-pronged reaction to art, the familiarity of classic imagery provides comfort that life continues and the brand new challenging artwork enforces the feeling of a bright new horizon.”

Shifts in attitude from the licensors/brand owners?

“Both the RA and The Courtauld have embraced making their artwork contemporary and suited to the current market.

This is seen in the layout, font and the introduction of bold colour on the backs of the cards and the wallet design.”

Above: Some ArtPress licensing products on display in the RA shop.

Left: Products from The Courtauld Collection from ArtPress.

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SPOTLIGHT ON… GREETING CARDS

Ling Design and GBCC Ling Design and its siblings GBCC and Penny Kennedy are long established greeting card and gift wrappings companies which have recognised the merits of welcoming licensed brands into the group portfolio, with Morris & Co at the forefront of its current heritage brand offering.

Clare Twigger, head of creative at Ling Design, relays her views: “We feel so privileged to be awarded the licensing partnership with the Sanderson group for Morris & Co. Over time we have evolved the Morris brand from our greeting cards from Ling Design to include our premium gift packaging from Penny Kennedy and taken the brand onto stationery through our sister company GBCC as the brand recognition of Morris & Co. has grown year on year.”

Above: A Morris & Co card design from Ling Design.

Shifts in attitude from the licensors/brand owners?

“In our experience the Morris & Co. studio make considered adaptations of archival documents to bring William Morris’ designs and artistic vision to new audiences. Always in dialogue with their rich past, Morris & Co remains in line with Morris’ vision of beautiful, quality design for everyone today.

It’s great that our partnership with the Sanderson group is very equal and trusting; we both share our trends and annual colour direction.”

The Pattern Book Press

Portfolio

The Pattern Book Press has licensing relationships with Wellcome Collection, The Garden Museum, Science Museum and The Royal Entomological Society.

A pioneer in photographic art cards, Portfolio has also forged licensing agreements with The National Gallery, The British Museum and now also The National Galleries of Scotland.

Nick Crowe, director at The Pattern Book Press, shares his thoughts: “Much of the Wellcome digital archive is in the public domain and we’d already been using some of their images on our cards before we met them and formalised our relationship becoming an official licensing partner.

Working within the heritage sector and its charities we feel the added satisfaction of supporting and publicising these great institutions through royalties and donations. We’re particularly delighted to be working with The Royal Entomological Society, whose support for the study, practice and understanding of insects and insect science is especially important for the nation’s threatened biodiversity.”

Shifts in attitude from the licensors/brand owners?

“We take it as a compliment that all our licensors have allowed us the creative freedom to alter works in tasteful ways which respect and celebrate the original artworks.”

Above: Dragonflies from The Pattern Book’s Royal Entomological Society range.

Left: The Pattern Book’s cofounders Nick Crowe and Neil Baber.

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Jayne Diggory, founder and managing director at Portfolio, shares her take: “Since gaining the licences from The National Gallery and British Museum over seven years ago, we Top: One of the designs from Portfolio’s new range based on a licensing have grown the agreement with the National Galleries ranges so that they of Scotland.

Above: Portfolio’s Jayne Diggory and now form a very David Corner (right) with indie retailer important and Rohit Patel of Paper Art at PG Live. integral part of our core everyday and Christmas ranges.”

Shifts in attitude from the licensors/brand owners?

“In the last few years, licensors have really wanted to focus on more design-led and innovative products which has helped these brands appeal to a wider audience. This has meant we have been able to adapt the designs intellectually and sympathetically to produce a more commercially-viable product.”

Any new Museum & Heritage licensed ranges launching in 2024? “We will be officially launching The National Galleries Scotland range at Spring Fair 2024.”

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SPOTLIGHT ON… GREETING CARDS Far left: A Kew design from Lagom.

Left: One of the new designs from Lagom’s Warner House collection.

relays the whys and the wherefores: “Our Kew range has been a great success and has undeniably propelled us to a new level. From the outset, my goal with Lagom was to break free from any constraints and expand our product selection to the fullest extent possible. The collaboration with Kew has, without a doubt, accomplished exactly that.

Our licensing partnership with Warner House, another heritage brand with a rich history has followed, allowing us to reach a whole new audience.”

Lagom Design Having built up a strong reputation for contemporary design-led greeting cards from a portfolio of revered artists, a few years ago Lagom took an aesthetic licensing leap into the archives of the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew and then Warner House.

Kelly Hyatt, creative director and founder of Lagom,

Shifts in attitude from the licensors/brand owners?

“It's imperative for brands, both new and old, to stay relevant and embrace innovative ideas. Kew chose us over two other major greeting card publishers who had pitched for the licence because of our ability to apply new creativity to the brand.”

Any new Museum & Heritage licensed ranges launching in 2024?

“We are producing more Kew and Warner House products, and our upcoming product line will include roll wrap and stationery.”

The Art File and Tall Boy Prints In addition to many longstanding licensing agreements with contemporary artists, The Art File and its sibling prints company, Tall Boy Prints, has licensing agreements with English Heritage and V&A. Father and son duo Ged and James Mace, md and sales and marketing director, share their thoughts: “We have always viewed heritage collections as complementary to The Art File gallery, and so we were thrilled to partner with English Heritage on a collection of greeting cards which we launched at the PG Live show last year.

Our sibling prints company, Tall Boy Prints has held a V&A licence for nearly two years now, and it’s absolutely fantastic to be able to work with such an iconic institution in our field, with the result that we now have over 60 prints available under this licence.”

Shifts in attitude from the licensors/brand owners?

“Regardless of the pedigree of the heritage property, most brand owners now have relaxed their approach to translating their works onto greeting cards. First and foremost, the cards need to be commercial and further to this we felt

Above: The Art File’s James Mace with Adam Bass, md at Golden Goose (licensing agent for English Heritage) at PG Live 2023 where the inaugural range was launched.

Left: Some of the English Heritage range from The Art File.

there was an opportunity to take inspiration from the English Heritage assets, rather than just ‘cut and paste’, to create a new vibrant collection which would appeal to a wider audience.

Similarly on wall art with Tall Boy Prints we partnered with the V&A to take inspiration from the likes of Alice in Wonderland and William Morris. Both wall art collections retain the essence of the originals, but are modern and contemporary and therefore have appeal to a new audience.”

Any new Museum & Heritage licensed ranges launching in 2024?

“We are launching English Heritage roll wrap and gift packaging this month. We also plan to launch some more everyday English Heritage cards at PG Live in June this year.”

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From Pokémon popping up in classic artworks to a Gen Z fashion collection inspired by Victorian tile designs, the museum and heritage sector is increasingly pushing the boundaries when it comes to brand collaborations. Tessa Clayton rounds up some of the best.

Left: Riley Blake’s quilting fabrics are inspired by the RHS’ library of botanical artwork.

Below: The collection nods to the TfL brand using shapes influenced by nearly 200 years of London transport uniforms.

Creative collaborations Style guides help RHS partnerships blossom

TfL is transported to new fashion heights

At the core of the RHS’ licensing campaign are its style guides, developed from assets with a strong emphasis on heritage, notably the RHS Lindley Collections – a library of botanical artwork offering over 25,000 images from the past 500 years.

In 2023 alone the guides inspired home textiles (Turner Bianca), confectionery (House of Sarunds), kitchen textiles (Dexam), garden pots (Woodlodge Products), home fragrances (Freckleface), spirits (Harrogate Tipple), quilting fabric (Riley Blake Designs) and, naturally, multiple gardening-related products.

RHS greetings cards from UK Greetings have been a hit in card shops, garden centres and major supermarket chains, a food gifting range from Kimm and Miller has done well in Tesco, and a calendar and diary range from Danilo is an annual favourite.

Next year will see new home and gifting ranges from Dexam and Riley Blake and continued collaborations with multiple retailers.

London travelled to South Korea in autumn 2023 with the first launch from London Underground Studio, a new fashion brand created in collaboration by Transport for London (TfL) and Handsome (part of the Hyundai Department Store Group).

Focusing on the date 1863 – the first opening of the London Underground, which features on various garment embellishments and applications – the collection nods to the TfL brand using shapes influenced by nearly 200 years of London transport uniforms.

The launch was supported by a pop-up store in Seoul, created to evoke the feeling of stepping underground into London, with further pop-ups opening later in 2023.

Ellen Sankey, brand licensing manager at TfL, comments: “This collaboration was about creating a design-focused, wearable fashion brand bringing London to the streets of South Korea. London Underground celebrated its 160th birthday in 2023 and this deal demonstrates how our iconic brand is still relevant today, both in the UK and internationally.”

V&A x FILA brings historic designs to life In November and December last year, the V&A and FILA launched an apparel collection across mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Singapore inspired by the tile designs of 19th-century designer William De Morgan, whose Middle Eastern.

Championing the museum’s core values of excellence in design and expert craftsmanship, FILA’s kidswear, menswear and womenswear creatively combined mythical creatures, flowers and motifs to create new prints and jacquards that bring De Morgan’s captivating designs and vibrant hues to life.

“It is a joy to bring these rarely seen designs of the past into the daily lives of Gen Z,” commented the V&A’s head of business development and licensing Lauren Sizeland.

Left: The FILA collection combined mythical creatures, flowers and motifs.

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Historic Royal Palaces bags attention with designer clutch collection Inspired by the Crown to Couture exhibition held at Kensington Palace in 2023 – which celebrated the glittering world of the Georgian court and the high glamour of the modern-day red carpet – the brand Olympia Le-Tan created three unique limited-edition clutch bags to kick off its threeyear licensing deal with Historic Royal Palaces.

Items from the exhibition, including an 18th century mantua dress, George III’s coronation fan and a satire print, ‘Tight Lacing or Fashion before Ease’, were interpreted across the brand’s signature book clutch, with each piece meticulously crafted and hand embroidered with silk thread and felt appliqué.

“This is a striking interpretation of what the Historic Royal Palaces licensing programme represents – be inspired by the past to create stunning product for today,” says Jenny Smyth, licensing manager at Historic Royal Palaces.

Above: The limited edition clutch bags kick off the brand Olympia Le-Tan’s three-year deal with Historic Royal Palaces.

Pikachu in the frame at the Van Gogh Museum In a headline-grabbing partnership that ran from September 2023 to January 2024, the Van Gogh Museum joined forces with The Pokémon Company International to invite visitors to step into the world of Vincent van Gogh through a number of surprising activities.

Celebrating Vincent’s special connection with Japanese art and culture, artists from The Pokémon Company created six new works inspired by some of Vincent’s bestknown paintings, including Self-portrait with Grey Felt Hat (1887); Sunflowers (1889) and The Bedroom (1888), inserting Pokémon characters into familiar scenes.

The Museum hosted a Pokémon trail for children that led young visitors to the six paintings that inspired the Pokémon tributes, after which they could hand in a completed leaflet and receive a special Pikachu x Van Gogh Museum promo card. The partnership also included educational online learning materials, a ‘How to draw Pikachu’ video guide and exclusive Pokémon x Van Gogh Museum merchandise.

Left and below: The VGM x Pokémon partnership ran from September 2023 to January 2024.

Above: The CJ Wildlife collaboration aims to encourage more young people to engage with wildlife and the natural world.

National Trust and CJ Wildlife nurture kids’ love of nature In March 2023, the National Trust and CJ Wildlife – a licensing partner since 2020 – launched a dedicated kids’ wildlife range of bird and nature products with the aim of encouraging more young people to engage with the natural world around them, an industry first and something that perfectly aligns with the National Trust’s ambitions as a conservation charity.

The Trust worked closely with the CJ Wildlife team to push for the best sourcing options across the products, which led to a series of easy flip, fully recyclable feeders, coordinating bird feed packaged in easy-to-carry, recyclable tubs and FSC-certified, build-your-own wildlife wooden box kits. The packaging also carries a QR code directing families to a hub of fun activity sheets.

Becky Stanford, head of brand licensing at the Trust, says: “We were delighted to see this collaborative range win a GIMA award in October for best new product in the wildlife category. This is a fantastic example of products that enable people to care for nature whilst also being kind to the environment and we’re really proud to be associated with it.”

LICENSING MUSEUM & HERITAGE BOOK 2024

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Natural History Museum hits sweet spot with latest deals 2023 was packed full of Natural History Museum collaborations, not least the continuation of its successful partnership with Dunelm, which saw a spring/summer collection, based on British coastal regions and tropical coral reefs – also its largest to date – and an autumn/winter collection themed around UK moorland habitats and their native wildlife.

Another long-term partnership between the Museum and Joanie Clothing saw multiple collections launch throughout the year. The third collection, released in October, had a notably autumnal feel, with forest creatures, Above: The iced biscuit range from Biscuiteers elegant trees and fungi all taking centre stage. celebrates the Museum’s remarkable collections.

The Museum also joined forces in 2023 with iconic British brand Biscuiteers to create a three-piece iced biscuit collection celebrating the Museum’s remarkable collections, featuring a dodo, a mammoth and, of course, dinosaurs.

The Museum’s Tales of the Earth series alongside the Royal Mint kicked off with a Tyrannosaurus coin in December.

Coins for both Stegosaurus and Diplodocus will complete the series in spring 2024.

University of Cambridge races ahead in the fashion stakes The University of Cambridge enjoyed success in the fashion space in 2023, with collaborations with LF in South Korea and Peanuts in Latin America, and designs in Next, Above: Penti is among the fashion H&M, Zara, Pull collaborations for University of Cambridge. & Bear, DeFacto and Penti. Apparel deals in the US and Australia have recently been signed.

The University has also entered into an LBE partnership with ARTiSTORY for an interactive exhibition exploring the History of Science, due to open in commercial and museum venues in China later this year under the University of Cambridge Museums and Botanic Garden brand.

In terms of sport, the Boat Race is a key priority for 2024. Representing both the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Clubs and their historic rivalry, the lifestyle driven programme continues to build profile with an online fan store launching ahead of the 2024 race, which takes place on 30 March.

The Ashmolean inspires craft kits, coffee, mats and more In November 2023 the Ashmolean Museum announced five new licensing partners: Atlantic Mats is developing a range of mats inspired by Museum artefacts such as Iznik tiles and a Jali screen; China Petals is producing a range of mosaic kits; Gibson’s Organic Liqueurs will produce liqueurs using ingredients grown on its Oxfordshire farm; Jericho Coffee Traders will debut a special Oxfordthemed heritage blend; and The Indian Block Print Company is developing kits inspired by the Museum’s South Asian collection.

Ian Downes from Start Licensing, the Ashmolean’s licensing agency, comments: “These new licensees dovetail well with some of the key objectives we have, including working with local Oxfordshire businesses and being proactive where possible around sustainability. It is also great to be working with a number of ‘new to licensing’ companies — they bring fresh thinking and are reaching new market sectors.”

Above: China Petals is producing a range of mosaic kits.

English Heritage and Purity Brewing Co make history with beer collection Award-winning Warwickshire brewery Purity Brewing Company has unveiled its English Heritage Collection – a trio of Best Bitter, Organic Craft Lager and Low Alcohol Pale Ale. The new range brings history vividly to life through its branding, with its modern take on historic English battle helmets.

“We knew Purity would be a great fit, as a responsible brewer caring about sustainable practices and never compromising on quality,” says Alexandra Bovey, licensing and commercial development manager at English Heritage. Purity uses only natural ingredients; supports recycling programmes and respects the local community and environment. Waste products are recycled through its unique wetland system. This sustainable ecosystem helps minimise carbon dioxide emissions, reduces energy consumption and encourages wildlife diversity.

The range will be available at 100 English Heritage sites across the UK. Above: Purity Brewing Company will launch its range across 100 UK English Heritage sites.

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THE IMPORTANCE OF STYLE GUIDES

Style savvy Left and inset: Mock-ups from Skew Studio’s National Trust style guide show how its nature-inspired designs translate to finished products.

Style guides are a valuable resource in any licensor’s toolkit, but for museums and heritage institutions, which often hold thousands of assets spanning decades of history, they can offer licensees an easy ‘way in’ to their collections.

“G

iving a licensee access to our full library of available images available could be overwhelming,” admits Cathy Snow, licensing manager at the RHS. “We developed our style guides because we wanted to give licensees ideas and themes, and a steer to make their lives easier. In particular, our ready-to-use patterns and artwork cut-outs save licensees time.”

For the RHS, the first step in creating a new style guide involves the licensing department and library teams sifting through the full collection to identify trends and genres. “It might be a particular artist’s style or story that catches our eye,” says Cathy, pointing to the example of artwork by Christian Gottlieb Geissler, a renowned 18th-century engraver specialising in natural history, which was adapted by home fragrance company Freckleface for its new Heritage range.

While some Right: WildBrain CPLG’s heritage creative team drew on heritage illustrations like sports mascot institutions Handsome Dan for its Yale University style guide. have strict

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guidelines, RHS licensees are “free to use the artwork on RHS licensed products as they please,” says Cathy. “Their designers have free rein to be as creative as possible. That’s integral to our licensing programme and differentiates us from many other programmes. And we don’t rest on our laurels. We've worked with two different design companies in the past and will be working with someone new in 2024 on exciting new ways of using our images.”

From a creative perspective, there are several challenges involved in distilling vast historical collections into easy-to-navigate style guides.

“Quite a lot of museums have collections of things that are common to other institutions,’’ says Oliver Dyer, founder of brand extension agency Skew Studio. “A museum might be known for its ancient Egyptian artefacts, for example, but that doesn’t mean it has a monopoly on Egyptian culture.

So, it’s a question of how you make something not only contemporary, but also ownable for the museum that you're working for.”

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historic institutions need to be For Skew’s client future-focused. ASPIRE, the British WildBrain CPLG’s dedicated Museum, which lifestyle and corporate division, has collections works with several collegiate that span multiple brands including Yale, Harvard locations and eras, and the University of Cambridge. the initial style “Style guides are a vital way to guides were give historic brands “organised on a contemporary relevance,” says more cultural Michael Ogunseitan, WildBrain level,” Oliver says.

CPLG’s creative services director.

“It wasn't initially “Aesthetics, tastes and needs about focusing on evolve, and to tempt consumers a particular place into a purchase, it's essential that or time; it was the brand really speaks their about trying to Above and below: Bedlinen by Turner Bianca customer’s language. make cross-historical and fabric for upholstery by Sofas & Stuff both feature designs inspired by the RHS “One of the ways we approach this collections based on Lindley Collections of botanical art and the at WildBrain CPLG is to really distil the contemporary concerns, such RHS style guides. brand. Yale, for example, is more than as the home, eating and an educational institution, it’s a clothing.” community of diverse cultures with One advantage that heritage students participating in clubs, institutions have over other campus organisations and college brands when it comes to athletics. With this in mind, we developing style guides is broadened the scope of the Yale visitor data, Oliver points out. brand by looking at heritage “A lot of museums have illustrations like the hand-drawn flag amazing demographic data graphic we found in the archive, and about who is visiting, and what the ‘Handsome Dan’ bulldog mascot they're visiting. As part of our [which has already seen early success ‘immersion’ process, we look at on a recent kids’ apparel range for what’s happening externally at Zara], and giving them a modern retail, in various parts of the interpretation. world, and draw on the “We then looked at other parts of the Yale consumer profile to think about what that experience, such as the rowing club and the particular demographic is interested in. And then tennis team, and considered how to update these it’s a question of joining those dots, and making a heritage aspects of the brand to reflect today’s recommendation based on external insight rather trends. Recent events like 2023’s Rugby World than internal emotion.”

Cup and the upcoming Winter Olympics have While some institutions have assets that are driven a huge surge in popularity for sports in the instantly recognisable and ‘ownable’, such as lifestyle and popular culture space, so focusing on Transport for London’s Tube maps or station sports teams feels like a natural fit.” signs, other brands’ assets might be less tangible.

With decades of storytelling and archival “For the National Trust, which manages outdoor imagery to draw on, heritage institutions have a spaces as well as historic houses and gardens, definite head start against other brands in the everything had to be created from scratch,” says style guide stakes. “Across the museum and Oliver. “The leaf patterns and the sea patterns we heritage industry, there's a really positive vibrancy created for them were evocative of the inland and about the way institutions approach their brands,” coastal areas that the Trust cares for, and formed concludes Oliver Dyer. “It's a hugely exciting a point of difference for the brand as well.” sector to work in.”

While acknowledging the past, style guides for LICENSING MUSEUM & HERITAGE BOOK 2024

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IN FOCUS: THE NATIONAL GALLERY

Celebrating 200 years One of the greatest art galleries in the world, the National Gallery will be celebrating its 200th anniversary in 2024. Acting head of brand licensing Melanie Humberstone-Garley shares upcoming highlights from the Gallery’s bicentenary, and explains why the muchloved institution’s milestone birthday year is the perfect time for new licensees to come on board.

F

ounded by Parliament in 1824, the National Gallery houses the nation’s collection of paintings in the Western European tradition dating from the late 13th to the early 20th century. The collection of over 2,300 paintings includes works by Artemisia Gentileschi, Bellini, Cézanne, Degas, Da Vinci, Monet, Raphael, Rembrandt, Renoir, Rubens, Titian, Turner, Van Dyck, Van Gogh and Velázquez.

This year, on 10 May 2024, we come together to start the celebrations for the National Gallery's bicentenary – marking 200 years of bringing people and paintings together. For the entire year, we'll celebrate our past and look forward to our future with a year-long festival of art, creativity and imagination, which will set the tone for our third century. We invite everyone to join the celebrations as part of an ambitious programme of events and exhibitions, extending from the Gallery into Trafalgar Square, across the nation and to the world through a series of online and virtual experiences.

Join us as we mark this milestone occasion by becoming part of our global licensing programme at this very exciting time. We offer multiple opportunities to access and apply images of some of the best-loved paintings ever created by world-famous artists on products, across all major categories including apparel, accessories, homeware, food and drink, stationery, accessories and gifts, as well as across services and experiences.

Highlights of our most recent collaborations for our bicentenary year include a new range of shoes, boots and bags from Dr Martens, one of our most successful collaborations to date. We have also teamed with Charbonnel et Walker, Britain’s first and finest chocolatier, for luxury chocolates and truffles; Gardiners of Scotland for a range of delicious handmade fudge and confectionery, and Marmalade of London for a scented range of natural, sustainable and ethically sourced candles and diffusers. We have also collaborated with specialist tailor-made apparel designer Sahinler.

We welcome new ideas and innovations aimed at reaching wide-ranging audiences in new and exciting ways.

Get in touch to find out how you can get involved in our global licensing programme and our once in a lifetime bicentenary opportunity at the National Gallery.

Contact Melanie Humberstone-Garley, acting head of brand licensing, at melanie.humberstonegarley@nationalgallery.org.uk LICENSING MUSEUM & HERITAGE BOOK 2024

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