Shinola Taps IMG for Representation

Luxury goods brand Shinola has chosen IMG as its brand representative and licensing agency.

IMG will be tasked with uncovering cross-category product extensions for the Shinola brand. The agency says it will be selective in its approach to brand partnerships, looking for collaborators who fit with Shinola.

Shinola and IMG will prioritize products across the home, travel and décor categories for the brand’s expanded offering. Shinola began in the watch vertical before branching out into other curated products such as leather goods, bicycles, jewelry and stationery.

“Shinola, established initially as a job-creation vehicle within Detroit, has evolved to become much more than that,” says Tom Kartsotis, founder, Shinola. “Consumer response has allowed us to evolve the project into a multiproduct category brand that is predicated on design, community building and national pride. We are gratified that our vision for Shinola has been so enthusiastically received by consumers, as evidenced by its continued retail success and tremendous level of interest and demand for the brand presence across a wide range of new products. Together with IMG, we hope to expand our product offering across categories that further reflect and capture our brand ethos while delivering for our consumers.”

Late last year, Shinola partnered with Mac & Lo to launch a luxury hotel in its native city of Detroit, Mich.