Fashion Collabs Will Come to Life at Brand Licensing Europe

Barbie x Balmain, Universal Studios x Gucci, Hype x Sonic the Hedgehog, Mentos x The Lobstars and Black Lives Matter x Fashion United are among the many brands and fashion collabs that will be brought to life on this year’s Brand Licensing Europe (BLE) catwalk. 

BLE is Europe’s leading event for licensing and brand extension, taking place Sept. 20-22 at ExCeL London and tickets are free to attend. In respect of the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the timing of her state funeral on Monday, Sept. 19, this year’s opening times are now: 

BLE’s 2022 theme is Fashion and visitors can enjoy nine live 15-minute fashion shows across three days. Please note, the original timings of Collaborations and Barbie: the ultimate fashion icon on Tuesday have changed. 

Tuesday, Sept. 20: 

12:30 p.m.: 

2 p.m.:  

Related:Universal Brand Development Gets Runway Ready for Brand Licensing Europe

4 p.m. (new time): Collaborations  

“We’re excited to connect our iconic Harlem Globetrotters brand with our fans across Europe,” says Natalie Setton, vice president, brand partnerships, licensing and content distribution, Herschend Entertainment Studios. “These new collections will be accessible in fashion and sporting retailers this autumn – just in time for our European tour.” 

Natural History Museum showcases its new Natural History Museum x Joanie range with independent fashion brand, Joanie Clothing. 

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“We are absolutely delighted to be working with the team at Joanie,” says Maxine Lister, head, licensing, Natural History Museum. “We have been fans of the brand for some time now and love the way they approach their collections, both in the way that they celebrate the individuality of women’s fashion and their commitment to adopting sustainable fabrics and practices. Our collection with Joanie references many different themes from our collection from our beloved dinosaurs to whales, insects, minerals and much more. There really is something for everyone in this collection and we cannot wait for Joanie fans to see it.”  

5:30 p.m. (new time):    

“BLE marks an exciting return to the runway for Barbie fashion as we take over the runway in looks from Balmain, Gert Johan Coetzee, Alessandro Enriquez, Zara and River Island,” says Richard Dickson, president and chief operating officer, Mattel. “The clothes and accessories celebrate the incredible popularity and signature style of Barbie as well as the brand’s global platform for self-expression. It is very exciting to be back!” 

Wednesday, Sept. 21  

10 a.m.: Food & Beverage 

“We are really proud of the diversity of our apparel – they demonstrate how art originally designed to promote food and travel brands, their logos and advertising, can be reimagined as genuine fashion icons by removing them from their original context and placing them on the catwalk,” says Richard Pink, managing director, Pink Key Licensing. “We cannot wait to show you!” 

12:30 p.m.:    

2 p.m.:  Entertainment Collabs 

“Fashion licensing is an extremely strong category for Universal,” says Paul Bufton, vice president, EMEA, NBCUniversal Brand Development. “We have a wealth of experience in working with brands from every tier – from high-end designers, such as Prada and Moschino, to streetwear labels, mass- and mid-market suppliers – and we pride ourselves on working closely with our partners to bring the very best products to market: fashion-first collections that have the additional ‘pull’ for the consumer of their favorite Universal properties.” 

Thursday, Sept. 22: 

10 a.m.: Culture & Unity 

12:45 p.m.: Sustainability, featuring Products of Change, Junk Kouture and United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals 

“I can’t stress enough how jaw-dropping, aspirational, inspirational and downright fun the BLE catwalk shows are going to be,” says Anna Knight, senior vice president, licensing, Informa Markets. “We’ve got everything from Barbie in Balmain and Zara to Sonic the Hedgehog x MJB and the United Nations, Products of Change and Junk Kouture bringing the climate change conversation to the forefront by challenging the next generation to think differently about fashion and waste. For anyone with a brand that has the potential to extend into fashion and is looking for that nugget of inspiration, this content is gold.”