License Global: Hi Anna – less than four weeks out until BLE! How’s it going?  

Anna Knight: I know, I know. Don’t remind me! But it’s going brilliantly. I’m so excited for this unrestricted, no-holds-barred edition of BLE. It’s going to seriously wow people.  

That sounds great! Tell us more. 

Well, I think everyone knows about our fashion theme for 2022, which will manifest in nine high-end catwalk shows featuring brands like NBC Universal, Sony Interactive, IMC Toys, Mattel, Perfetti Van Melle, Pink Key Licensing, SEGA, Smurfs and Wildbrain CPLG. There will also be the Barbie x Fashion keynote from Mattel president and chief operating officer Richard Dickson, loads of fantastic fashion showcases and more.  

But what we haven’t talked much about is our Day Three agenda, which will focus on sustainability and DE&I.  

You’d usually expect the final day to be much quieter, but it sounds like BLE will be bucking this trend.  

100 percent. And that’s why my number one message to all of License Global’s readers who are planning to attend BLE this year. Put Thursday, Sept. 22 in your diary now. Believe me, you will thank us for it.  

So, what can they expect to find? 

So, so much, including two spectacular catwalks celebrating Culture & Unity and Sustainability.  

The Culture & Unity catwalk will feature Black Lives Matter Movement fashion collections and spotlight Black-owned designers (Sibu is coming to BLE straight from London Fashion Week the day before and Anita Quansah’s accessories are in the V&A Africa Show), businesses and creatives (including Cardi B’s DJ!) looking to break into the licensing industry.  

The Sustainability catwalk is being curated with Products of Change, the United Nations and Junk Kouture, who’ll present an educational and inspiring 15-minute set with presentations and performances centered around the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals as a catalyst for change.  

In the License Global Theater, we’ll have a fascinating sustainability case study with Hasbro and our Day Three keynote, which is a panel discussion called, “The Good Fight: How Purpose Breeds Success.” This is the first time BLE has ever had a closing day keynote, and we’re excited to be joined by execs from Paramount, English Heritage, The Point.1888, The Smiley Company and Products of Change.  

We’ll also have the BLE & POC Sustainability Café showcasing sustainable consumer products and fashion lines from brands including Primark, Eden, Wastebuster, Smiley, Wow Stuff and RSPB, Hasbro and Asda, Smurfs and Pure Top Table and Discovery and the Products of Change Lounge: the perfect place to receive advice, education and best practice on creating, progressing or optimizing sustainability action plans. 

Wow. Cardi B’s DJ??  

I know. It’s too much, right? It’s going to be phenomenal. Seriously, everyone needs to earmark it in their diaries now. And if you haven’t registered yet – Brandlicensing.eu/