Sam Edelman Announced as Keynote for Licensing Expo

Sam Edelman and Robert D’Loren will explain the story behind their brand and how they used the power of brand extension through licensing to expand cross-category.

License Global

April 19, 2023

Sam Edelman.Licensing Expo

Licensing Expo

has announced

Sam Edelman

, the fashion and footwear designer, as its keynote speaker for the 2023 show. This year’s focus is on

fashion in licensing,

and Sam Edelman, founder, president, Sam Edelman, will be joined by Robert D’Loren, chief executive officer, chairman, Xcel Brands, to discuss how their brand built its fashion empire and expanded through licensing across multiple categories.

“I am honored to be speaking at Licensing Expo this year and to have the opportunity to share my experience and insights with the industry,” says Edelman. “At Sam Edelman, we have always believed in the power of brand extension through licensing, and I look forward to discussing how we have built our fashion empire and continued to expand our reach through licensing partnerships. Fashion is such an important category for licensed consumer products, and I am excited to be a part of this conversation at Licensing Expo.”

Sam Edelman is a division of Caleres, a global footwear company inspiring

people to feel good, feet first, for more than 140 years. Alongside his wife, muse and business co-founder, Libby Edelman, Edelman has grown the Sam Edelman brand into a complete lifestyle brand devoted to an irreverent and whimsical style inspired by timeless American elegance. The brand bridges the gap between aspiration and attainability to define modern luxury across the U.S., with an international presence in cities like Hong Kong and Dubai.

“Sam Edelman is a fashion-forward influencer and visionary in American footwear and apparel,” says Anna Clarke, senior vice president, Global Licensing Group, Informa Markets, organizer of Licensing Expo. “His presence at Licensing Expo speaks volumes to the endless possibilities of brand extension within retail and fashion categories and the breadth this market shares in licensed consumer product opportunities. Edelman is a vibrant trendsetter with innovative and creative experiences, across a robust business portfolio, which provides unique expertise to the perspective of fashion within licensing that we aim to showcase this year at Licensing Expo.”

With fashion as the theme for the licensing event this year, Licensing Expo highlights the largest category for licensed consumer products globally by providing an outlet for retailers, agents, and brands to gain insight into the market’s direction from one of the world’s most celebrated forces in footwear. According to Licensing International, fashion properties account for 9% of the total licensed consumer product revenue worldwide, topping more than $28 billion in annual sales.

The Sam Edelman brand will host a meeting room at Licensing Expo, June 13-15 at Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, accessible by appointment only. To book an appointment, please reach out to

Seth Burroughs via email