Mattel Names Itochu Master Licensing Agency for Barbie in Japan

Japan’s Itochu to leverage its brand portfolio to build a licensing program for Barbie.

May 26, 2021

Mattel has announced that the company has entered into a multi-year agreement with Itochu Corporation, one of the largest Japanese general trading companies. Itochu will create a comprehensive licensing program for Barbie in Japan with an immediate focus on fashion-related product launches and brand collaborations.

“Barbie’s brand philosophy – about empowering the limitless potential in every girl – is highly relevant in Japan,” Itochu says in a statement. “We look forward to partnering with Mattel to promote this brand purpose and develop a range of products and programs for Japanese consumers with high-fashion sensibilities, further increasing the reach of the Barbie brand in Japan.”

Itochu’s brand portfolio consists of more than one hundred fashion brands, including LeSportsac, Paul Smith and FILA in Japan.

“For more than 60 years, Barbie has proven herself as a timely and timeless fixture in pop culture globally,” says Roz Nowicki, global consumer products and franchise marketing head,

Mattel. “Itochu’s leadership in the fashion industry in Japan makes them the perfect partner for Barbie. We look forward to working with the Itochu team to further drive Barbie’s fashion and purposeful narratives in this important market.”