Licensed kids' accessories sparkle

Discount Store News, June 1, 1992 by Jill Lettich

Preparing for back-to-school isn't complete without a licensing game plan.

The upcoming Licensing Show, to be held June 9 to 11 in New York, will feature more than 1,000 properties, both new introductions and old favorites in everything from socks to stationery.

Apparel including accessories, continues to be the largest category for licensed products at retail, with 1991 sales reaching $20.4 billion. Accessories are beginning to account for an increasingly larger share of that figure.

Accessories are a current licensing trend that's transcending the limits of either the boys' or girls' market and selling with every type of license. Character and brand licensed items such as caps, jewelry, hair products, handbags and luggage are finding their way into more children's departments than ever before.

"Apparel licenses continue to be strong and accessories are a natural add-on," said Lou Vargochik, divisional merchandise manager, girls' apparel, Rose's, Henderson, N.C. "A lot is sold to mothers and grandmothers."

At Jamesway, the children's area features baseball caps with sports logos, World Wrestling Federation designations as well as E.J. Gitano caps to coordinate with that brand's T-shirts. Barbie jewelry and small Disney handbags completed the selection at the store. Paul Roth, vice president, soft lines, noted that Beauty & that Beast totes were going strong, with some Little Mermaid products also still doing well.

Vargochik of Rose's concedes that licensing is a growing area, though handled differently for boys and girls.

The current popular licenses are aimed primarily at girls: Little Mermaid, Beauty & the Beast and even Trolls. For boys, sports licensing is the biggest seller.

"We started bringing in licensed accessories last year. We have a four-way wooden fixture in our girls' area that we can peg hook or shelve," Vargochick noted.

For boys, sport caps are on an endcap display in that department. "There are some caps going to girls, but people are just going into the boys' area to get them," he noted.

The chain also carries handbags, hair jewelry, totes and umbrellas, which he reported were "tremendous" sellers during spring.

Wal-Mart is currently testing a Disney shop at its store in Gurnee, Ill. Licensed Disney apparel, toys and video products are cross-merchandised at the front of the store.

At off-prices such as Ross Stores, licensed caps are a popular item. Katie Loughnot, a spokesperson for the chain, noted that licensed caps are doing well in many of its Florida area stores.

Caps are one of the licenses that are offered in adult accessory areas as well as in the children's department. According to Vargochik, Beverly Hills 90210 jewelry is in Rose's regular jewelry area, while Barbie goods are in kids.'

One license newcomer is Trolls. First popular in the 1960s, the fuzzy-haired creatures are making a resurgence. "It's a real underground movement. We're looking into them as the next big license after Beauty & the Beast. Kids seem to love it," said Vargochik.

One potential problem is that Trolls are public domain property, so that different-looking Trolls could conceivably saturate the market.

Ace Novelty Co., Norwalk, Conn., is trying to differentiate its Trolls. "Our Treasure Trolls are packaged differently and we developed the Troll with the jewel in its stomach. We have 38 licensees signed up," said Sam MacCullum, national sales manager.

"At this point, we are sold out through October on Troll necklaces. They have been incredibly popular. Our earrings are doing very well, also," he noted. "We thought Troll earrings would really be for a 5- to 8-year-old, but we're finding interest in girls as old as 14," said McCullum.

While Trolls are beginning to heat up, another license that should be hot doesn't seem to be doing as well.

"Batman Returns," the sequel to the 1990 movie, will be released this month, with product to follow suit.

By this past March, chains such as Jamesway already had some Batman accessories on hand. A baseball cap with the familiar bat logo was selling well in the boy's area at the Secaucus, N.J., chain. Roth noted that some additional merchandise was added as the movie release approached, but no great promotion with the character was expected.

The appearance of Batman should serve as good news for the boys' market. After the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles crawled away, the bigger character license successes--all still going strong--were mostly aimed at girls: Little Mermaid, and Beauty & The Beast, for instance.

However, Vargochik believes that it will not be the huge hit that many expected. "More boys are wearing Chicago White Sox caps than [those who] want to wear Batman caps. Sports licensing is the real success in boys," he said.

According to McCullum, Trolls, though primarily targeted to the girls' market, have gotten good response from boys. "We have a few boy Trolls in the line and we've received letters from boys that really love them."

A lapel pin and key chain round out the Troll accessory products for the boys' areas.