LSB Museums & Heritage 2025

THE SHOW

For the first time since 1881, the home of dinosaurs, London’s Natural History Museum, is touring theatres across the UK!

Ever since they were first identified in the 1800s, dinosaurs have sparked the imagination of kids and adults alike and for the first time ever, the world-renowned Natural History Museum has teamed up with Mark Thompson Productions to take you on a dinosaur adventure like no other.

We’ll go on a pre-historic journey together to the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods and watch the life-like dinosaurs come alive right on stage!

Not only that, but we’ll also find out more about fossils, time scales and how our planet has changed over hundreds of millions of years.

So get ready for a roaring experience like no other as Natural History Museum presents Dinosaurs Live comes to a town near you.

Age guidance: 3+

TOUR DATES

Culture heroes

Wof our dedicated publication for the museum and heritage licensing sector. It’s only been a year since we launched the Licensing Museum & Heritage Book, but during that time the team has been astounded by how much the sector has grown.

One of our contributors in this issue summed it up pretty perfectly when she described museums and heritage organisations as punching above their weight when it comes to licensing.

Anne Buky, a brand and licensing consultant who has been working in the space for many years, charts the steady growth that she has witnessed when it comes to brand licensing in the sector – from some of the first Brand Licensing Europe shows, where the likes of V&A and the Science Museum were the flag flyers for a category which had yet to discover how it could use licensing to enhance its offer, through to the 2024 show, which saw some 20 or more heritage brands, charities and not for profit organisations either exhibit under their own steam or being represented by agents.

Speaking to a number of brand owners for this issue, there’s not only pride and excitement in how their own licensing programmes have found ways to complement

Samantha Loveday - Group Editor Ian Hyder - Chief Executive Officer

Jakki Brown - Managing Director and Editorial Director

Rob Willis - Chief Operating Officer

Mark Grayson - Creative Director

Tel: 020 7700 6740 E-mail: hello@max-publishing.co.uk

and build on their main activity, but also admiration for other museums and organisations and the deals they have secured and the products and collaborations which have launched. And they’re not afraid to say it.

They all share the common aim of wanting to show how far museum and heritage brands can push the boundaries of licensing and compete with large entertainment brands. As one pointed out, innovation is key in taking the customer on the brand journey with you – and innovation is something which this category has in spades.

We hope you enjoy the issue – please do share your feedback with the team; we’d love to hear from you.

The Licensing Museum & Heritage Book Team

Samantha Loveday, Ian Hyder, Jakki Brown, Rob Willis and Tessa Clayton.

Copyright 2025. The publishers cannot accept legal liability for any errors or omissions, nor can they accept responsibility for the standing of advertisers nor any organisation mentioned in the text.

ISSN 25158643.

What’s Inside?

Heritage sights

Marquee Brands to ‘unlock future potential’ of Laura Ashley brand

Marquee Brands – a global ‘brand accelerator’ and owner of 17 top brands – has acquired home, fashion and lifestyle brand, Laura Ashley.

The strategic acquisition retains Laura Ashley’s UKbased team and expands Marquee Brands’ global footprint with the opening of its first European headquarters in London.

The addition of Laura Ashley increases the retail value of Marquee Brands’ global portfolio to $4+ billion.

“Laura Ashley’s licensed business model and robust group of high-quality partners makes the brand a seamless addition to Marquee Brands,” commented Heath Golden, ceo at Marquee Brands. “We are excited to harness the strong affinity for this iconic brand and drive expansion across new platforms and partnerships. With the existing UK team in place, we are primed and ready to leverage Laura Ashley’s seven-decade legacy to unlock its future potential as a full lifestyle brand innovating new products and categories, offering unique collaborations and engaging multi-generational audiences in key markets worldwide.”

Tobias Nanda, head of brands at Gordon Brothers –the previous owner of Laura Ashley – continued: “As a firm that actively invests in and revitalises iconic brands like Laura Ashley, we acquired the British heritage brand out of insolvency in 2020 and built a flexible, scalable licensing business and a global e-commerce presence over the last four years. We could not be prouder of Laura Ashley’s growth under Carolyn D’Angelo’s leadership, the former president of Laura Ashley, and know the brand is in the right hands for continued global growth under Marquee Brands’ leadership.”

Laura Ashley has a fully licensed operating model in the US, UK, Japan, South Korea and other key markets in Asia.

From innovative collaborations and new product launches, through to fresh creative style guides and new hires bringing expertise into the sector, Licensing Museum & Heritage Book rounds up some of the latest news from across the category.

Natural History Museum welcomes Louisa Skevington

The Natural History Museum has further expanded its team, welcoming Louisa Skevington as its new licensing manager

Louisa joins from RSPB where she had managed the licensing programme for the past three years.

She will not only bring expertise in the charity licensing sector, but also experience from working with well known brands during her previous role at Rocket Licensing.

“We are so excited to welcome Louisa to the Natural History Museum licensing team,” commented Maxine Lister, head of licensing at the Natural History Museum. “Louisa is highly regarded within the industry and will bring a fresh perspective to our programme. We are looking forward to Louisa working with and developing our existing partners and bringing new opportunities to the team.”

Louisa added: “The Natural History Museum has been doing amazing and award winning work in the museums and heritage sector, so I am delighted to be joining the team and to have the opportunity to support, and grow, such a successful licensing programme in the UK. I am looking forward to starting new conversations at trade shows in early 2025 and welcome licensees and retailers to get in touch if interested to learn more about the brand.”

Above: Louisa brings expertise from three years at the RSPB, as well as Rocket Licensing.

Above: Laura Ashley has a fully licensed operating model in a number of key territories.

Blinds 2go and Liberty unveil exclusive collaboration

Made-to-measure blinds and curtains specialist, Blinds 2go has revealed a new collaboration with British design house, Liberty

The range introduces a special edit of fresh, statement designs, bringing together Blind 2go’s expertise in home furnishings and window dressings with Liberty’s timeless and distinctive patterns.

Showcasing 13 exclusive designs, Blinds 2go x Liberty blends the design house’s storied heritage of intricate patterns and luxury fabrics into functional, beautiful window coverings.

Chloe Dacosta, design manager at Blinds 2go, commented: “Working with Liberty has been an incredible journey for our design team, allowing us to blend their iconic patterns with our expertise in creating bespoke window dressings. The fusion of Liberty’s rich heritage with our focus on practicality and made-tomeasure craftsmanship has resulted in a collection that not only celebrates artistic design, but also fits seamlessly into modern homes.”

The 13 patterns pay homage to Liberty’s rich design history, taking inspiration from the likes of Indian Chintzes, botanicals, ditsy florals, sun-drenched meadows, alpine florals, forbidden fruits, swirling stars and the Prospect Road collection among others.

B&LLAs 2025 are open for entries

Entries for the Brand & Lifestyle Licensing Awards 2025 are now officially open – with the event returning to the Royal Lancaster London on Thursday 24 April 2025

Now in its 10th year, the B&LLAs gives the brand and lifestyle licensing and retail sector an opportunity to be recognised and rewarded separately to the massive character and entertainment licensing sector which is covered by The Licensing Awards (held in September).

The B&LLAs 2025 – which is owned and organised by Max Publishing – will look to reward brand and lifestyle licensing activity which has taken place in the UK between 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024, across Product, Retail and Property categories. In addition, the Brand Ambassador Award will also be presented to a special individual (brand owner, licensor, retailer, licensee or supplier), acknowledging their contribution to the brand licensing sector, while the Rising Star Award will recognise and reward excellence among those ‘new to the brand licensing sector’ in the UK who have shown real potential in the continued evolution of the sector.

The deadline for nominations and entries across all categories is Thursday 6 March 2025

The entry and nomination process for all categories is free and via online submission – all the forms can be accessed from the dedicated B&LLAs website at www.brandlicensingawards.com.

Ohh Deer makes move into the museums space

Ohh Deer is expanding into the museums sector, welcoming V&A and Natural History Museum to its portfolio. The company will work with the V&A across greeting cards, stationery and gift wrapping, with the range developed to engage broader audiences with the museum.

The initial range of 82 skus has four different themes (Scalloped, Neon Floral, Cottagecore and Geometric) and includes the use of neon inks, re-coloured artwork, blending different pieces of work together and special finishes including emboss, spot UV and foils.

The range will be available for general sale from February 2025, with the 2026 diaries landing in August 2025.

In addition, Ohh Deer is also collaborating with the Natural History Museum on a range which includes a mix of humorous greeting cards, vibrant art prints and postcards – all taking inspiration from the museum’s vast collection.

Having previously worked with the Museum’s retail buying team, the Museum’s licensing team approached Ohh Deer about collaborating, asking the company to produce a funny card range.

The product range has been curated by cofounder and creative director at Ohh Deer, Jamie Mitchell and his product team. The launch consists of 24 greeting cards, six postcards and four Risograph art prints.

Above: Marijn Veraart collecting last year’s Best Licensed Heritage or Institution Brand for the Van Gogh Museum.

Below: Ohh Deer has created collections for both Natural History Museum and V&A.

Above: The 13 patterns pay homage to Liberty’s rich design history.

The Royal Armouries expands replica swords range

The Royal Armouries has expanded its collaboration with Windlass Steelcrafts, adding to the collection of replica swords.

The collaboration first launched in 2022 and, with attention to details on the historic origins of the swords, it has proved popular with collectors and enthusiasts worldwide.

Building on this success, six new reproductions from the Royal Armouries extensive historic collection have been created, offering customers further variety in form as well as chronological and geographical spread.

“Our involvement included advising on object selection for this second range, inspecting production copies alongside the originals at various stages, and providing feedback to refine their physical attributes,” commented Iason Tzouriadis, curator of European edged weapons at the Royal Armouries. “To ensure accuracy, we closely examined the original objects, studied their details, materials, and construction, and reviewed all available documentation from our catalogues and files.”

Below: Six new reproductions from the Royal Armouries extensive historic collection have been created.

The Royal Mint expands Natural History Museum collection

The Natural History Museum and The Royal Mint have launched their fourth collection of coins –adding Ice Age Giants to the Tales of the Earth collaboration.

The new trio of coins, made up of a steppe mammoth, a woolly rhinoceros and a giant deer, celebrate some of the largest mammals to exist during this period of history.

The first of the coins to be released features Mammuthus trogontherii, also known as the steppe mammoth. This extinct species of herbivore was one of the largest Mammoths ever to live – even bigger than the elephants today – and had an average shoulder height of four metres and weighed an average of 10 tonnes.

The three-part collection also features the woolly rhinoceros and giant deer on specially curated coins. Each has been brought back to life by renowned British paleo-artist Robert Nicholls, with expert guidance from paleobiologist Professor Adrian Lister at the Natural History Museum.

Cambridge gets active with lululemon co-brand partnership

Curating Cambridge has secured a deal with lululemon to launch a co-branded activewear collection in the UK featuring Cambridge University trademarks.

The collection features a choice of three print designs – the University’s iconic Red Lion, synonymous with sport at Cambridge; the University’s shield logo; and a bold Cambridge text print. The launch assortment includes both men’s and women’s styles including lululemon’s popular Scuba Oversized Half-Zip Hoodie, Align HighRise Pant and Define Jacket.

Community engagement is central to the lululemon ethos, with free run club and yoga sessions led by brand ambassadors to complement the launch. Cambridge Sport, the University’s sport department, has actively supported the collaboration, reinforcing key messaging around the physical and mental wellbeing benefits of sport.

“We’ve seen an enthusiastic and overwhelmingly positive rection to the coLen Dunne, ceo at Curating Cambridge. “Students have immediately embraced the concept, and tourists will no doubt too.”

Above: The collection features a choice of three print designs.

Above: The latest trio of coins celebrate some of the largest mammals to exist during the Ice Age.

RHS teams with The Somerset Toiletry Company

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has secured a new partnership with The Somerset Toiletry Company – with the company appointed as a licensee in the bath and body products category, a key focus for the RHS licensing programme.

The projected initial launch comprises a number of standalone products and gift packs, and is expected to include soap, hand cream, hand wash, shower gel, bath foam and body lotion. A number of the products will also be brought together in special sets designed for gifting.

The RHS Lindley Collections, the world’s finest collection of botanical art, will inspire the design of the packaging, on which the RHS logo will also appear.

The products will offer a wide range of fragrances, inspired by and referencing the natural world, which will be listed closer to the trade launch at Spring Fair (2-5 February 2025). The range will arrive at retail later in Q2 2025.

The partnership marks The Somerset Toiletry Company’s first brand collaboration for a number of years.

National Trust debuts outdoor line with Craghoppers

Craghoppers and the National Trust have unveiled a new outdoors collection, marking the start of a long-term collaboration which celebrates the great outdoors.

The range – which is largely made from 100% recycled materials – includes men’s and women’s outdoor essentials such as fleeces, packable jackets, heavyweight jackets and active legwear, with prints and autumnal hues inspired by landscapes cared for by the National Trust.

The collection also offers several outdoor accessories such as co-branded insulated bottles, mugs, waterproof hats and packable over trousers.

10% of net sales from the collection will be given to the National Trust in support of vital conservational projects such as peatland restoration in the Peak District.

“We’re proud to collaborate with Craghoppers and are excited by their desire to champion the care of the great outdoors for future generations,” said Becky Stanford, head of brand licensing for the National Trust

Transport for London launches first children’s style guide

Transport for London has launched its first dedicated style guide aimed at creating children’s products that reflect London’s iconic transport network.

Designed by creative agency Crush Creative, the guide includes a set of colourful, illustrated assets that draw on TfL’s heritage and serve as a toolkit for licensees developing products for young audiences.

The new style guide marks a major step in TfL’s collaboration with its global licensing agency, IMG, to make the brand more accessible and engaging for children and families.

The guide offers existing and prospective TfL partners a range of assets, including six core illustrations of London scenes that highlight the city’s diverse modes of transport – from buses and trains to active travel options like cycling and walking. The new assets take cues from TfL’s historic poster art, blending retro aesthetics with contemporary designs to capture London’s vibrant spirit and deep-rooted transport heritage in a playful new way. All revenue generated through TfL’s licensing programme is reinvested into the transport network.

“As we start to expand the TfL brand into the children’s market, it is so important for us to offer licensees something easy to use and exciting that will engage and delight children and parents alike,” commented Ellen Sankey, TfL’s brand licensing manager. “We want to make kids aware of the importance of greener options such as public transport, walking and cycling, and invite them to discover our wonderful city. This guide reflects our heritage and style, while also looking to our future.” Above: The new assets take

Below: The long-term collaboration is celebrating the great outdoors.

M&S and National Gallery partnership to expand

The success of the first collaboration between the National Gallery and Marks & Spencer has led to the development and planned launch of a further range in spring/summer 2025.

The new collection will expand into bedding, accent furniture and more new soft furnishings. Discussions are also continuing for autumn/winter 2025, with more to be announced later on this year.

Autumn/winter 2024 saw the National Gallery join forces with M&S for the first collaborative range. Inspired by the paintings in the National Gallery Collection, the 34-piece home and gifting range included exclusive lines in textiles, accessories, home furnishings and fragrances, lighting and tableware. The range was inspired by the rich palettes and luminosity from some iconic floral masterpieces in the Gallery collection, by artists including Ambrosius Bosschaert the Elder, Jan van Huysum and Rachel Ruysch.

On 10 May 2024, the National Gallery kicked off a year-long celebration of its Bicentenary, marking 200 years of bringing people and paintings together.

Busy Beanstalk builds up The Met

Beanstalk has been hard at work further strengthening the licensing programme for The Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art, with a trio of new deals recently secured.

Accessories brand Lele Sadoughi has teamed with the Museum, marking its first collaboration in the arts. The new range comprises hair accessories, jewellery and handbags alongside other products, with each design inspired by works of art in the Museum. Lele Sadoughi’s iconic headbands are the focal point of the line, featuring designs inspired by Vincent van Gogh’s Wheat Field with Cypresses and Edgar Degas’ The Dance Class among others.

Meanwhile, Sprayground has launched a 17-piece capsule with highlights including the Chinese Landscape Backpack which borrows motifs from a late 17th-century Jingdezhen vase; the Kuba Kingdom Headdress Backpack based on a 19th-20th century beaded mpaan crafted in the Kuba Kingdom (present-day Democratic Republic of Congo); and the Greek Temple of Sardis Column Backpack which recalls a monumental foliate carved column ca. 300 BCE.

Each piece in the collection includes a special tag, hang tag and a plaque, inspired by the plaques seen in museums, complete with a QR code, providing detailed information about the bag and its relationship to the original artwork that inspired its design.

Finally, Pair Eyewear –the first direct to consumer and customisable eyewear brand – has launched 16 new top frames inspired by artworks such as Monet’s Water Lilies, Cézanne's Apples & Primroses, Renoir's Bouquet of Chrysanthemums and Tiepolo's Allegory of the Planets among others.

Sanderson awarded Royal Warrant

Luxury interior design and furnishings group, Sanderson Design Group has been granted the Royal Warrant of Appointment to Sanderson, its quintessential British fabric and wallpaper brand, by His Majesty King Charles III.

This marks the significant milestone of 100 years since the brand first received a Royal Warrant from King George V in 1924.

The renewal continues Sanderson’s historical service to the Royal Household while also looking to the future, aligning with the Royal Household’s increased emphasis on environmental stewardship.

“We are thrilled to be granted this Royal Warrant and especially delighted to celebrate 100 years of continuous service to the Royal Household,” commented Lisa Montague, ceo at Sanderson Design Group. “The Sanderson brand, as part of Sanderson Design Group, is committed to upholding its legacy of British design and craftsmanship along with a commitment to sustainability, including continuing to enhance biodiversity through our sites and supply chain in collaboration with the Royal Warrant Holders Association’s Nature Recovery Group.

“These initiatives reflect the principles of excellence that have defined our Company for more than a century. We look forward to upholding the values that the Royal Warrant represents and to continuing decorating with the Royal Household.”

Below: Pair Eyewear has launched 16 new top frames inspired by artworks from The Met.

Above: The first collaborative range included textiles, accessories, home furnishings, lighting and tableware.

FThere are big things on the horizon for the Natural History Museum in 2025, from Dinosaurs Live, its first ever touring theatre

Giant steps

ollowing recognition at the B&LLAs and a successful BLE, the Natural History Museum is delighted to have concluded a successful 2024 with three further licensing industry awards: Best Licensed Preschool Apparel or Accessories range at The Licensing Awards and Best Retailer Initiative at the Progressive Preschool Awards for its collection with Peppa Pig for F&F at Tesco, as well as the Products of Change Sustainable Development Goal 13: Climate Action award for its continued commitment to sustainability.

It was a busy end to the year, with the launch of a fourth limited edition three-coin collection with The Royal Mint, this time taking inspiration from Ice Age Giants – the steppe mammoth, woolly rhinoceros and giant deer – and a significant new signing with Bioworld International for adult and kids’ apparel, accessories and home across the UK, Europe and MENA.

Looking ahead, the Natural History Museum is kicking off 2025 with a slate of new product and experiential launches. Recently signed PlayPress Toys is launching its first playset, Dino Dig, and Ohh Deer is introducing its first NHM products at Top Drawer with a vibrant range of greetings cards and art prints. February will be

marked by the launch of Dinosaurs Live, the Museum’s first ever touring theatre show from Mark Thompson Productions, which is already booked for over 60 venues across the UK. And as spring returns, so too does A Blooming British Afternoon Tea at the Royal Lancaster London, created in collaboration with the NHM and in celebration of the beautiful flowers and precious pollinators on our doorstep.

The Natural History Museum has also taken on representation of children’s brand The World of Dinosaur Roar! from The Dinosaur Roar Company. The colourful storybook series, written in association with the Natural History Museum, already has licensed product across key categories including greetings cards and games and puzzles, which the team will be building on through 2025.

Finally, NHM has welcomed Louisa Skevington to the team as licensing manager to manage the Museum’s UK licensing programme. With Louisa on board, the licensing team’s plans for growth continue as they focus on expanding categories including apparel and toiletries, working increasingly closely and directly with UK licensees to increase opportunities with UK retailers as well as expanding international business. Louisa and the team will be attending Spring Fair, Toy Fair and Top Drawer and hope to see you there.

Inset: The Royal Mint launched its fourth NHM coin collection at the end of 2024.

Below: The Museum has taken on representation of children’s brand, The World of Dinosaur Roar!

In with the old

Anne Buky, brand licensing consultant, looks at how museums and heritage organisations have developed into strong players in brand licensing.

Working with museums and heritage organisations is an immense privilege. When asked why so many do so, it is not hard to find the answers – breathtaking collections, beautiful buildings, experts with encyclopaedic knowledge and people who are committed to preserving and enhancing a heritage in which the UK is the world leader. And such an incredible and diverse heritage - from dinosaur bones millions of years old to paintings worth millions of pounds, from ancient structures of wood and stone to breathtaking interiors of iconic buildings, jewels worn by Kings and Queens, artefacts from ships that fought at the Battle of Trafalgar, sculptures by world masters, scientific and medical discoveries, farming innovations – the list of course is endless – from all over the country all of life is here. The great challenge for museums is how to explain their collections, communicate their message and

importantly how to build sustainable financial models to continue their development.

Communicating and presenting these marvels has been an evolving process. The museum and heritage sector has changed out of all recognition in the way that it presents its collections. Bright, interesting displays, immersive experiences and record-breaking exhibitions all show that great efforts have been made to explain the collections to a diverse audience. Museums have found imaginative ways to engage with people’s emotional connections to music, community, history, art, science and culture. Soft play, innovative playground facilities and interactive exhibits have introduced the very youngest to the joys of museums. And judging by the excited queues of visitors during holiday periods, and the impressive offer in museum shops and other commercial ventures, these efforts have clearly paid off.

Funding our wonderful collections remains a major challenge. Major national museums, even with government funding, need to raise additional income to maintain their iconic buildings and collections.

Inset: The V&A has been a long time supporter of Brand Licensing Europe and was among the first museum and heritage brands to exhibit.

Inset: Anne Buky.

Museums and heritage organisations funded by local authorities, membership and private donations all have continuous funding needs. The heritage sector has risen to this challenge by developing sophisticated funding models that include corporate sponsorship, retail, publishing, exhibitions and special events (such as weddings) – and brand licensing is now an important strand in the process. It has taken a while for the sector to appreciate the benefits that brand licensing could bring. A museum as a ‘brand’ involved a change in approach and there were concerns that by exploiting a museum’s brand and intellectual property this might diminish its content, infringe copyright or see poor quality product being offered. Due to the great pioneering work done in particular by major museums such as the V&A, it was clear that a carefully managed licensing programme with well-chosen partners could enhance both licensor and licensee and fears could be allayed. Becoming more commercially minded meant understanding the importances of trade marking and the protection that it provides. Recalling the first Brand Licensing Europe shows (held in the Business Design Centre in Islington before bursting out to Olympia and now ExCeL) very few museum or heritage organisations exhibited – the V&A and the Science Museum were exceptions. As a comparison, at BLE in 2024 some 20 or more heritage brands, charities and not for profit organisations exhibited or were represented by agents. This demonstrates the exponential growth of the sector and the value that has been placed on brand licensing, not just as a method for raising funds,

but also vitally as a great way to communicate with their audiences.

Brand licensing for this sector has seen steady growth with organisations developing their retail and licensing plans in tandem. Whereas the retail offer in a museum is driven by the visitors and specialist audiences, and bespoke products are created for these audiences, brand licensed products have to appeal to the mass market which sometimes has different priorities. The big drivers of brand licensing programmes such as TV, advertising or film tie-ins are not always available – though when they are they are hugely welcomed. Indeed, period TV shows such as Bridgerton have fuelled interest in historical drama and introduced audiences to classic styles and storytelling.

Larger museums such as the V&A, Natural History Museum and the Science Museum Group and larger organisations such as The Royal Horticultural Society and the National Trust have expanded their teams significantly in the past few years. Strong programmes with clear messages have been created. Charities and smaller museums have found their niche by playing to their strengths, whether a celebration of an iconic building such as The Royal Pavilion at Brighton or the collection of a single person such as the Sir John Soane’s museum in London. The world of fashion has been inspired to research archives and develop ranges. Astonishing ranges of wallpapers, interior décor, jewellery, stationery, toiletries and toys and games now appear in retail through the dedication and inspiration of brand licensing teams.

Taking all this into consideration, museums and heritage organisations punch above their weight in the licensing world. There is much to be done and also much more to be discovered by licensees and retailers alike and benefits for all to be shared in the future.

Left: Period TV shows such as Bridgerton have fuelled interest in historical drama and introduced audiences to classic styles and storytelling.

Above: The growing licensing programme for the Royal Pavilion at Brighton uses the iconic building as inspiration.

A fine art

The Van Gogh Museum’s licensing programme strives to inspire a diverse audience with the life and works of one the world’s best loved artists. Marijn Veraart, the Museum’s head of licensing, tells Licensing Museum & Heritage Book how shared brand values and compelling storytelling – with a dash of “the unexpected” – remain at the heart of every collaboration.

Housing the largest Van Gogh collection in the world, including 200 paintings, close to 500 drawings and 700 letters by the artist, the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam is acknowledged as the leading international knowledge institute for Vincent van Gogh and his cultural heritage.

“The fact that we are a single-artist museum gives us an unparalleled insight into Vincent’s world,” Marijn Veraart explains. “As well as Vincent’s paintings and sketches, we have hundreds of his letters. From these, we know so much about him; what drove him, his passion for nature, his mental struggles and his incredible resilience.”

It’s fitting, then, for an institution that honours Vincent van Gogh’s

character as much as his art, that its licensing programme does the same. Partners are chosen on the basis of shared values, and the Museum and its licensees work collaboratively, tapping into each other’s areas of expertise to produce products that tell powerful stories about Vincent’s life, personality and creativity that resonate with consumers.

Marijn references the Museum’s 2023 partnership with Moleskine as an example.

“Moleskine produces premium notebooks that offer a blank canvas for people to explore their creativity, and our partnership with them was about paying homage to Vincent's artistic energy. We want to encourage people to draw, to write, to express their passion, and be who they want to be.”

Above and left: Floral Street’s fragrances translate Vincent’s masterpieces into sensory experiences.

Above right: Marijn Veraart, the Museum’s head of licensing.

Inset: The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.

Sustainable perfume house Floral Street – a licensing partner since 2021 – is another brand whose vision aligns with the Museum’s. The collaboration inspires people to love nature and find beauty in every day, just like Vincent did, Marijn explains.

“Their Sunflower Pop and Sweet Almond Blossom perfumes, and their range of Sweet Almond Blossom home fragrances, bring Vincent’s masterpieces to life in a new and surprising way, through a sensory scent experience. It’s important to us to create beautiful quality products but also to offer the unexpected. We always try to be innovative and creative, just as Vincent was.”

collection, which launched in December 2024. They used lighter colours but also referenced Vincent’s darker paintings, as a way of acknowledging that he had both highs and lows in his life, and to express that mental health is never linear.”

It’s an approach that wins awards, with Sunflower Pop triumphing in the Best Brand Licensed Health & Beauty Product or Range category at the 2022 Brand & Lifestyle Licensing Awards, and Moleskine winning an Excellence Award in the Best Product: Publishing, Social Expression or Back to School category at 2024’s Licensing Expo in Vegas – a year after the Van Gogh Museum was awarded Best Brand: Art, Design, Museum. And let’s not forget the Museum’s double B&LLAs win in 2024, for Best Licensed Heritage or Institution Brand, and best Sustainability Brand Licensed Product or Range for its sneaker collection with Cariuma.

“We are so proud to have been recognised by the industry,” says Marijn. “We’ve done it as a team, and huge thanks are due to our fantastic partners and international agents.”

Despite the accolades, there’s no time for laurel-resting: a new style guide, produced in partnership with Skew Studio, is already paying dividends, with striking new product coming to market in recent months inspired by the guide’s three key themes – ‘Ever Yours, Vincent’, which draws on Vincent’s travels around Europe; Impressions de Provence, a vibrant collection that celebrates the artist’s time in the south of France; and Sketch!, aimed at a younger audience, which focuses on Vincent’s youthful drawings and his expressive use of brush strokes. These offer licensees the chance to try something fresh and different, says Marijn. “Our new US partner Shoe Palace took inspiration from Sketch! for its apparel

Shoe Palace is among a number of new US partners to join the Van Gogh Museum licensing programme in 2024. Others include WonderFold for wagon strollers, and California-based Solé Bicycles for a range of single-speed bicycles with Almond Blossom chassis. “Both are outdoorsy brands that encourage discovery and being out and about in nature, and WonderFold champions family togetherness, which was hugely important to Vincent, so the brand fits were perfect,” says Marijn.

In 2025, the Museum will be zoning in on its key categories and territories: Benelux, the US, Europe, South Korea, Japan and Greater China. New partnerships are soon to be announced, including a global apparel partnership in Q1, and another collaboration that Marijn describes as “very exciting – it’s going to be awesome!”. The Museum will also be expanding its publishing offering, including a second book from Dutch publisher Ploegsma, whose children’s board book ‘Vincent – First Words’ was published in 2024, while new collections are set to debut from long-term partners Casely (phone cases) and Pair (eyewear).

“Our purpose is the same as ever: to inspire a diverse audience with the life and works of Vincent van Gogh,” concludes Marijn. “The way Vincent thought and expressed himself creatively was so far ahead of his time, and it gives him incredible relevance today. There’s lots more to explore.”

Above: Moleskine won a Licensing International Excellence Award in 2024 for its range of VGM notebooks.

Below: US partner Shoe Palace took inspiration from the Museum’s new style guide for its 2024 apparel collection.

‘Timeless Journeys’ a NEW style guide inspired by the National Railway Museum’s collection of vintage railway posters. It celebrates the beauty of Great Britain, showcasing its natural treasures, and is shaped around four key stories: Seaside, Coast, Countryside and London. For Licensing Enquiries: licensing@sciencemuseum.ac.uk sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/brandlicensing SHARE STORIES |

On track for success

2025 is Railway 200, a nationwide programme celebrating the 200th anniversary of the birth of the modern railway. To coincide with this significant event, the National Railway Museum in York – part of the world-leading Science Museum Group – is launching a new licensing programme based on the stunning vintage railway posters in its archives.

Beginning in the inter-war 'golden age', poster advertising became hugely influential and was designed to excite interest at a glance. The train operating companies used the posters to promote the idea of the Great British Holiday, enticing viewers with coastlines, lochs, hills, moors and mountains to encourage city breaks, seaside holidays and travel across Britain and abroad. The iconic artwork tells a story of luxurious travel, stylish couples and happy families set in striking locations created by specially commissioned, talented artists. Boasting an enduring appeal, railways posters capture the imagination and convey the social, cultural and industrial developments of their time.

Based on its collection of posters, the National Railway Museum has created a stunning style guide called Timeless Journeys: Inspired By Vintage Railway Posters. The style guide reimagines vintage railway posters with a modern, fresh and on-trend approach, appealing

to new audiences. It celebrates the beauty of Great Britain, showcasing its natural treasures, and is shaped around four key stories: Seaside, Coast, Countryside and London. A world of escapism from the confines of daily life is portrayed through idyllic images of the countryside to give the impression of space, fresh air and healthy recreation, while crowded beaches hint at the joyful activity of bustling seaside resorts. The legendary landmarks of London feature in a glorious blaze of colour, and world-famous attractions such as the Changing of the Guard and the bright lights of the West End are spotlighted.

Offering a nostalgic celebration of British life and its landscape, the guide is bursting with creativity to inspire licensees, containing mockups adorned with images from the National Railway Museum’s unparalleled collection. Inspired by the beauty of the poster collection, the style guide highlights elegant patterns, iconic symbols and complementary coordinates, all reflecting the intricate details within the original artwork to share the aspirational spirit of the railway companies. Working with the Science Museum Group offers licensees access to these timeless images, unearthing a rich mine of design inspiration which can be rolled out across multiple products. Licensees who are interested in using the historic railway poster collection can visit sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/brandlicensing for more information.

Inset: The new style guide is shaped around four key stories – Seaside, Coast, Countryside and London – and offers a wealth of inspiration for licensees.

Planet Friendly Custom

The National Gallery Sunflowers 1000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle

The Natural History Museum 2x Colouring Jigsaw Puzzles

The Imperial War Museum Jigsaw Puzzle Boxes

Master pieces

Puzzles manufactures jigsaws for some of the UK’s leading heritage brands. Company md Brian O’Donnell details some of the innovations available to licensors, from specially shaped pieces to space-saving packaging.

Ajigsaw puzzle is a great way of showcasing your art collection and makes for a fantastic addition to your merchandise offering. Here at All Jigsaw Puzzles, we proudly manufacture all our puzzles in our factory in Devon and we have been doing so for the past 10 years.

We have the pleasure of working with wonderful brands and museums, such as the National Gallery and the Natural History Museum, as well as creating jigsaw puzzle merchandise for Glastonbury Festival, Joe Lycett, ABBA and a variety of artists. We have a dedicated team that will bring your vision to life and can offer short runs of just 25 jigsaw puzzles, so you don't have to commit to hundreds of stock. Jigsaw puzzling is a unique hobby that has stood the test of time and a puzzle is a truly wonderful addition to a gift shop or online store.

All Jigsaw Puzzles began working with the National Gallery in 2021 and has since created a range of 28 jigsaw puzzles that are sold in the museum shop and online, including luxurious wooden jigsaws and challenging circular puzzles. We worked with the Gallery to create a

are made from 100% recycled materials and are manufactured using planet-friendly production techniques, which aligns with the core values of many clients we work with.

We have also recently partnered with the Natural History Museum to create a range of jigsaw puzzles that showcase the incredible collections that can be found within the Museum. The NHM team opted for a wrap-around box design, which showcases the stunning artwork in its entirety at first glance and is incredibly eyecatching when displayed on the shelf and online.

Our team are always looking at new, innovative and sustainable jigsaw puzzle options, from space-saving boxes to shaped puzzle pieces, and high-quality, planet-friendly production is always at the forefront of what we do. We will work with you every step of the way to create a jigsaw puzzle (or range) that will appeal to your audience, from the initial concept to the design and production. It doesn’t stop there, as we often work with our licensors to sell jigsaw puzzle ranges on our fast-growing ecommerce stores, which are run by our in-house marketing team.

As a British manufacturer, we are always looking to partner with companies, charities, museums and artists from the UK and bring their ideas to life. We do everything in-house and even have a dedicated team to do all the work for you – just give us the imagery you would like to use and we’ll look after the rest.

Inset: The team works with a number of brands and museums.

Living in harmony

Hbeautiful.” The famous quote by William Morris, the founder of the Arts & Crafts movement, could easily be applied to the elegant handcrafted furniture and decorative pieces that make up Habitat’s debut Morris & Co. collection.

Ranging from candles and cushions to statement pieces like fluted glass cabinets and a solid ashwood painted bedframe, each item in the 150-strong range highlights the heritage and craftsmanship that Morris & Co. is renowned for, combined with Habitat’s product know-how and design innovation.

Sainsbury’s stores across the UK, has been carefully considered to deliver harmony as well as great style to the home. The furniture –carefully crafted in oak, marble and glass – is designed to sit alongside the iconic natureinspired artworks from the Morris & Co. archive that feature across new homewares and upholstery. The overall aesthetic is a blend of the traditional and contemporary, that works well across a variety of styles and settings.

“Great design is at the heart of everything we do at Habitat, and we share that passion with Morris & Co.,” says Anna Cross, head of Habitat home buying. “We’re so proud to have begun an exclusive partnership with them this year. Our first range collaboration was over a year in the making, from initial conversations and ideation to ultimately bringing a beautiful collection of affordable products to our customers.”

“As well as the Morris & Co. and Habitat archives, our design and product development teams were particularly inspired by Red House, the home of William Morris and his wife Jane, which we visited right at the start of our partnership,” Anna says.

“Having such amazing resources at our disposal allowed us to explore a traditional Victorian aesthetic which we could then blend with a more modern-day luxury look across the product offering for today’s interior styles. We were also inspired by

Below: Lamp bases in the collection reflect the print rollers held in the Morris & Co. archive; the finishing glaze brings the detailing to life.

Inset: The Merton armchair is upholstered in William Morris’s celebrated Sunflower design.

William Morris, master craftsman

William Morris was one of the pioneers of the Arts & Crafts movement in 19th-century Britain. He taught himself intricate techniques such as how to embroider, dye fabric and block print repeating wallpaper, and through his company Morris & Co., he set out to revive the largely forgotten art of handmaking items for the home. Today, the brand is part of the Sanderson Design Group, which preserves and adapts Morris’s designs from the original documents stored in the Group’s rich archive, honouring the techniques and traditions he established.

the Sunflower and Strawberry Thief print and pattern from the Morris archive, and it was a joy to recreate them in bespoke scales across textiles, lighting and fragrance pieces for contemporary homes.”

Understandably, the collection has proved a huge hit with consumers, with many pieces selling out following the September 2024 launch. Several of the home textile pieces have become bestsellers, including the Tulip Toile throw, the Sunflower & Rosehip bedding and the Pimpernel cushion, all of which reimagine Morris’s famous prints in new and unexpected ways. “These pieces allow customers to make small, thoughtful updates to a space while creating maximum impact,” Anna explains.

“We brought our individual expertise to the table (we, with our print, pattern and innovative take on colour, Habitat with their vast product knowledge and talented designers), and brought about a contemporary twist on some beloved design icons. We’re very proud of the results – my personal favourite pieces include the lamp bases that are textured like print rollers; they have a beautiful glaze that brings the detailing to life.”

Arts & Crafts is enjoying a resurgence in popularity, as the rise in technology sees many of us returning to homemade and handcrafted items, explains Amy Deane-Boyd, designer at Morris & Co.

“The Arts & Crafts revival is all about cherishing your most loved furniture pieces and building design schemes around them,” she says. “People are looking to preserve and utilise these heirlooms, and the Arts & Crafts style really embraces that. There’s also an element of versatility to the style, which is very appealing. It feels as relevant and beautiful now as ever, owing to its connection to nature and the depth of the designs.”

Producing this timeless, thoughtful collection, it turns out, was as harmonious as the final look.

“The best collaborations run smoothly and we were on the same page from the start,” says Amy.

There’s more to come from the Habitat/Morris & Co. partnership, Anna promises. “Our collaboration has resulted in a collection of unique, timeless and accessible pieces that we hope customers will love for years to come. We’re excited to continue developing new styles across homewares and furniture in partnership with the Morris & Co. team and look forward to bringing our customers a breadth of new design-led

Above: Amy Deane-Boyd, designer, Morris & Co.

Above right: Anna Cross, head of home buying, Habitat.

Below: A solid ashwood handfinished painted bedframe is one of the standout pieces in the range.

Inset: Habitat x Morris & Co. marries a traditional Victorian aesthetic with a modern-day luxury look.

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Work with the UK’s most trusted* brand to benefit from a long-term, profitable collaboration. Help us protect nature and heritage by giving back to the places people love to visit. Discover bespoke ways of working with world class art, collections and architecture in our historic houses or take inspiration from botanical gardens and landscapes.

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National treasures

Taking inspiration from the open spaces and historic sites under its care, the National Trust’s brand licensee portfolio produces impactful products that not only stand out on-shelf but highlight its vital conservation work and sustainability messages, as the licensing team explains.

The National Trust was founded almost 130 years ago to protect historic and natural places for the nation. Our brand licensing programme allows us to share our charitable purpose with a diverse audience, reaching people who may never have been to a National Trust place. The 250,000 hectares of countryside, 780 miles of coastline, one million collection items and 500 historic houses, gardens and nature reserves in our care provide an unending source of inspiration for our licensees. This has resulted in new collections full of beautifully designed products that tell a story, encouraging consumers to forge strong emotional connections with the work we do as a brand.

In 2024, we expanded our licensing programme to include 30 partners across our key retail categories: home, garden, outdoor and lifestyle gifting. We were delighted to announce a new four-year deal with Craghoppers, one of the UK’s leading outdoor adventure brands, and we launched our first joint collection in November, with 10% of the proceeds of the autumn/winter range of sustainable outdoor clothing going towards vital conservation work in the Peak District.

2025 – our 130th anniversary year – will see some exciting new launches in the garden category following our debut at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, where we won a series of awards for our garden inspired by National Trust cofounder Octavia Hill, designed in conjunction with our licensee Blue Diamond Garden Centres. New licensees include Gaze Burvill, which is

launching a stunning English oak garden furniture range, with income from the collection supporting woodland conservation work.

Dorset-based Sitting Spiritually will be launching beautiful handcrafted garden swing seats, and has worked with the National Trust to install several seats for visitors to enjoy at Stourhead in Wiltshire. Similar projects will take place at other National Trust places throughout 2025. Another new collaboration with Oxley’s Furniture will celebrate the quintessential English cottage garden style. The resulting Octavia Collection of outdoor dining, seating and lounging furniture will be made from sustainably recycled aluminium and is designed to last for decades.

We will also be expanding our offering across home and lifestyle gifting in 2025. Licensee Toasted Crumpet is launching a new collection of beautifully illustrated crockery, stationery, home fragrance and more, all inspired by the National Trust’s walled kitchen gardens. We’ll also be working with longstanding licensee Sanderson on a collaboration with Habitat for a home dining collection, which will capture the timeless beauty of Britain’s country homes and landscapes. The range will launch across Sainsbury’s, Habitat and Argos in January.

Above and below: The National Trust and Sanderson collaborated with Bedeck to produce two natureinspired bedding collections in 2024.

Shelf service

A selection of licensees tell Licensing Museum & Heritage Book about their best sellers in the museum and heritage space and the licensed products making their debut in 2025.

Armelle Poole-Connor, sales and marketing director, Floral Street

“2024 was a tremendous year of growth for Floral Street in the UK with expanding distribution in major retailers as well as increased visibility on and offline for our independent, British, vegan and sustainable fragrance brand. We launched an innovative fragrance discovery wardrobe showcasing our entire collection of 12 eau de parfum for the first time and it is fast becoming a top seller.

Our award-winning Floral Street x Van Gogh Museum collaboration continues to delight and convert customers thanks to the Sunflower Pop and Sweet Almond Blossom fragrances, with exciting plans for the future to grow the franchises further. 2025 will see Floral Street launching into a new and expanding category, starting with the Van Gogh Museum Sweet Almond Blossom scent, unlocking strong instore presence across the country. Watch this space!”

David McLagan, creative director, Ecoffee

Cup

“Since 2020, the Van Gogh Museum and Ecoffee Cup have merged artistry with eco-conscious living. The licensing deal brings Vincent van Gogh’s timeless masterpieces to the forefront of sustainability, offering reusable coffee cups featuring iconic works such as Sunflowers, Almond Blossom, The Bedroom and Irises. These cups provide art enthusiasts a practical way to reduce waste while celebrating Van Gogh's genius.

In 2025, the partnership will expand by releasing two new designs: Skull of a Skeleton with Burning Cigarette and Self-Portrait with Felt Hat. These bold additions further showcase Van Gogh’s diverse artistic range.

This collaboration is about bringing art into everyday life while promoting sustainability. Van Gogh’s work inspires creativity and reflectionwhat better way to honour that than with Ecoffee Cup? This partnership underscores the power of art to drive meaningful change.”

Above: Armelle Poole-Connor.

Above right Floral Street has plans to further grow the Van Gogh Museum collaboration.

Above: David McLagan.

Right: Two new designs will join the Ecoffee Cup partnership in 2025.

Hannah MacDonald, publisher, September (an imprint of Duckworth Books)

“Happily, we found our heritage branded books remained buoyant in sales during 2024 - despite a downturn in factual publishing sales figures in the UK retail trade. For us, necessary price rises seem to have impacted non-branded or non-essential books more than books with the highly respected museum and heritage brands.

In 2025 we are looking forward to worldwide interest and sales of our new Van Gogh Museum collaboration - Advice for the Soul: Vincent van Gogh. In tumultuous times readers are increasingly looking for inspiration, advice and hope from trusted sources. As well as escapist storytelling from other worlds and lives.”

Odysseas Constantine, founder, Art & Hue

“2024 saw a new collection of prints, in Art & Hue's signature pop art style, created in collaboration with the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, available in three sizes and 12 colours closely matched to the Museum's paint range. Inspired by the Museum's classical frontage and the exhibition spaces, the fun and stylish prints led to limited edition organic tshirts, the first time Art & Hue artwork has been applied to clothing, available exclusively from the Ashmolean shop.”

Rainer Schubert, md, Burgon & Ball

“In the current economic climate, two factors are key: differentiation and value for money. In gardening, there’s no greater differentiation than our relationship with the RHS. And in terms of value for money, our high-quality RHS-endorsed products offer the appeal of two heritage brands that are experts in their respective fields. As a result, in 2024 sales of our RHS-endorsed tools and our popular RHS Gifts for Gardeners ranges remained strong.

Looking ahead to 2025, we’re very excited about the launch of our new RHS-endorsed BoronGreen range. These tools combine the advanced materials technology of boron steel with sustainability credentials that include using 80% recycled steel. We believe BoronGreen to be a first in UK garden tools, delivering both on differentiation and on value for money – so we can’t wait to get these tools to gardeners.”

Above: Advice for the Soul: Vincent van Gogh will arrive in 2025. Left: Hannah MacDonald.

Right: Art & Hue applied its signature pop art style to the Ashmolean Museum.

Above: Rainer Schubert.

Below: Sales of Burgon & Ball’s RHS Gifts for Gardeners range have remained strong.

Tara Carlile-Swift, founder and md, Freckleface

“2024 saw successful new launches for Freckleface under the RHS licensed home fragrance range. We launched handmade soya wax melts and soya tealights in our Heritage range that sit at the perfect gifting price point of £10 and under. The range is based on botanical prints from the RHS archives that sit beautifully in any retail display. Our RHS range has been picked up by over 300 stockists in its first year and we are excited to expand on the range including more gifting items for 2025.”

Left: Tara Carlile-Swift.

Jo Bray, md - sales and marketing, West Design Products

“Last year we officially launched our first collection with the RHS. It has done

phenomenally well for us, exceeding all our expectations and encouraging us to expand the range at all opportunities due to positive feedback from our customers.

“Our SS25 range launched exclusively in Hobbycraft in December before being rolled out to our other customers both in the UK and abroad. One of the highlights for me is the 12 Months of Cross Stitch kit which consists of 12 flowers –one for each month – housed in a beautiful cardboard greenhouse. It has been such a pleasure working with the RHS over this past year. Long may it continue.”

Phillippa Green, licensing and partnerships manager, The Royal Mint

“2024 saw the successful launch of our Tudor Dragon & Queen’s Panther commemorative and bullion coins developed in collaboration with Historic Royal Palaces. Coming up will be launches of two additional coins in the 10 coin Royal Tudor Beasts Collection which has been running with HRP since 2021. There are three remaining coins to launch as part of the collection, two of which will be in 2025. This will see the final three beasts, the Greyhound of Richmond, the Queen’s Lion and the Royal Dragon make an appearance.”

Right: Freckleface’s RHS range has been picked up by over 300 stockists in its first year.

Far left: Jo Bray. Left: West Design Products’ SS25 range launched exclusively in Hobbycraft in December.

Left: Phillippa Green.

Above: The Tudor Dragon and Queen’s Panther commemorative and bullion coins successfully launched in 2024.

Interpretation reimagined

What if history could talk back? AI is now making that possible, turning visitors into active participants in their own learning journeys. Museums and visitor attractions are harnessing AI-powered characters to create interactive, real-time conversations with the past.

Part of Cambridge-based technology company

SKC Games Studio, ‘1956 Individuals’ creates AI characters that respond in real time and interact in a way that feels warm and natural, adding layers of context and intrigue to the visitor experience.

The company is currently working with Bletchley Park, the once-secret home of Britain’s World War Two codebreakers, on developing a life-size interactive – and multilingual – version of Alan Turing, the ‘father of AI’. In a groundbreaking development, visitors will have the unique opportunity to ask Turing questions about his life and work, while he, in a world first, will utilise facial recognition to tailor his responses based on whether he’s speaking with an individual, a group, adults or children.

1956 Individuals’ characters are designed to deliver maximum authenticity. Bletchley’s AI Alan Turing, for example, is being developed in consultation with his nephew and biographer, Sir Dermot Turing, to ensure that his character and responses are as true to life as possible. Likewise, the AI version of Queen Eleanor of Castile (wife of Edward I), which

the company is developing for Leeds Castle’s ‘Moments in Time’ initiative, will share her insights into topics such as 13th century arts and culture in English, Spanish and French - the three languages she is believed to have spoken in her lifetime.

The return on investment of this technology for museums and heritage attractions is significant, but it goes beyond numbers. While digital characters can work around the clock to answer questions, reducing staff workload while delivering a consistently high-quality visitor experience, features such as Automatic Language Detection (ALD) technology are just as impactful. This allows the characters to respond in the language they’re addressed in, or even initiate conversations based on the languages they detect nearby, creating an incredibly personalised experience and making visitors feel welcomed and engaged, no matter where they’re from.

The team, whose previous backgrounds are in digital interpretation and video game production, are bringing their skills and experience to this new and exciting storytelling technique. Blending storytelling with cutting-edge technology allows history to truly come to life, turning a passive visitor experience into an interactive one that resonates emotionally. To find out more about introducing AI characters at your organisation, get in touch with John Harte, 1956 Individuals’ account director – john@1956individuals.ai.

Far left: The SKC Games Studio team.

Left: All characters are individually created by hand.

Above: 1956 Classic (half display).

Harnessing its commercial expertise and creative vision, the British Museum teams with best-in-class partners for collaborations that invite a global audience to see its collections in fresh new ways.

The UK’s most visited tourist attraction*, the British Museum welcomed 5.8m curious minds through its doors in 2023. The first national public museum in the world, for more than 250 years it has offered those who visit the chance to experience cultures from around the globe and explore more than two million years of human history.

The institution is inviting potential partners to explore the huge potential of this high equity brand IP. As master storytellers, the British Museum has a dual licensing strategy, which is anchored by an amazing selection of 1,200 objects from the Museum’s 8 million-strong collection, each with its own unique narrative that will add value, interest and authenticity to partners.

Animated imaginings of key artefacts in the form of the character Bastet, based on the world famous bronze GayerAnderson Cat from the Ancient Egyptian collection, extends the

An invitation to make history

reach of the Museum’s programme into the character licensing space. A proven success on site in the Museum and in China, where the property launched in 2016, the Bastet programme is now launching globally, providing an accessible and relatable entry point into the Museum for young people, children, families and Millennials alike.

The foundational Bastet style guide will be introduced to licensees and prospective licensees in 2025. The Museum will focus on building partnerships for the IP in the UK and Europe, as well as in China and across Asia, exploring IP x IP collaborations, innovative tie-ins based on storytelling and fan engagement, and LBE and retail opportunities.

Meanwhile, the Museum’s metaverse partnership with online gaming platform The Sandbox goes from strength to strength. Having launched as part of Season 4 in November 2024 for one month, the British Museum Experience will find a permanent home on the platform in early 2025, allowing users to explore the Musuem and solve a range of puzzles and quests.

The Museum’s collection will also continue to inspire traditional licensing, with the Museum focusing on audience and category expansion and building upon its strong foundational consumer products programme. The British Museum is currently working on a luxury collectables project and has earmarked homeware and home decorating as key areas for expansion, but it welcomes approaches from prospective partners keen to explore established categories or new ideas and avenues.

Inset: Players can enjoy a British Museum Experience in The Sandbox metaverse.

Inset: The Museum’s Bastet character IP is now launching globally.

INSPIRING DESIGN

Historic Royal Palaces’ award winning licensing programme has much to offer our current and new licensing partners. For licensing opportunities please contact: licensing@hrp.org.uk

A royal opportunity

Palaces (HRP) looks after six of the most wonderful palaces in the world. Here, its licensing team outline the many benefits for licensees in partnering with an iconic British royal brand with global recognition and appeal.

For over two decades, the HRP licensing programme has been providing its partners with the commercial opportunity to draw on 1,000 years of storytelling to create innovative product that helps conserve our cultural heritage for everyone, now and in the future.

ensure consistency and greater impact at retail of our licensed products. The guide encompasses core brand elements and packaging layouts as well as three distinctive toolkits, which offer different styles and colour palettes.

Our current programme includes partners across homewares, food and drink, fashion accessories and collectibles. Exciting new 2024 product launches included our Percy & Reed hair and body collection and Royal Mail Tower of London stamp collection.

We run an inspired design programme and work with partners who share similar brand values to us, in terms of luxury, quality of design and craftsmanship, as well as being committed to sustainable and ethical production.

We have a bank of assets to attract new licensees and developed a new style guide to

New licensees have already been inspired by the guide for their upcoming collections, ranging from bedlinen to candles.

Fashion has been a priority for us and we've recently signed partners for wedding dresses and childrenswear, with both set to launch in Spring 2025.

To complement this, a new exhibition, Dress Codes, runs from March to November 2025 at Kensington Palace celebrating our Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection, an impressive archive of over 10,000 items of court dress dating from the 16th century. Our childrenswear and homewares licensees have been inspired by items in the exhibition, and potential partners will be taken on private tours by the licensing team to showcase what is one of our best assets for product inspiration.

The scope of inspiration we can offer, alongside marketing benefits such as photoshoots and events at the palaces for licensed collections, makes partnering with us an exciting opportunity, and we’re looking forward to growing our programme in 2025.

Inset: Olympia Le-Tan clutch bags, inspired by the Crown to Couture exhibition at Kensington Palace.

museumsgalleries.co.uk

From the classic to the contemporary

The Museums & Galleries collection celebrates timeless quality and excellence in art, illustration and design. The company aspires to be the UK’s leading publisher of quality art cards, gift stationery and design-led home and giftware, with a focus on bringing the highest quality to the consumer at the fairest price.

M&G was founded by Caroline Humby Teck in the mid1980s to bring together professional expertise in product development and design with the amazing visual riches of the UK’s (and world’s) heritage resources, to offer to the wider public on everyday products and stationery.

Starting out as a supplier to museum shops, M&G soon began selling to gift and independent card shops, with high street multiples and department stores rapidly following.

Alan and Debbie Williams’ purchase of the company in 2013 brought a new strategic focus to marketing, customer service, production sourcing and development, and investment in quality design, image sourcing and brand licensing – the company’s core areas of strength. M&G’s licences with the UK national collections (especially the V&A) were strengthened, and new relationships with leading UK designers such as Matthew Williamson were initiated and developed.

Today, M&G sells to major retail brands and independents, and the product base has extended far beyond cards, stationery and

journals to span gifts and art and design-led housewares. In all, the company delivers the following products under its licences: greetings cards and notelets, gift packaging including sheet and roll wraps, tissue paper and gift bags, gift stationery (including multiple types of journal and notebooks), pads, address books and diaries, bookmarks, calendars and year planners, organic cotton tote bags, zipped pouches and pencil cases, cushions, oven gloves, aprons, tea towels, cotton and paper napkins, PLA and insulated mugs, insulated bottles, paper weights, jigsaw puzzles and playing cards.

Renowned heritage licences in M&G’s portfolio are: the V&A, Tate Museums, the British Museum, British Library, Natural History Museum, Wildlife Photographer of the Year and Transport for London.

2024 was particularly successful for M&G, with the company posting alltime record sales across several consecutive months. The year started on a high note at the Spring Fair with a redesigned stand and licensed launches for Mary Katrantzou, Emma Frances Grant and Angela Harding, and new product launches of kitchen textiles, cloth bound journals and playing card boxes.

Premium gift products and a laser focus on superb design continue to drive sales. M&G has several big developments in store for 2025, which will be announced nearer to the trade shows. The company’s first show of the year will be Spring Fair Birmingham.

Above: Renowned heritage and contemporary licences in M&G’s portfolio include the V&A, Mary Katrantzou, Natural History Museum and Tate Contemporary, among many others.

Brand guardians

How was 2024 for your business?

Alexandra: “It was a very busy year rolling out licensed ranges for English Heritage, which had been in the works for the last 18 months. These were mostly within the home category, and it was great to see these collections roll out across multiple major UK retailers.”

Declan: “It was quite buoyant despite the uncertainty of the wider retail landscape.”

Maxine: “2024 was on track to be the Natural History Museum’s most successful year for licensing to date, seeing notable growth with current partners as well as new ones. More broadly, the Museum is likely to have its busiest year ever, with an anticipated six million visitors passing through its doors. The opening of the Museum’s gardens

has been a positive additional asset to the Museum, drawing in 1.9 million visitors since July.”

Cathy: “It was a good one – with a few caveats. On the upside, we had a really strong year for new licensees to the programme, in terms of both numbers and diversity, and we now have what I believe is the strongest programme we’ve had for a number of years. We have a strong licensing team too; it has grown to cope with the increasing reach of the brand. This bodes well for some great growth during 2025. However, we’re still seeing a tough retail

Above: The Barker and Stonehouse collection celebrates the rich heritage of the sites that English Heritage cares for.

Left: Apparel has remained a stand out category for the Ashmolean Museum.

ALEXANDRA BOVEY DECLAN MCCARTHY

ELLEN SANKEYMAXINE LISTERCATHY SNOWELLE BRENTONROUNDING

environment for licensees as shoppers have less money in their pockets. More specifically, given our strength in the gardening category, the awful weather was a problem, affecting sales for our horticulturally focused licensees.”

Elle: “2024 was a brilliant year for Liberty’s licensing programme; we were tracking up on budget and onboarded some brilliant new partnerships. We also saw some of our existing partnerships grow from strength to strength with new collections and launches throughout the year.”

What were some of the key highlights?

Ellen: “We enjoyed some great partnerships, including a Transport for London-themed beer box with Beer 52 which featured a range of 16 beers developed with London-based breweries and celebrated the history of our transport network and the impact it has had on the capital city. In July the second part of our link up with England & Wales Cricket Board launched with a co-branded London Spirit team kit which was inspired by our heritage and future. We also saw expansion of some core licensed products such as Gibson Games, Kew Gardens' DTR collection and die-cast product from Rapido Trains.”

Alexandra: “The first launch of the year was our English Heritage kitchen, launched by the White Kitchen Company. We also saw our upholstered furniture range launch in Barker & Stonehouse. English Heritage furniture looks fantastic in their stores, where there’s information showcased about our sites and the famous figures who once lived there: Osborne, Belsay and Down House.

It was equally fantastic to see multiple new licensees launch with products such as our bedding and lighting ranges, that harnessed the brilliant design work that Designers Guild carried out for us, re-imagining patterns from our wallpaper archives at Wrest Park into rich new patterns. We saw our bedding from Bedeck launch exclusively online at M&S, and lighting from Dar Lighting launch in John Lewis. Most recently in October, Lapicida launched English Heritage stone floors, which are inspired by properties across the country and each with a unique story.”

Declan: “Having a physical presence at BLE last year was a huge highlight. It made such a difference to be able to have new leads and

range of diverse content we have available, and how we can help to curate an offer for their markets.”

Cathy: “To our enormous delight, we signed some excellent partners in product categories that we’ve not supported before. Roma Prams springs to mind - nursery products such as strollers and travel systems that use RHSsupplied designs and, importantly, are ecofriendly. We also strengthened some product categories – especially food and drink with the signings of House of Sarunds (chocolate, confectionery and biscuits) and Cottage Delights (handmade jams, curds, sauces, confectionery and more). We also launched our first collaboration with Radley, plus I should also mention the lovely RHS brand-inspired collaboration with Pommery and Waitrose over the flower show season that produced a special boxed RHS x Pommery champagne.”

Elle: “We had an exciting year for newness and growth in 2024; we had new partnerships launch with Élhée, Kartell, Nespresso, BIBS Denmark and Blinds 2go. We also held a successful Nordstrom pop up over in the US in May – which saw the launch of our beautiful new collection with global baby brand, Nuna (it since also launched exclusively in John Lewis in the UK in August). Our existing partnerships with Bloom & Wild, Chilly’s and Galison have also grown.”

What will be your key priorities for 2025?

Declan: “We want to further cement the Ashmolean brand in the UK market and look to take this further into Japan, China and the US.”

Above: ROKA London was a new licensee for Natural History Museum in 2024.

Ellen: “Our key area for growth is children's products, having recently launched a new kids' focused style guide (designed by Crush Creative) inspired by our wonderful heritage posters from the 60's and 70's, and featuring the iconic Routemaster bus; we want to deliver product which delights children and encourages them to use public transport to explore London.”

Maxine: “Supporting our existing partners will always be a priority, and we will be expanding product ranges and categories where relevant. There are some exciting experiential launches already scheduled, namely our Dinosaurs Live! theatre show with Mark Thompson Productions and the return of A Blooming Brilliant Afternoon Tea at Royal Lancaster London, which we are focused on supporting. Additionally, we will be looking to further grow the Museum’s licensing programme into new categories and territories, with new UK licensee signings and the roll out of our international programme, including into China. We are also pleased to have started representing colourful preschool brand The World of Dinosaur Roar! and so will be developing this brand in the licensing space.”

brands. However, in this challenging climate, we know that retailers are wanting product that can stand out, and heritage brands have the potential to bring a different narrative to shop shelves through their creative approach to product and storytelling.”

Cathy: “I’m very upbeat about this. Clearly this is a much more active, visible and competitive area of licensing than it was a few decades ago. Growth will, I think, continue even when the retail landscape is challenging. Heritage brands have a unique USP combining a very strong identity and very positive, quality-led associations, often dating back centuries. These make them stand out and, as the RHS has found, helps them to attract ever-more diverse partners who value these associations.”

Elle: “It’s a challenging time for a lot of retail, but I think this does offer us a new position because of the longevity and quality of our designs within this area of licensing. There is hope that when consumers make more considered purchases, they might gravitate towards heritage brands they know, love and resonate with.”

How do you see the retail landscape for museum & heritage licensed products in 2025?

Declan: “There seem to be more players in the market, so I see it being more competitive, particularly when retailers are finding things tough at present, and perhaps less willing to make changes or take chances. I think more innovation or unusual partnerships may come about as a result.”

Ellen: “Heritage brands offer trust and longevity, which I always hope is recognised by retailers in difficult times. As we continue to see the costof-living rise, heritage brands offer something others can't and so I hope we see more of us on shelves.”

Maxine: “It will continue to be tough, as shelf space is limited and competitive between

How important is innovation when it comes to licensed product for museum & heritage brands?

Alexandra: “It’s important to think outside the box when it comes to finding revenue generation opportunities to support the conservation of the properties and collections that these brands care for. Innovating within the licensing industry has always been crucial to growth, and there is no change to this heading into 2025.”

Declan: “It is becoming ever more vital, as the choice and variety is huge. It’s key to be able to stand out from other offers out there.”

Ellen: “I would love to see licensees and designers have more fun with heritage brandsthey are not just for certain demographics, have fun and be playful. I have just seen Ohh Deer's

Inset: The RHS is continuing to move into innovative new product categories.

collection with V&A and NHM and these are a great example of this.”

Maxine: “It is hugely important. We always want to show how far museum and heritage brands can push the boundaries of licensing and compete with the larger entertainment brands.”

Elle: “Innovation is key in taking the customer on the brand journey with you. We are always looking for new ways to surprise our customers.”

What’s

the one thing that you would like to achieve in the first quarter of the New Year?

Alexandra: “We have some exciting products to launch within the first half of 2025, so all focus will be on giving these launches the best chance of success in the market on launch.”

Ellen: “I would love some further kids product partners to jump on board with us (pun intended).”

Maxine: “The launch of our Dinosaurs Live! with Mark Thompson Productions in February is going to be a big event for us – it’s the first time that the Museum has ever toured theatres across the UK. Making this a big success will be our main achievement to kick off the New Year.”

Cathy: “I’d like to finalise our plans for expansion and equip my team with all they need to deliver our 2025 targets.”

Elle: “We have a number of products launching in

the first quarter, some for new partners and some for existing ones, so we are projecting strong sales for all involved. We are reaching different customers with our new releases so hopefully we can reach new Liberty lovers.”

What’s your hot tip for 2025?

Alexandra: “Celebrate what makes your brand unique.”

Declan: “We really want to champion female artists, such as May Morris (William’s daughter). It is a great dynasty brand, but May’s work is stunning and should have a wider appeal.”

Ellen: “I love seeing heritage brands come to life through LBE and so I can't wait to see more of this.”

Maxine: “Finding ways to adapt and respond to current trends, while remaining authentic to your brand, will continue to be important to ensure growth for museum and heritage brands.”

Cathy: “AI technology, enhanced customer experiences, experiential spending and, closer to home, natural, sustainable products with traceable provenance. These are all things we’ll see more of this year, I believe.”

Elle: “Be open to having conversations with potential partners that might not always be the most obvious choice. Sometimes they lead to something exciting, often they can inspire you and it’s always good to have a new source of inspiration.”

Inset: TfL continued its partnership with England & Wales Cricket Board with its co-branded London Spirit team kit.

Regency splendour

A vibrant new addition to the world of heritage licensing, The Royal Pavilion at Brighton is home to a stunning archive of historic patterns and designs that capture all the colour, opulence and joy of the Regency period, as Licensing Museum & Heritage Book discovers.

Built between 1787 and 1823 as George IV’s ‘party palace by the sea’, The Royal Pavilion at Brighton is renowned for its iconic Indian-inspired architecture and extravagant interiors, embellished with colourful Chinese-inspired motifs, mythical beasts, exotic birds, palm trees and beautiful floral designs. Created using the most advanced decorative techniques of the day by the finest master craftsmen, its décor set the tone for the luxury-loving Regency era, a period that continues to fascinate today –season three of global streaming hit Bridgerton achieved 91.9 million views on Netflix, while Jane Austen’s Sanditon attracted an audience of 5.3 million in the UK alone.

With the ‘Bridgerton effect’ having led to a surge in interest in Regency fashion and design, The Royal Pavilion at Brighton is offering licensees an unparalleled opportunity to tap into a much-loved era of history.

Reflecting both the grandeur and exuberance of the period, its extensive archive of authentic curated designs, including sumptuous

wallpapers and textiles, has applications across multiple categories such as stationery (partnerships to be announced shortly), giftware, jewellery, textiles, apparel and accessories, and the licensing team are keen to explore new opportunities within these categories and others that will reflect the luxurious qualities and sophistication of the brand.

“The Royal Pavilion at Brighton is iconic,” says licensing consultant Anne Buky, who along with Gwyneth Campling is spearheading The Royal Pavilion’s licensing programme. “I can’t think of another building or interior like it. It is an outstanding architectural achievement that embodies all the elegance and sophistication of the Regency period, and a testament to the skill of the professionals involved and the capabilities of Regency manufacturers. Its use of colour is extraordinary; some of the shades used were truly innovative at the time, and they are still incredibly striking today.

“In addition, The Royal Pavilion has so many amazing tales to tell, from the construction of the building itself – which bankrupted George IV – to the elaborate banquets, dances, musical performances and games that were held there, and we can’t wait to share more of those stories as the licensing programme expands. Do get in touch if you would like to find out more about partnering with The Royal Pavilion at Brighton. It is a very special place.”

To find out more about The Royal Pavilion at Brighton, please contact Gwyneth Campling, gwyneth.campling@rpmt.org.uk, or Anne Buky, anne.buky@rpmt.org.uk; https://brightonmuseums.org.uk/visit/royal-paviliongarden/

Below: The Royal Pavilion at Brighton was built between 1787 and 1823 as George IV’s ‘party palace by the sea’.

A new era

Poised to celebrate the Royal Observatory’s 350th anniversary in 2025, Royal Museums Greenwich is looking to the future with a revitalised licensing programme designed to extend its reach beyond its core sites: the National Maritime Museum, the Royal Observatory, Queen’s House and the Cutty Sark.

One of London’s best-known institutions, Royal Museums Greenwich is dedicated to enriching people’s understanding of the sea, the exploration of space and Britain’s role in world history.

“We are fortunate to have over four million items in our collections, which means we have some incredible stories to tell,” says Abigail Ratcliffe, senior manager, publishing and licensing. “We’re looking forward to securing new partnerships and reaching new and diverse audiences as we head into 2025.”

Royal Museums Greenwich’s extensive collection and iconic sites provide a treasure trove of opportunities for licensees. The Maritime Museum and the Royal Observatory stand out as focal points, with their connections to navigation, astronomy and technology offering potential in STEM-focused products. Meanwhile, the Queen’s House –designed by Inigo Jones and celebrated as the home of the famed Armada Portrait of Queen Elizabeth I and the much-photographed Tulip Stairs – delivers feminine elegance and architectural interest, which appeal to the cultural and lifestyle markets.

“Our licensing programme is extremely varied, because our sites are so varied,” Abigail explains. “For example, we have over a million ship plans, dating from the early 18th century to the present day, which makes us an obvious

partner for modelling and collectables specialists. But we also enjoy partnerships across toys, stationery, furniture and accessories, with new categories coming during 2025.”

Licensing partners seeking to develop Royal Museums Greenwich branded product can avail themselves of the expert help provided by Royal Museum Greenwich’s expert team of specialists and curators. Tours and store visits are routinely offered to licensees so they can explore everything the institution has to offer; a new style guide is also currently in progress. Meanwhile, upcoming events including 'Pirates', an exhibition at the National Maritime Museum, and the Royal Observatory's 350th anniversary, a year-long programme including talks, planetarium shows and star-gazing evenings, are set to boost Royal Museums Greenwich's visibility, creating buzz while reinforcing its image as a leader in cultural preservation and innovation.

“Later in 2025 we will be beginning a new project transforming the Royal Observatory for future generations. This signals an exciting new era for Royal Museums Greenwich,” Abigail concludes. “Our aim for the licensing programme is long-term growth, and our anniversary is an excellent jumping-off point. You can expect to see a lot more of us a lot more of us this year.”

Inset: Royal Museums Greenwich’s extensive collection and iconic sites provide a treasure trove of opportunities for licensees.

Building on the buzz generated by its BLE debut, the Royal Shakespeare Company is poised to make a significant impact in the museum and heritage licensing sector. Its licensing programme draws on the theatre’s rich archive, tapping into current trends, offering licensees the potential to create products that resonate both visually and emotionally.

The stage is set…

The RSC's move into licensing couldn’t be more serendipitous, says Vickie O’Malley, licensing consultant to the organisation. “The popularity of British period fashion and the Gothic aesthetic, fuelled by the success of Wicked and Wednesday, are resonating deeply across fashion, homewares and gifting. Shakespeare’s works and period fashion offer a treasure trove of words, textures, patterns and iconography for licensees to tell stories with product design.”

The RSC’s licensing initiative stands out for the richness of its offering, beyond Shakespeare’s plays and characters –including costumes, programmes, photos, posters and props. A "living, breathing" entity, the RSC is continually producing new work and reimagining Shakespeare’s timeless themes in fresh, unexpected ways. This ethos also underpins the licensing programme. The style guide has been developed with both classic and contemporary design directions.

The classic guide celebrates historically accurate colour palettes and patterns from the Elizabethan period, ideal for licensees developing evergreen collections. In parallel, the contemporary guide surprises

with fluorescent colours and bold, unexpected Shakespearean quotes such as ‘You have witchcraft in your lips’.

“This dual approach caters to a wide spectrum of consumer tastes, from high-end fashion to accessible everyday fashion and gifting products,” Vickie says.

“The toolkit that’s available with the RSC is incredibly flexible and rich,” she continues. “If you’re looking to tell a story with your product, the RSC’s assets will help you create something that has extra layers of value and meaning, using words, imagery and iconography to express it beautifully.”

While the BLE launch focused on Europe, the RSC’s licensing ambitions are distinctly global. Brandgenuity are the RSC’s global agent with offices in North America, Europe and Japan. Shakespeare’s universal appeal and the enduring overseas popularity of British heritage brands offers immense potential in all English-speaking territories and, notably, the Far East, Middle East and India.

Top and left: The RSC style guide, produced with Skew Studio, illustrates the potential of the brand across multiple categories.

The home of great design

Sanderson Design Group is rooted in history and elevated by excellence in design, always focused on bringing the beautiful into people’s homes and lives.

In 2024, the Group returned home to Voysey House, Chiswick, London, following an extensive and sensitive restoration of the original factory extension built by renowned Arts & Crafts architect C.F.A. Voysey for Arthur Sanderson, the founder of the flagship brand, Sanderson. From here, a rich history of innovation and manufacture combined with a modern approach to design results in a powerhouse of six exceptional British brands: Zoffany, Sanderson, Morris & Co., Harlequin, Clarke & Clarke and Scion. Strengthened by the Group’s archive and elevated through

engaging storytelling, each presents excellent opportunities for brand licensing partnerships across a wealth of categories. The possibilities are endless, with Sanderson and Morris & Co. spearheading the licensing growth strategy.

SANDERSON

Founded in 1860 by Arthur Sanderson, Sanderson began as a business importing luxury French paper hangings to Britain and has evolved to become one of the most renowned interior design and decorating brands in the world. Sanderson’s illustrious history cements it as the founding brand at Sanderson Design Group and paves the way for a future that continues to push the boundaries of heritage design.

Collaborations and partnerships are formed from the appreciation of these iconic designs, with new interpretations always putting the integrity of the brand and partner at the fore.

Strategic and long-term partnerships with Brink & Campman and Bedeck continue to be the foundation of the licensing programme, creating enticing collections of beautiful hand-tufted rugs,

Above: Voysey House in Chiswick, the HQ of Sanderson Design Group.

Left: The Sanderson Layers of Legacy campaign was created to showcase a different side to the vast array of wallpaper and fabrics.

sumptuous bedding, throws and also bathroom towels. More recently, a launch with British sock brand Pantherella continues to elevate the importance of the brand’s design heritage.

Exciting new partnerships and launches underway in 2025 include an extensive collection spanning several categories with John Lewis, which will launch in March. Sanderson Design Group is also growing its established partnerships with Ruggable and Williams Sonoma to include Sanderson. New partnerships for the brand in fashion and other categories will be announced soon, covering fashion and other categories.

MORRIS & CO.

Morris & Co., the original company founded by William Morris in 1861, continues to move from strength to strength in licensing, with appetite growing for Arts & Crafts-led designs across the spectrum of products. 2024 was a strong year, with significant launches including an exclusive Habitat collection of homeware and furniture inspired by the timeless heritage of designs by William Morris, brought to life in thoughtful and contemporary designs created for today’s homes.

Other incredible collaborations include Neal’s Yard Remedies consisting of a hand care collection including hand wash, lotion and cream, Piglet in Bed, a beautifully aligned partnership that blends heritage design with contemporary style, and Sneaker brand HOFF, which further demonstrates how pattern and exemplary footwear design can seamlessly blend for the perfect collaborative pieces.

Continuing to build on the momentum of 2024, this year will see a plethora of global partnerships, exemplifying the brand’s appeal.

As a business, Sanderson Design Group continues to lead the way and innovate with partners to create authentic collaborations and partnerships that elevate the brands in its portfolio. This is an exciting time for licensing at Sanderson Design Group, with a partnership programme that continues to grow and build momentum.

Above: Luxury sock brand Pantherella partnered with Sanderson for a collection that celebrates British craftsmanship.

Below: William Morris’s wallpaper designs inspired HOFF’s 2024 Morris & Co. sneaker range.

Below right: Piglet in Bed’s Morris & Co. sleepwear blends heritage design with contemporary style.

The V&A is renowned for its extensive collections and influence on the world of design. The museum’s award-winning brand licensing programme highlights its commitment to inspire design and innovation through the power of creativity. It offers an almost infinite source of design inspiration for a multitude of product categories from home interiors, apparel and accessories to luxury jewellery, gifting, stationery and crafting. The products it creates encapsulate the rich themes, colours and textures of the V&A’s remarkable

The Power of Creativity

Hlaunches throughout 2024, including Sofas & Stuff which unveiled its fourth fabric range with the V&A. Threads of India Opulent Velvets features evocative designs inspired by the museum’s magnificent array of South Asian objects and textiles. Agnella by Brintons, specialists in crafting premium wool rugs, added new designs to its collection Design Discoveries. Building upon the resounding success of the initial launch in 2023, the new 15-piece range remains a testament to its commitment to celebrating design, craftsmanship and manufacturing excellence.

2024 saw the launch of a beautiful range of bedding and accessories from Bedeck. Featuring designs from a collaboration between two strongholds of British design - Morris & Co. and the V&A. Celebrating the work of Arts and Crafts designer William Morris, unique designs were created inspired by the respective archives and the Morris café at the V&A.

The museum’s stunning collaboration with 1838 Wallcoverings continues in January 2025 with the launch of Decorative Papers III. Presenting a joyful and captivating collection of wallpaper patterns featuring intricate patterns dating as far back as the 1700s.

As the V&A’s licensing programme continues to grow, several new licensees

have recently launched their inaugural product ranges. Meller Designs collaborated with the V&A and lifestyle brand Oliver Bonas to launch a 10-piece jewellery collection inspired by Anna Maria Garthwaite’s silk designs. The range masterfully translates the richness of Garthwaite’s work into a collection that effortlessly complements contemporary fashion.

Ohh Deer recently launched a range to engage broader audiences with the V&A. Coordinating patterns and details from archive assets have been styled, injected with fresh colours and surface treatments, to give them vibrancy and appeal. The initial range of cards, stationery and gift bags has four different themes (Scalloped, Neon Floral, Cottagecore and Geometric) and includes the use of neon inks, on-trend compositions and special finishes. Further lines will be added to the range in summer 2025.

Looking ahead, the V&A is delighted to be opening two brand new sites in East London. V&A East Storehouse will open on 31 May 2025, offering visitors unprecedented access to the behind-the-scenes world of its busy working stores. V&A East Museum is scheduled to open in spring 2026. These new cultural destinations will allow the V&A to broaden and diversify its audiences and will provide new opportunities for licensees to respond through product development and asset selection.

To find out more about the V&A Brand Licensing programme, email the team at licensing@vam.ac.uk.

Left: The museum’s collaboration with 1838 Wallcoverings continues with the launch of Decorative Papers III.

Below: The Oliver Bonas 10-piece jewellery collection is inspired by Anna Maria Garthwaite’s silk designs.

An eye for the exceptional

Based in Edinburgh and comprising the National, Modern and Portrait galleries, the National Galleries of Scotland houses and cares for Scotland’s amazing world-class art collection. In addition to its unmatched collection of Scottish art, its treasures include Dada and Surrealist works, 17th century Dutch and Flemish art, photography, Italian Renaissance artworks and contemporary portraits of pop culture icons, all of which offer a rich and varied source of inspiration for the National Galleries of Scotland’s licensing partners.

The licensing programme has been running for over 20 years, with key areas of focus being greeting cards, stationery, art gifts and homeware. Recent partnerships include a collaboration with a leading Japanese textile company, which gave images from the National Galleries of Scotland’s

Yours to discover. The National Galleries of Scotland is an outstanding international art gallery and houses the world’s most comprehensive collection of Scottish art. Home to one of the best collections of fine art in the world dating from the early Renaissance to the present-day including works by key artists in history, as well as portraits of great Scots and iconic works such as The Monarch of the Glen and Reverend Robert Walker (17551808) Skating on Duddingston Loch. Discover our rich vibrant collection and find out if there’s something which could be part of your next product range. By including our Collection images, you will help to support the work of Scotland’s national art collection.

Ranging from Renaissance to modern treasures, and encompassing the world’s greatest collection of Scottish art, the National Galleries of Scotland invites a closer look.

Matisse collection a fresh, creative twist for the Japanese market, and a partnership with worldleading tapestry accessories brand Signare Tapestry, which has reimagined four key works as elegant designs to adorn its premium bag range. These high-quality products beautifully showcase Scotland's national art collection on textiles, blending art and style in a way that captivates and inspires. The licensing team is currently discussing fashion, textile and digital canvas technology ideas with more potential licensees.

“We are dedicated to empowering partners not just with stunning images from Scotland's collection but also offering our unparalleled expertise to enhance their use,” says the National Galleries of Scotland’s licensing manager, Shona Corner. “Let us help you bring the art to life with guidance that ensures your projects truly shine.”

FIND OUT MORE

The RHS is the UK’s leading gardening charity, helping people and plants to grow.

Scan the QR code or email licensing@rhs.org.uk rhs.org.uk/shop/licensed-products

Heritage is a significant licensing area, as this book indicates, but also a competitive one. That’s why the RHS is more focused than ever on category expansion, quality, design assets and support for licensees.

A heritage brand that looks ahead

30 or more years. But in 2015 it recognised the need to define and develop a more effective licensing programme in an increasingly competitive market – and responded with the introduction of a new licensing team, new style guides and a new support package.

The success of this change is not just measured in licensing income, though this has grown significantly. Today there’s a bigger team, greater brand awareness and, while partners are still chosen with great care to reflect the values of the brand, a much more diverse product offering.

Indeed, 2024 saw the first RHS licence for art and craft products, through a partnership with West Design. A wide range of products for children and adults already includes sewing, embroidery, wall hangings, scrapbooks, sketchbooks, and painting by numbers sets. Many more products are planned for 2025.

Meanwhile, Gibsons Games is the new RHS licensee for the puzzles and games category, with jigsaw puzzles at retail in early 2025, all featuring botanical themes, and an ingenious RHS card game in which players try to plant the perfect flower bed for bees to pollinate.

early 2025. It’s a collection inspired by nature that looks wonderful and is also practical and sustainable – it offers replaceable fabrics that allow the pram to be reused and re-accessorised.

But let’s not forget gardening, a core category, but one that still offers something new every time, like a major new RHS-endorsed tool range: BoronGreen. This new Burgon & Ball range offers the strength and durability of boron steel, combined with sound sustainability credentials including 80% recycled steel. It is a beautifully engineered range of garden tools but affordable, strong and long-lasting.

Perhaps, however, the strength of the RHS as a heritage brand is most obvious in the design assets it offers licensees and how they can be used. All RHS style guides draw on inspiration supplied by the RHS Lindley Collections, the world’s finest collection of botanical art, but all these guides also allow licensees to adapt the images offered to create their own unique patterns.

So the products and guides differ and evolve – but the RHS emphasis on doing justice to a much-loved heritage brand never wavers. As Cathy Snow, licensing manager, says: “Working with the right partners to produce high-quality, beautifully designed products is at the heart of everything we do.”

Inset: Burgon & Ball’s new RHSendorsed tool range, BoronGreen.

The Met Fifth Avenue and The Met Cloisters attract over five million visitors every year, and enjoy rich digital engagement and a robust social media following. This worldwide audience of engaged fans is catered to by The Met’s dynamic licensing programme, which includes an estimated 75 active licensees in the US, Europe, China and Japan, with plans to expand the programme into Latin America and throughout Asia Pacific. The programme is supported by a network of in-market experts, with the US, EMEA, LATAM and Japan programme managed by Beanstalk; Greater China, Southeast Asia and South Korea under the direction of Pacific Licensing Studio; and Australia and New Zealand managed by WP Brands.

art to life

“In 2025, The Met’s licensing programme will expand into new markets and categories, extending an invitation to art lovers worldwide to be immersed in and inspired by 5,000 years of art through products that educate, inspire creativity and spark conversations.”

Josh Romm, head of global licensing and partnerships, The Met

East and Asia, and now six locations in the US, as well as at key retailers including Harrods and Bloomingdale’s. A recent homewares collection with Anthropologie takes inspiration from The Met’s American Wing, bringing art of the Gilded Age to the everyday.

Fashion and accessories also provide a unique opportunity for art lovers to express themselves. Recent collaborations with Sprayground, Lele Sadoughi and Pair Eyewear bring iconic art from the likes of Van Gogh, Monet and Hokusai to backpacks, hair accessories, jewellery and eyewear. Ongoing relationships with brands such as PacSun and Todd Snyder for multiple collections speak to the success of the programme in connecting with consumers, especially Millennials and Gen Z. Fashion has similar resonance abroad, activating widely in Japan with ongoing licenses WPC, Lily Brown, New Era, Startling and other leading brands.

As a natural extension of the works on view in The Met, designs for the home have resonated with consumers around the globe. Best-in-class partners across key categories include Ann Gish, Wendover, Exquisite Rugs, Scalamandré, Abner Henry, Pura, and now Sedar, which recently landed in the Middle East. The Met’s awardwinning home décor collection with Eichholtz will be featured at Eichholtz’s expanding footprint of branded stores in Europe, the Middle

In China, The Met recently launched a line of bottled Frappuccino beverages and a refrigerated ready-to-drink line at Starbucks, inspired by the artwork of Matisse, supported by a major offline and digital marketing campaign.

“One of The Met’s core missions is to bring life to art and art to lives,” says Nicole Maiorino, avp brand management, who leads The Met’s licensing programme at Beanstalk. “Through licensing, we can channel the global appeal of the Museum and offer consumers new ways of interacting with the collection, reaching current art enthusiasts while also engaging the next generation.”

Inset: A recent collaboration with Sprayground has brought iconic art to a range of products.

Right: Scalamandré is a key partner in the home category.

In fashion

A global agency headquartered in Switzerland, IBC Brand Consulting works with some of the world’s leading art institutions to bring their collections to life through fashion collaborations and in other impactful ways. We asked ceo and managing director Elisabetta Treggiari about the art of translating masterpieces into merchandise.

How did you transition from fashion licensing to art licensing?

stories, elevate legacies and engage new audiences by blending art and fashion in meaningful ways.

We’re based in Switzerland but we operate globally with a network of trusted partners and licensing specialists in key international markets. This network enables us to navigate local intricacies, adapt to diverse consumer preferences and deliver culturally relevant, impactful campaigns, ensuring success across borders.

We began in fashion licensing, collaborating with iconic Italian brands, and today, advising on fashion licensing partnerships and collaborations remains a core part of our business. In 2020, we expanded into art licensing, starting with the Getty Museum in Los Angeles. Since then, our portfolio has grown to include Impressionist masterpieces, Leonardo da Vinci’s signature and Codex Atlanticus, Willow’s pop art, and more – spanning ancient Greek works to modern art. Can you tell us more about Leonardo da Vinci and his signature?

The Codex Atlanticus is the most significant collection of Leonardo's works, featuring his authentic signature. Today, this signature is a registered trademark owned by the Ambrosiana Museum in Milan, granting our licensees exclusive rights to use it together with the images of his inventions and drawings.

What’s your business approach when working with museums and artists?

We specialise in building brand awareness for museums and artists, focusing on collaboration and respect for the art. Our goal is to preserve the integrity of the works while innovatively introducing them to the commercial market. We don’t just create merchandise – we craft brands that tell

What were your most successful areas and product categories in 2024?

Our art licensing projects in China have thrived, especially in apparel. Highlights include a Jack & Jones collection inspired by Leonardo da Vinci's designs, a Chevignon line featuring Willow’s pop art, and a global Roadget Ltd collaboration showcasing art from the Getty Museum. These projects bring art to life through fashion, making it accessible to wider audiences. What would you say is the future of art licensing?

As global interest in art rises, particularly among younger audiences, we see growing opportunities for collaborations in fashion and home décor; we’re also venturing into digital and virtual spaces, unlocking innovative ways to engage with art. A key part of our success lies in partnering with companies proud to join the world of art through licensing projects, allowing them to align with its prestige and cultural significance. While embracing these advancements, we remain dedicated to preserving the authenticity and beauty of the original works. Our goal is to expand our portfolio, bring iconic pieces to life, and create unique products that inspire art lovers worldwide.

To find out more about IBC Brand Consulting and the services it offers, contact Elisabetta Treggiari at treggiari@ibcbrandconsulting.com; www.ibcbrandconsulting.com

From furniture to textiles, heritage brands are making their mark in the home sector with partnerships that celebrate quality, craftsmanship and legacy. These collaborations ensure that the stories of some of our most-loved artists and institutions continue to be heard in our homes.

Timeless design for the home

In a fast-paced world driven by trends and novelty, it’s reassuring to see that there is still very much a place for heritage brands in all rooms of the home; the kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and living room and across many categories, including textiles, furniture, small domestic appliances (SDAs), tableware and much more.

Storytelling is at the heart of the collaboration between Dunelm and the Natural History Museum. The partnership has resulted in a beautiful range of products, from bedding and curtains to furniture and stationery. Maxine Lister, head of licensing at the Natural History Museum, explains: “Working together has been a true collaboration. It has been a privilege to bring some of the Natural History Museum stories to life, developing designs inspired by the flora and fauna within the museum and its architecture to create quality, style-led products.”

The upcoming spring 2025 collection expands on the museum’s British birds range and features a range of homeware accessories such as bird-shaped fragrance diffusers, beautiful ceramics, and dinnerware, alongside quirky items like the porcelain house sparrow lamp and a bird song jewellery pot.

Bringing nostalgia to life in the kitchen with SDAs and accessories is New Dawn Innovations, with its Laura Ashley collection with VQ. The careful blend of heritage with contemporary functionality is a key factor in the appeal of these products. Jonathan Merricks, ceo and creative director at New Dawn Innovations, notes: “Working with a heritage brand like Laura Ashley presents unique opportunities and challenges. Balancing their storied legacy with modern innovations requires meticulous attention to detail, ensuring every product reflects the brand’s essence.”

Looking ahead, Jonathan shares that VQ will expand the collection with new

Above: Laura Ashley’s iconic designs come to life in VQ’s range of SDAs.

Below left: The Quarry Garden at English Heritage’s Belsay Hall inspires this range of furniture from The Branded Furniture Company.

Below right: Dunelm’s SS25 National History Museum range taps into the museum’s British birds collection.

‘The painting comes to me as if in a dream’

Vincent van Gogh wrote these words to his brother Theo in September 1888, so it is fitting that Vincent’s paintings have inspired a beautiful collection of duvet and cushion covers in a partnership between the Van Gogh Museum and Beddinghouse.

“Just as people in Vincent’s time were amazed by the bright colours in his paintings, the Beddinghouse bedding collection has a wow factor, too,” says Eva Derksen, licensing manager at the Van Gogh Museum. “The Beddinghouse designs conform to modern trends in bedding while remaining true to the paintings. They’re modern yet entirely Vincent.”

Jamie highlights the challenge of maintaining authenticity in heritage collaborations, stating: “Heritage brands must remain credible and true to their cause, which means a thorough, factchecked development process. The result is a truly authentic product that tells real stories.”

The latest collection from Beddinghouse is Impression de la Provence and is inspired by the period when Vincent spent time in the south of France, Provence. (1888-1889).

designs and products including stand mixers, air fryers and gooseneck kettles. “We look forward to offering even more beautiful and functional products to our customers in the future,” he says.

At Dexam, its partnership with the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has produced a wide range of kitchen textiles and tableware. Managing director Bryony Dyer says:

“We are extremely proud to work with a heritage brand, and the challenge is to ensure that we do it justice, both in terms of the quality of the product and the materials we use.” Dexam’s collection includes everything from aprons and oven gloves to salad bowls placemats. The ovenware featuring illustrations from German botanical illustrator Ernst Samuel Benary is particularly popular.

The Branded Furniture Company has partnered with English Heritage to create a collection that celebrates the rich history of the UK’s historic homes. “The range consists of three sofa collections inspired by designs from key historical properties, including Belsay Hall, Down House and Osborne House,” says Jamie Bourn, head of brands at The Branded Furniture Company. The Quarry collection, inspired by Belsay Hall’s Quarry Garden, is particularly popular, with its vibrant hand-painted textile design and comfortable, ecofriendly features.

The partnership also taps into consumers’ growing desire to support brands with charitable causes, something Bryony believes resonates with today’s buyers. “The consumer likes to support brands and products that contribute to charity and the great work they do,” she says.

Heritage brands are seeing a resurgence in popularity as consumers seek products that combine nostalgia with modern functionality. Products emphasising durability, craftsmanship and timeless design resonate deeply with today’s buyers and this is likely to continue into the future.

Colour inspired by the Ashmolean

Taking some of the Ashmolean’s most treasured objects as inspiration, Graphenstone - a leading name in ecological paint – launched a range of 16 carefully curated shades that are practical for home and commercial use. Colours range from the burnt orange of the maple wood used by master violin maker, Antonio Stradivari, (‘Messiah’) to the vibrant teal of the feathers in John Ruskin’s ‘Study of a Kingfisher’ (‘Kingfisher Blue’). Each colour has been chosen and matched to the original artworks by the Graphenstone and Ashmolean team.

Vincent van Gogh’s time in Provence.

Below: Ovenware featuring botanical illustrations from Ernst Samuel Benary is a top selling in the Dexam x RHS collection.

Left: The 16 colours in the Graphenstone Ashmolean collection have been matched to original artworks.

New York Botanical Garden x Caswell-Massey

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston x Cariuma

National Wildlife Federation x The Landmark Project

Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation x Steelcase

Georgia O’Keeffe Museum

Jewel is aiming to deepen consumer engagement with its heritage brands this year, by expanding into new categories, regions and innovative partnerships. The brands the agency works with are mission-driven, with their work reflecting a deep commitment to education, conservation and cultural preservation, as Licensing Museum & Heritage Book discovers.

True gems

Heritage brands hold a unique place in the market, offering rich stories and timeless appeal,” begins Ilana Wilensky, president at Jewel. “At Jewel, we’re honoured to represent these cultural icons and help them broaden their reach.”

The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation’s licensing programme achieved significant milestones in 2024, including the launch of two new rug collections with Surya, with the designs a testament to Wright’s iconic style featuring geometric precisions, organic motifs and a fusion of nature and structure. Steelcase launched two new home furnishing ranges, while Tea Forte’s new tea collection elegantly incorporates Wright’s iconic patterns.

“In 2025, we have some exciting new categories in development to carry forward Wright’s legacy including home décor and fashion,” Ilana continues.

2024 was a banner year for the New York Botanical Garden’s licensing programme, which incorporates the brand’s extraordinary heritage, beautiful living collections and one of a kind archival botanical artwork collection. Licensed in 15 countries across four continents, the programme continues to experience significant growth globally, offering a unique opportunity to align with NYBG in supporting the mission to educate, study and preserve nature. The programme bloomed thanks to expansion in Asia including multiple apparel, accessory and beauty programmes in Japan and Korea, as well as steady growth in the US with high profile fashion collabs. Kith launched menswear

and kids apparel featuring floral inspired designs, followed by an Earth Day collaboration with Madewell featuring men’s and women’s apparel.

Ilana adds: “In 2025, we have some major launches in the works in the US and UK for apparel, fashion accessories and home décor that we’ll be announcing soon. And the continued growth of the brand globally will bring NYBG and its important mission to a far-reaching audience.”

The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston was a new addition to Jewel’s portfolio in 2024, with the groundwork for several exciting projects being laid last year ready for launch in 2025 including collaborations in fashion accessories and stationery.

Jewel is also excited about a new partnership that was recently signed for National Wildlife Federation for a full line of pet products to launch next year including toys, apparel, bedding, travel accessories and more. This will join The Landmark Project – which launched a sustainable collection of graphic tees, sweatshirts, headwear and accessories last year, with a portion of the proceeds being returned to NWF – plus Acco Brands, which introduced Five Star notebooks and planners, which were certified through the Sustainable Forestry Initiative.

Finally, Jewel has recently welcomed the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum to its portfolio. “As one of the most iconic American artists, Georgia O’Keeffe embodies timeless beauty, bold expression and a deep connection to nature. This partnership presents an extraordinary opportunity to bring her artistic legacy to life through thoughtfully curated products.

“We look forward to launching the licensing programme in 2025 with a focus on categories such as home furnishings, fashion and lifestyle products that celebrate O’Keeffe’s iconic life and design aesthetic,” Ilana concludes.

Inset: 2024 was a banner year for the New York Botanical Garden’s licensing programme.

New collaborations will be debuting in 2025 which will leverage

The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston’s brand and artistic legacy.