Original Stormtroopers_LSB 2023

this is not to be missed!

LICENSING THAT HITS THE mark

DON’T MISS THIS!

There’s more to the Original Stormtrooper than being a famously bad shot.

he iconic, globally recognised character also enjoys a stellar sideline in licensing, marching into new categories every year and bringing the character’s oddball humour and quirkiness to the retail aisle in new territories. Working closely with the Stormtrooper’s creator and brand owner Andrew Ainsworth, Golden Goose has grown the licensing programme from a standing start eight years ago to encompass 45 licensees, spanning everything from giftware and food and drink to pet foods and health and beauty, and demand for this pop culture favourite remains perennially high.

In this dedicated supplement, we’ve delved deeper into the Stormtrooper’s appeal (pages 6-7) and showcased just some of the inventive (and authentic) products our licensee partners have created (pages 10-16). Thanks to Golden Goose’s fantastic library of Original Stormtrooper assets and the expertise we’ve built up over the years in the pop culture space, there is a galaxy of opportunities to be seized. We hope you enjoy finding out more.

Val Fry, account director

Shepperton Design Studios is launching a new website in autumn 2023 aimed at Star Wars fans and collectors alike. With bespoke features like the Stormtrooper Configurator, an immersive timeline and the official OST Brand Hub, www.originalstormtrooper.com will allow fans access to the latest merchandise and creative influences direct from the brand’s official licensees.

TTHE GOLDEN GOOSE TEAM

Adam Bass, director, adam@goldengoose.co.uk

“We have a lot of expertise within the Golden Goose team. Our clients trust us to explore out-of-the-box ideas and still align products behind a clear brand strategy.”

Read more on page 7

Val Fry, account director, valf@goldengoose.co.uk

“We pride ourselves on the longevity of our collaborative partnerships. If a licensee comes up with a great idea, we find a way to make it distinctive.”

Read more on page 6

Rebeckah Dalton, product director, rebeckah@goldengoose.co.uk

“We picture the Stormtrooper in the most entertaining, funny circumstances, whether it’s performing a ballet in a tutu, or having a piña colada on the beach. It means we’re able to push the boundaries and really make products stand out.” Read more on page 8

OVERSEAS AGENTS

Australia: Merchantwise – Kerryn McCormack, kerryn@merchantwise.com

Canada: Playology Intl – Jacqueline Vong, jvong@playologyintl.com

Eastern Europe: Megalicense – Kira Luneva, kl@megalicense.ru

India: Dreamtheatre – Jibi George, jibigeorge@dream-theatre.co.in

South Korea: SMG Holdings – Jooyoon Kim, jooyoon@smg-h.com

USA: rights not available

ANATOMY OF A STORMTROOPER

With global box office revenue topping $10.3 billion, Star Wars is the second highest-grossing film and TV series franchise in the world – and the white-suited Stormtrooper is one of its most instantly recognisable characters. Created by designer Andrew Ainsworth for the first film in the series, 1977’s Star Wars: A New Hope, the Stormtrooper has a number of well-documented design idiosyncrasies that are appreciated by movie enthusiasts and memorabilia collectors alike.

The cheek and head decals are different on each side

As you look at it, the helmet has 11 chevrons on the left, 12 chevrons on the right

The abdominal plate has non-symmetrical details

The reverse features nonsymmetrical details including the helmet decals, back plate and thermal detonator.

DID YOU KNOW?

Andrew made the original Stormtrooper helmet from a two-part mould. The two moulds didn’t quite fit together, and because Andrew was on such a tight deadline to deliver costumes to the movie set, he shaved off one side until they did, and the famously unsymmetrical helmet was born.

Golden Goose would like to thank all its out-of-this-world OST licensee partners: Abysse, Ace Turtle, Alexander Parker, Alphaway, Beauty Marketing Solutions, BLMP, Blue Tree, Cardology, Corsair, Danilo, Darts Corner, Empire Apparel, Fred & Ginger, Gerim Spirits, Gibsons, Groovy UK, HR Distribution, Inducascos, Itemlab, Kimbe, Mitch Dowd, Modern Gourmet Foods, Moor Art, Move Interactive, Nemesis Now, Oberthur, Philcos, Poetic Brands, Puckator, Rainbow Productions, Rocket 68, Roy Lowe, Rubber Road, SD Toys, Stonekids, Suck UK, Textiss, The Galactic Empire, The Sourceror, Thumbs Up, TTK Confectionary, Walltastic, Woojoolike.

The knee armour detail is different on each knee

WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

In 1976, in a former sweet shop in Twickenham, Shepperton Design Studios’ Andrew Ainsworth manufactured some plastic helmets and armour for a low-budget sci-fi film. Nearly 50 years later, the Stormtrooper character he produced for Star Wars: A New Hope is still celebrated as one of the most iconic movie designs of all time, and thanks to some tonguein-cheek licensing, the Original Stormtrooper is capturing a new generation of fans.

The Original Stormtrooper is imagined “on his day off”, far outside the Star Wars universe – relaxing with a beer, perhaps, or enjoying a barbecue. This irreverent approach immediately stands out and has struck a chord with die-hard movie devotees and also younger consumers looking for something different and special. The licensing programme has been building momentum for some time. Andrew says:

“We’re in our eighth year of the licensing programme and we now have 45 licensees and counting.”

The brand is in 25 to 30 categories, and in multiple territories apart from the US, including South Korea and Australia.

ANDREW’S STORY

From a student at Ealing School of Art, by the mid-1970s Andrew was an established industrial designer, producing the very first vacuum-formed plastic kayaks and even manufacturing his own design of sports car, all from a former sweet shop opposite Twickenham Green. When his friend and neighbour, scenic artist and puppeteer Nick Pemberton, was approached to make helmets and other items for a new movie by filmmaker George Lucas, he immediately thought of Andrew, convinced that the plastic moulding techniques – and specialist equipment – Andrew had developed could be used to make the film props. Nick worked up a maquette in red clay and convinced Andrew to take a ‘punt’ in developing it into a real plastic prototype that would impress Lucas. After a return visit to the U.S. with the prototype helmet, Lucas gave the go-ahead and it was over to Andrew to bring the design to life.

“I made no sketches, no models, no engineering drawings. I sculpted the production moulds directly, using my own blends of resins, fillers and metal dusts,” Andrew recalls. He was keen that no joins or fabricated parts should be seen; he wanted the head to “flow” into the body and be undercut to disguise any suggestion of an actor inside the costume. While the original

ABOVE: An early batch of helmets photographed outside Andrew’s studio.

LEFT: A Shepperton Design Studios helmet, made to Andrew’s original design.

Battle for a brand

From 2004, Shepperton Design Studios (SDS) was engaged in a copyright dispute with Lucasfilm, which was finally resolved in July 2011 when the British Supreme Court ruled that the Stormtrooper helmet was an industrial design and not a copyrighted sculpture or work of art. This shortened the design protection in the UK to 15 years from the date of first being marketed, leaving SDS free to continue to sell authentic Stormtrooper costumes and develop and license products based on Andrew’s Original Stormtrooper copyright material and the Shepperton Design Studios trademark.

accommodate all the moulds in one hit, but as the old sweet shop was tight on space, neighbours got used to seeing moulded sheets of plastic turfed out onto the pavement to cool down.

To everyone’s surprise, Stars Wars proved a hit and the iconic Stormtrooper that Andrew helped bring to life entered the global consciousness of the first generation of fans and hasn’t looked back since. Andrew went on to work on prop and set production for some of the best-known films of the 1970s and 1980s, including Flash Gordon and Superman, before concentrating once more on his own designs, successfully producing water sports products for 25 years.

On rediscovering his Stormtrooper helmet moulds in storage in the early 2000s and recognising the growth of the movie memorabilia market, Andrew began making replica helmets and armour, by hand, for sale to fans. Today he still operates out of the same premises in Twickenham using the same techniques he employed for A New Hope.

Andrew still sells Shepperton Design Studios

Original Stormtrooper costumes made with uparalleled authenticity.

concept drawings suggested a silver, metallic look, Andrew made his initial prototypes from khaki HDPE (high-density polyethylene), sprayed white.

By mid-February 1976 the prototype helmet was signed off, and Lucas ordered a batch of 50, along with 40 X-wing helmets designed by Andrew. A panic call from the studios resulted in Andrew also being asked to produce sets of Stormtrooper armour for the first shoot in Tunisia in March – less than a month away. He set about making the 40 moulds needed for the armour by hewing them out of a resin/metal composite that he had developed for just that purpose. Thankfully his vacuum-forming machine had a 15ft x 3ft bed that could

He faithfully reproduces the design idiosyncrasies and slight asymmetry of the originals, and the same is true for the licensed products based on his Original Stormtrooper.

With the rapid growth of the Original Stormtrooper licensing programme, it seems the character still has a firm grip on our imagination.

“Stormtroopers are timeless,” Andrew says.

“About 10 years ago, the market was 99% male. Now we have whole families coming into the shop, including grandparents, and three-year-olds who’ve come to the brand via LEGO. It’s not often you get a globally recognisable intergenerational brand.”

LEFT: Andrew Ainsworth, Original Stormtrooper’s creator.

SUPER TROOPERS

Shepperton Design Studios’ Original Stormtrooper has become something of a pop culture phenomenon. Golden Goose’s Adam Bass and Valerie Fry explain why licensees and consumers have taken him to their hearts.

It’s always a headturner when you see a Stormtrooper, and the white-suited character in the space helmet pops up at retail surprisingly often. From beer to dog treats, coffee to stationery, sunglasses to figurines, the current range of Original Stormtrooper licensed products is expansive. “It never ceases to surprise us when someone sees a new opportunity, like the dart boards and accessories from Darts Corner that are launching this autumn. You think: ‘That’s a category I hadn’t even imagined!’,” says Adam Bass.

Since Golden Goose helped Shepperton Design Studios launch the Original Stormtrooper licensing programme, the brand has become. an evergreen in Golden Goose’s portfolio. 27 UK licensees are on board and the brand is expanding internationally with the help of a growing list of sub-agents.

“We pride ourselves on the longevity of our collaborative partnerships,” says Val Fry. “If a licensee comes up with a great idea, we find a way to make it distinctive.”

“Most licensors will be restrictive about what can and can’t be done with a globally recognisable character, whereas we give licensees freedom to

Going global

Original Stormtrooper has a number of overseas sub-agents, including Merchantwise (Australia), SMG Holdings (South Korea), Dreamtheatre (India), Playology Intl (Canada) and Megalicense (Eastern Europe), as well as products in development in South America.

“Because the Original Stormtrooper exists outside of the Star Wars universe, he can be effectively ‘localised’,” says Adam Bass. “In South Korea, we have a rice wine called Storm Takju [above], for which the local licensing agency created a back story about the Original Stormtrooper crashlanding and falling into the traditional local drink, makgeolli. It’s been a hit with consumers. And in July 2023, French fastfood chain Quick partnered with the brand on a second activation with an instore and online initiative that saw Stormtroopers invading Paris to take over Quick restaurants [below left], as well as a very funny social media campaign on TikTok. The brand has British eccentricity at its core, but there was a definite French je ne sais quoi flavour to this execution.”

experiment,” says Adam. “However, from day one, we were adamant that everything should be authentic, even if it’s completely off the wall.”

Imagining the feared fighter “on his day off” and honing in on the humour that differentiating scenario entails, Shepperton Design Studios’ Original Stormtrooper has an appeal that

spans generations. Consumers fall into two camps.” says Val.

“The hardcore fan (late 20s to mid-50s) will always pay a premium for authentic products that evoke their childhood experience. Then there’s the bigger camp where the focus is on fun, comedic products. These consumers can be in their teens up to their 40s, and any gender. They are often buying products as a gift – after all, everyone knows a Stormtrooper fan.”

Original Stormtrooper branded apparel and accessories, spirits and beers have made their way into multiple retailers including M&S, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Morrisons and B&M, but independents and specialist retailers were the first natural home for the brand. “Our partners have impressive distribution and sales across most retail categories but starting from a strong base with the independents has made them more resilient,” says Val. Online, a branded Amazon store is in the works where fans will be able to fill a basket with Original Stormtrooper products.

CATEGORY HITS

Food and beverage is one of the brand’s topperforming categories. Partners include Modern Gourmet Foods (food gifting), The Sourceror (craft beer), Blue Tree (premium alcoholic gift sets), The Galactic Empire (subscription coffee) and TTK, whose replica chocolate Stormtrooper helmet sells all year round through TikTok. Apparel is a similarly important category,

with licensed daywear, nightwear and accessories available for both adults and kids. “The Original Stormtrooper dressing gown and slippers from Groovy are particularly striking,” says Val. When it comes to homewares, the brand delivers novelty and interest, turning a lamp or a Christmas ornament into a fun feature and also crossing over into high-end gifting. Consumers looking to decorate their “man caves” are particularly well served; darts, beers, figurines and other homewares can now be displayed against a backdrop of Walltastic’s recently launched full-size wall mural.

One new area for the brand is live events; a dance troupe from Rainbow Productions is in rehearsals and ready to rock. “We have a lot of expertise within the Golden Goose team,” says Adam.

“Our clients trust us to explore out-of-thebox ideas and still align products behind a clear brand strategy.”

As in the past eight years, many new products will be hitting the market in time for Christmas, which, along with Father’s Day, is one of the most lucrative times of year for the brand. “That said, one of our most successful products of all time is one of our earliest – a helmet shaped decanter by Thumbs Up,” says Adam. “It consistently performed the same in Q1 and Q2 as in Q4, and is still selling well today.”

FROM TOP: Christmas decorations by Nemesis Now, Thumbs Up’s beer glass and Suck UK’s table lamp are hitting the spot at retail.

LEFT: The Galactic Empire coffee tins.

OUT OF THIS WORLD DESIGNS

From detailed line drawings to greenscreen imagery and pop art pastiche, the Original Stormtrooper style guide is ready with creative options for products that will stand out on-shelf and online and “make consumers smile”, says Golden Goose’s product development director Rebeckah Dalton.

Rebeckah Dalton is, like many of us, fascinated by what’s under the Original Stormtrooper’s armour. “He’s a bit of an enigma,” she says. “He never takes off his helmet, so he has this allure of mystery, but within that mystery there’s so much fun to be had.”

With a background in TV, film and media (she has worked for Marvel International and in product development at The Licensing Company), Rebeckah has a natural affinity for pop culture brands. With Original Stormtrooper, she jumped at the chance to work directly with the character’s creator, Shepperton Design Studios’ Andrew Ainsworth.

“The whimsical character of the Original Stormtrooper definitely comes from Andrew,” she says. “The brand is about celebrating the Stormtrooper on his day off, away from the garrison, so we don’t take him too seriously. We play with his reputation for being clumsy and for not being able to shoot straight. We picture him in the most entertaining, funny circumstances, whether it’s performing

a ballet in a tutu, or having a piña colada on the beach. It means we’re able to push the boundaries and really make products stand out.”

However hard the boundaries are pushed, authenticity remains “paramount”, Rebeckah asserts. “Whether it’s something we’ve created for the style guide or a licensed product, we try to ensure everything’s correct, right down to the shape of the helmet decals and number of blue cheek chevrons.

A big selling point of Original Stormtrooper products is that they’re based on Andrew’s original moulds.

These weren’t symmetrical and have a number of idiosyncrasies. Where possible within production limitations, we strive to get those finer details exactly right.”

That the brand is thriving across so many

TOP: Gibsons’ Troopers on Tour puzzle. ABOVE: Examples of green-screen design possibilities.

categories speaks to the smooth-running product development framework that Golden Goose has put in place over recent years. “We have a really robust set of assets now, which we’re very proud of,” says Rebeckah. “The first thing we usually steer licensees towards is our green screens. We have lots and lots of photographs of the Original Stormtrooper in various poses – doing the moonwalk, kicking a football, playing video games… They’re a great starting point for licensed products, as you can drop the character into whatever scenario you want, wherever.”

Licensees are encouraged to add slogans and sayings to their products, dress the Stormtrooper in various accessories, experiment with classic British iconography and play around with backgrounds, colours and patterns. “There’s so much more to the brand than black and white,” says Rebeckah. “If you look at Puckator’s London range, for example, you can see what fun can be had with adding props and colour.”

As product development director, Rebeckah encourages licensees to use

ARTWORK THAT POPS

their imagination and creativity in their product development and guides new licensees carefully through an onboarding process, so they get a feel for the brand and its nuances – “such as not flipping the Stormtrooper because he’s not symmetrical,” – but once they are familiar with the do’s and don’ts, “we encourage licensees to go for it. I always say,

As well as embracing licensees’ creativity, we want to capture that free spirit and sense of fun, and that British sense of eccentricity. But above all, we want products to make consumers smile.”

The Original Stormtrooper style guide offers a variety of illustrated assets for licensees to experiment with, including accurate line drawings of the Stormtrooper helmet and suit, and “various vector art, which works brilliantly on tins or where we need a more simplified art style,” says Rebeckah. “We also have over 1,000 green screens and a large store of reference material, including 3D turnarounds and rotating GIFs, to enable licensees to ensure the details are accurate.

“We’ve worked with some great style guide companies as well as a handful of artists like Dan Stiles to generate some illustrated Stormtrooper graphics. We’ve played on him being in various scenarios and poses at the pool and beach, but also had fun with him in his other role as the pseudo-serious trooper. So we have a Propaganda style guide, which taps into vintage military recruitment posters in a playful way – it’s very cool – and a humorous Pop Art guide, which shows the Stormtrooper never quite hitting his target.”

‘Take it as far as you’re willing to push it, we can always rein it back.’

INSET: Green screens showing the Stormtrooper in different poses offer a wealth of options for licensees.

TAKING RETAIL BY

STORM

A pop culture icon with mass-market appeal, Original Stormtrooper has found new legions of fans through a licensing programme that plays on the Stormtrooper’s quirkiness and sense of fun while celebrating the authenticity of Andrew Ainsworth’s original costume design. From premium spirits to toiletries, gaming accessories to collectables, these are just some of the licensed product ranges storming onto shelves across the UK and beyond.

“It’s very rare to have the opportunity to work with an immediately recognisable character that resonates so widely across generations. The playful, fun approach taken by the brand makes Original Stormtrooper one of our most versatile and enjoyable licences to work with.”

Oliver Stribling, managing director, Alexander Parker

“Our long-shared love of sci-fi and the iconic franchise initially led us to pursue a licence for Original Stormtrooper. Working alongside Golden Goose and Shepperton Design Studios has been such a creatively fulfilling process. We’ve loved that we could stamp the Suck UK brand and authenticity on our Original Stormtrooper range, all while reliving our childhoods! Our design process really is rooted in the idea of creating products we want to own ourselves, and we felt this is strongly represented in our range, which exemplifies all the nerdiness, quirkiness and the novelty that we’ve all cherished about the franchise for the last 45 years.”

Lionel Correya, head of design and production, Suck UK

Alexander Parker produces a range of prescription-ready eyewear and sunglasses for both kids and adults, as well accessories including Smart Cloths for cleaning glasses, sunglasses, phones and tablets. Its collections of Original Stormtrooper adult and children’s eyewear are among the top sellers in Asda, and a range of Christmas-themed accessories is due to be in stores this festive season.

“Original Stormtrooper is such an iconic and recognisable brand that we had to have it in our portfolio. The ability to use humour whilst also capturing a sense of nostalgia is something that sets the brand apart from others and attracts niche but loyal consumers. Our range and the popularity of the brand continues to grow, supported by a collaborative approach with Golden Goose – we look forward to continuing our partnership. We also have some exciting new products coming, so watch this space…”

Cameron Thayne, licensing manager, Abysse Corp

An eclectic selection of Original Stormtrooper products is offered by Abysse, including posters, frames, assorted mugs (now sold in sustainable packaging), gift sets and a card holder. The range is sold in over 250 stores throughout Europe, including mass and indie retailers, with the UK and France being particularly strong territories.

“Original Stormtrooper is such a nostalgic and quirky brand to work on. The complex yet humorous depth of the character lends itself perfectly to the world of gift sets, particularly in the beer category; we’ve sold over 250,000 units over the last few years. Blue Tree worked collaboratively with Shepperton Design Studios to achieve the perfect look for the Original Stormtrooper spirits range, where the Stormtroopers are reimagined pursuing a variety of interests outside of their Imperial careers.”

Ben Bolt, commercial operations & finance director, Blue Tree

Blue Tree has been an Original Stormtrooper partner since 2019 and produces a range of premium alcoholic gift sets, including items such as bespoke beer glasses and striking collectable tins. The range has achieved great success with wide retail distribution across both grocers and value retailers.

“It was an easy decision to partner with the Original Stormtrooper brand – he’s one of the most iconic pop culture characters out there. He brings back so many memories for those who saw Stormtroopers the first time around, and he’s recognisable straight away for those of a younger age group who have grown up seeing the characters on repeat. Just seeing the brand style guide got all of us excited, and we’re looking forward to sharing our latest products with everyone.”

Liam Taylor, head of partnerships and development, Rubber Road

“Corsair is immensely proud to have been working in partnership with Andrew Ainsworth and Golden Goose for so many years. Original Stormtrooper is a globally recognised brand and highly respected by fans of the original creation, who appreciate its authenticity and quirkiness. Our ranges have evolved over the years to reflect the humorous side of the character. This year, as always, we have added exciting new items to our Health & Beauty collection, including our exclusive Brewing up a Storm-Trooper Mug & Body Wash Set, a novelty Left Me Hangin’ Soap on a Rope and our Helmet Head Gift Set. Look out in stores for our new Christmas gifting range from September onwards.”

Hélène Lens, senior brand manager, Corsair Toiletries

Corsair has been part of the Original Stormtrooper family for over eight years and continues to refresh its impressive toiletries range with new and exciting innovations that are distributed across the UK, Europe and Australia. Its iconic helmet-shaped Soap on a Rope remains a perennial favourite, while fragrances are seeing a recent resurgence in popularity.

A brand-new range of Switch cases and gaming lockers from Rubber Road has launched to great success, with items being snapped up by gamers. The range will shortly be expanded to include a striking Perspex lamp featuring Stormtroopers taking a selfie and a Countdown Advent Calendar, while October will see the eagerly awaited launch of the iconic Original Stormtrooper TUBBZ collectable duck.

The hugely successful craft beer range from The Sourceror comprises nine craft beers, including palate-pleasing IPA, NEIPA, lager and stout, presented in cans featuring bespoke eyecatching artwork. The company also produces a range of gift packs, including Birthday and Thank You ‘Thirst Aid Kits’, which all include a bespoke branded glass. All products are available from www.originalstormtrooperbeer.com.

“We’ve been lucky working with Shepperton Design Studios and Golden Goose in that they’ve pretty much given us free rein to do what we want artistically. The designs we came up with have been so well received that the brand has co-opted some of that aesthetic into its recently revised style guide. The beer range has proven to be a great success with consumers and retailers, particularly the gift range, which is stocked by supermarkets at Christmas and is very popular with everyone else all year round.”

Satnam Darar, managing director, The Sourceror

“We decided to partner with Original Stormtrooper as we loved the quirky nostalgia of the brand and felt it would be the perfect fit for our range of products and our customers. We were given a great balance of freedom and guidance when designing our product range, and the team at Shepperton Design Studios were always on hand to give valuable feedback. We are very proud of the Original Stormtrooper range and its early success in the market. The designs look particularly striking on our larger products, such as our dartboard cabinets and surrounds. We can’t wait to see the products fly off the shelves at Christmas!”

Paul Ryan, marketing manager, Darts Corner

Modern Gourmet Foods produces an attractively packaged and quirky range of Original Stormtrooper food gifting items, including coffee syrups and pancake mixes, which are distributed around the world. Spice is a Stormtrooper fan favourite: OST branded hot sauces and BBQ sauces are top sellers.

“When I first saw images of products from other licensors I fell in love with the brand immediately. What got me first was the quirkiness and humour. That, paired with the nostalgia aspect and how well Original Stormtrooper is known, made it an exciting opportunity.

Another brand-new partner for Original Stormtrooper is Darts Corner, which is launching a striking new range of darts accessories that includes dart boards, dart cases and dart flights. Distribution will primarily be DTC via the Darts Corner website and Amazon. Hopefully the Original Stormtrooper will improve his aim!

Working with Golden Goose has been great. We were given ample options with art and flexibility with designing products, making the partnership easy. Retailers love the brand and the products, the more humorous the better, and particularly anything with a collectable aspect to it.”

Amit Pinhasy, head of retail, Modern Gourmet Foods

“Working with the Original Stormtrooper licence is a dream. Golden Goose and Shepperton Design Studios are innovative and have a strong sense of what they want for the brand. Consumers love the character’s tragi-comic nature, which gives him a quirky edge. We have lots of creative freedom when designing products and always love to add a touch of humour and cheekiness. Our top selling product is our Three Wise Stormtrooper set; mixing an iconic character with an iconic mantra has worked marvellously for us.”

Jean-Michel Paile, marketing, licensing and product director, Nemesis Now

Nemesis Now is a recognised pop culture specialist and has developed hilarious Original Stormtrooper figurines in iconic poses, along with a variety of drinkware and Christmas decorations – the Original Stormtrooper swinging on a glitter ball on your Christmas tree couldn’t fail to raise a smile!

“We’ve always loved working on Original Stormtrooper as you can genuinely have so much fun. Over the years we have had Stormtroopers flossing, going to festivals and taking summer vacations. We have also had a Stormtrooper in the office for a photoshoot in front of a green screen doing every pose possible, to give us the scope to make many more designs and artworks in the future. Original Stormtrooper works really well across adult and kids’ apparel and we are expanding into other categories now as well.”

Anne Bradford, commercial director, Poetic Brands

A respected leader in licensed apparel, Poetic Brands has lots of fun with its Original Stormtrooper graphics. The company is an established partner of all the key retailers and its Original Stormtrooper designs are currently available in Next and Sainsbury’s. It has also launched a collaboration with fashion label COLLUSION, available through Asos. A new travel range is about to debut and will be arriving on a luggage carousel near you soon.

“The brand has been very popular for us and has featured on a wide range of products, from lunch boxes to our own Original Stormtrooper Relaxeazzz Travel Pillows. However, the Original Stormtrooper Solar Pal is the highlight in the range and is popular both with customers and the employees here at Puckator.”

Jack Evans, senior designer, Puckator

The Original Stormtrooper Solar Pal from Puckator is a continuous bestseller, with over 100,000 units sold to date. In addition, the company offers a wide and varied OST product range, including travel accessories, kitchenware and stationery, with sales continuing to increase every year. The new bespoke products for geographical regions are proving irresistible, with an Irish-themed lunchbox, mug and water bottle now part of the range.

“Working on the creative for Original Stormtrooper has been both collaborative and an absolute blast (pun intended). It’s always much easier when the vision for the brand is so clearly and passionately laid out and the licensor remains open to considered interpretations of the brief, which the team definitely are. What’s equally important to me is the commercial support, guidance and enthusiasm the team have provided when we’ve spotted opportunities requiring a fresh approach. The cherry on top has been the way Golden Goose has facilitated panlicensee discussions and collaborations.”

David Falkner, co-founder and director, Cardology

Known for its signature pop-up cards, Cardology joined the Original Stormtrooper family last year. Its new Original Stormtrooper Christmas pop-up card joins its 3D helmet card, which is already a favourite amongst the company’s B2C base. The Cardology team also offers a range of regular cards with a rapidly expanding trade distribution, with a further 150-plus new independent stockists already signed up to take new lines available from spring 2024.

“We have been working with Golden Goose and Shepperton Design Studios for a number of years now, and I think the biggest strength of the Original Stormtrooper brand is the fun you can have with it from the design side. Our felt-tip fairies love working on developing designs, be it the character sunning himself on a beach or enjoying a discothèque. The novelty aspect is a perfect fit for us on socks and works well across all demographics, as shown by our Roy’s Boys matching family range.”

Leading sock supplier

Roy Lowe continues to offer Original Stormtrooper socks for both kids and adults across all major retailers, with a matching family set available via the Roy’s Boys website and further product extensions in the works.

Ben Lowe, director, Roy Lowe & Sons

“The main pull for us was how iconic the Stormtrooper character is, and we love the story behind how the brand came to exist. It felt like there was a real connection to the fans here and the fact that Andrew made the original costumes for the original movies was super-exciting. We got to visit Shepperton Design Studios and meet him in person, and immediately got the bug. Working with Golden Goose’s team and Andrew has been great. We get a lot of creative freedom and they share our passion for the brand and the products that we develop.”

Thumbs Up has been a trailblazing partner of Original Stormtrooper since 2015. Its iconic 3D decanter is a consistent bestseller, and is complemented by an array of glassware and cutting-edge electronic items, all distributed across the EMEA region, the UK, Canada and Australia. Gearing up for 2024, the company is shortly set to unveil some exciting new additions to its already extensive line-up.

“Our ceo Martin is a massive sci-fi fan so jumped at the opportunity to work on a project with the Original Stormtrooper licence. The response to our Original Stormtrooper Chocolate Helmet has been fantastic, with fans appreciating the attention to detail in the design. It has been an enjoyable product to market, with Scott, our e-commerce manager, getting dressed up in our cosplay Stormtrooper outfit at trade fairs and comic-con events. We have also teamed up with other OST licence holders for gift sets, which has worked really well. The helmet is an ideal gift for any movie fan, but it

A delicious chocolate hollow Original Stormtrooper helmet was launched at Easter this year by TTK Confectionery, and development is under way for tasty products for Christmas and all year round.

TTK’s hot-chocolate bomb trio in the shape of the iconic Stormtrooper helmet is eagerly awaited, and the Golden Goose team is thoroughly enjoying the approvals process. The TTK team has endless fun –and sales success – with the extraordinary activities of its Original Stormtrooper costumed character across the company’s social media activations.

Tanya Hawksbee, head of licensing, Thumbs Up

has particularly appealed to the male food gifting market, which is notoriously underrepresented.”

Jess Barnett, brand director, TTK Confectionery

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