Pokemon dressing for success Spain:

Mathieu Galante

Dressing for Success

The Pokémon Company International’s Licensing Director EMEA Mathieu Galante discusses the iconic brand’s fashion strategy

You have had another hugely successful year for Pokémon across multiple categories but you have seen a big expansion in fashion. How do you explain that?

The world of Pokémon is constantly evolving and the introduction of new characters who become instantly recognisable characters, such as Pikachu and Jigglypuff, have made it one of the most powerful brands in the world of licensing, particularly in terms of how it can reinvent itself, whilst still embracing its heritage. Also, as a leading global entertainment brand, Pokémon has a fan base like no other - straddling cultural and geographical boundaries, as well as generations. To continue to expand its reach and engage with all its fans, the franchise has had to develop a dynamic and evolving licensing programme to keep creating new encounters with Pokémon. Our success is not only due to the iconic colourful and playful Pokémon characters that continue to offer inspiration, but also in the diversity of our collaborations and the effort and creativity we put into managing them. From collaborations with brands such as Axel Arigato, affordable lines with online retailers such as ASOS and popular ranges with high-street giants like Zara and H&M, we put everything into our partnerships throughout the process– from initial product design to PR and promotion.

How do you look for new partners to work with?

The great thing about Pokémon is that we are always looking for innovative new ways to connect with our generation-spanning audience and always looking for exciting new partners. Our broad global appeal means that we can work with a wide range of brands, - from high street to designer - as we look to provide our fans of all ages and nationalities with more enjoyable products. As well as being hugely popular with children Pokémon has huge cult and retro appeal, which allows us to really develop and diversify our fashion spread. Over the year’s we’ve produced ground-breaking fashion collaborations spanning apparel, footwear and accessories for both adults and kids. From affordable product ranges to aspirational lines with cutting-edge collaborators and luxury partnerships - each collaboration is considered for creative and design capabilities and their distribution reach. We’ve had many successful collaborations including with Adidas, Axel Arigato, Billionaire Boys Club, Bobby Abley, Charli Cohen, Clarks, Converse, Criminal Damage, Jeremy Scott, Iceberg, Irregular Choice, and Longchamp and we are constantly looking for new brands to work with who have a standout presence in their fields.

What makes a good Pokémon collaboration?

We strive to create covetable collaborations with huge appeal and collectability, which are innovative and ground-breaking but at the same time remain true to Pokémon’s DNA. A good collaboration needs to be authentic to Pokémon’s values and truly understand our amazing, diverse audience. We do everything possible to ensure that our products resonate with fans, allowing them to connect more closely with the brand. This has been rewarded with strong retail sales across our various partnerships. We also like to surprise our fans with our collaborations and the way we present and promote them. Long-

champ and Clarks, for example are brands you wouldn’t immediately associate with Pokémon. We like to keep Pokémon fans old and young on their toes and remain current and relevant, whilst still preserving Pokémon’s original essence. This willingness to adapt and reinvent has served the Pokémon brand well over the last 25 years and will hopefully see it flourish long into the future.

Pokémon Stand B121 at BLE