BLE to Return in Late September

Brand Licensing Europe (BLE) is set to return to ExCeL London from September 20 to 22 with a focus on fashion.

The theme will be woven throughout the event, with daily fashion shows on a central catwalk, product showcases, a high-profile keynote and complementary conference sessions. More than 120 companies from all over the world are already confirmed to exhibit.

The confirmed exhibitors include Paramount, Warner Bros, Hasbro, NBCUniversal, Mattel, Aardman Animations, AC Milan, Acamar Films, Banijay Brands, Asmodee, Asterix, Bandai Namco, Beanstalk, Brandgenuity, Bulldog Licensing, Caroline Mickler, Crunchyroll, Cyber Group Studios, Difuzed, FC Barcelona, Gallimard Jeunesse, IMG Licensing, LMI, Magic Light Pictures, Natural History Museum, Penguin Ventures, Perfetti Van Melle, Royal Museums Greenwich, Sanrio, SEGA, Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe, The National Gallery, The Pokémon Company, The Smurfs, V&A, Yale University, Euro Lizenzen, MGA Entertainment, Formula E, Ubisoft, UEFA Club Competitions, Van Gogh Museums, Creative Licensing Corp and KOCCA.

Thousands of brands will be represented on the show floor. Among them are My Little Pony, MTV, Top Gun, Chupa Chups, Asterix & Obelix, PAW Patrol, the Victoria & Albert Museum, The Batman, Hello Kitty, Assassin’s Creed, Peter Rabbit, Barbie, Masha & the Bear, the Van Gogh Museum, Formula E, le Petit Prince, Kellogg’s, Sonic the Hedgehog, Sophie la Girafe and Far Cry.

“It was essential to bring BLE back as an in-person event last year—this industry is highly creative and collaborative and relies on face-to-face networking as well as the ability to experience brands firsthand, so we can’t wait to return even stronger this September,” said Anna Knight, senior VP of licensing at Informa Markets. “We saw some great quality attendees there—and at Licensing Expo last month—including H&M, Pull & Bear, Primark, Asda and so many more, which shows the strength and growing appetite for brand collaborations and licensing. For 2022, we can’t wait to bring the industry back together again and help to drive the conversations that lead to the creation of innovative new products that consumers love. This year’s fashion theme aims to showcase collaborations firsthand and will let retailers and licensees experience brands and products in a more meaningful, engaging way.”

Kirsty Schaper, senior brand licensing manager at Royal Museums Greenwich, added, “We are absolutely delighted to be returning to BLE in 2022 to exhibit our unparalleled collections in astronomy, art and British and maritime history and technology. Visit our stand to discover opportunities and inspiration for working with our exceptional, world-class collections to create unique products in association with our prestigious heritage brand.”