Bravado acquires Spice Girls rights, expect new merchandise stream

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Oct 7, 2021

Expect to see a new stream of Spice Girls merchandise as Universal Music Group’s Bravado unit has acquired the rights for the girl group across merchandising, direct-to-consumer products, touring, brand and retail licensing and distribution.

The new deal comes ahead of 25th anniversary of their debut album Spice and will see the Spice Girls and Bravado working together "to deliver new products and capsule collections” via D2C channels and retail partners around the world.

The exclusive global license is a multi-year one and comes at a time when that 25th anniversary and the 1990s trend in fashion is focusing even more attention on the band and on the Spice Girls brand.

The deal marks the first time in two decades that licensing rights across all channels have been assigned to a partner.

Rachel Redfearn, VP A&R and Brand Management at Bravado, said: “The Spice Girls’ impact on popular culture cannot be over-estimated. They stand for positivity, inclusion, bravery and diversity. All delivered in a bold, fun and energetic package. This message is as relevant today as it was in 1996…maybe more so. Bravado’s alliance with this most iconic of bands will allow both existing and new fans the long-awaited opportunity to be a part of the legacy. The breadth of rights granted for the first time in two decades gives us the vehicle to truly celebrate their legendary status.”

The first Spice Girls ‘Wannabe 25’ merchandise capsule collection is already available. It includes T-shirts via retailers including Boohoo, Urban Outfitters and Target.

Universal’s Bravado operation has been very busy in recent periods, making the most of the merchandise opportunities available for globally known music names. Even with the cancellation of live events due to Covid, it has continued to launch products and has embraced physical stores. 

The permanent Rolling Stones store on London’s Carnaby Street sees an interesting stream of new collections and collabs. And the company has also just opened a pop-up on the street for Queen. It will be interesting to see whether a Spice Girls store is on the agenda.