Cath Kidston appoints license partner to expand fashion, home and gift offer

Cath Kidston, the British brand best known for its hand-drawn, playful prints, has appointed global brand extension licensing agency, Beanstalk, to enable its expansion into new categories in home, fashion and gifting internationally.

The move marks another step in the evolution of Cath Kidston which moved away from a large-scale retail presence to become a digital-first global brand with a flagship store in London's Piccadilly.

Its tie-up with Beanstalk will result in the brand extending into new areas in key global markets including Europe, North America and South Korea, with the help of the agency's global partnership network.

“We are thrilled with the new partnership that leverages the licensing expertise of Beanstalk to create opportunities for our customers to experience Cath Kidston in new ways.  The expansion of our iconic print narrative into additional product categories and key global markets supports our long term growth plan.  Through licensed extensions, the brand vision will continue to bring nostalgic meaning and joy to everyday life," said Cath Kidston CEO Melinda Paraie.

Beanstalk is part of the Omnicom Specialty Marketing Group and works with a raft of household name brands across packaged goods, hard goods & automotive, lifestyle, media, and food & beverage. Partner brands include Braun, Guinness, Volvo and X-Box among many others.

Louise French, Senior Vice President, Business Development and Operations at Beanstalk, said: “We are delighted to be working with Cath Kidston, one of Britain’s best-loved brands, to extend the brand into new and creative spaces. The quintessentially British nature of the brand and distinctive print handwriting offer significant opportunities to create beautiful new products,that offer additional touchpoints for consumers.  We are looking forward to working alongside the Cath Kidston team to deliver a successful international licensing programme.”

Cath Kidston was founded in 1993 by the designer of the same name and found success on the back of its quintessentially British, nostalgic prints featuring motifs such as polka dots and cabbage roses. It is owned by Baring Private Equity Asia, which first bought into the business in 2014. In 2020 at the start of the pandemic, it acquired parts of the business and shifted its focus away from physical retail.