The Natural History Museum Following a busy first half of the year, the Natural History Museum is continuing its momentum into BLE with a slate of new autumn launches. In the children’s product programme, Robert Frederick has launched its first range of NHM stationery and gift, using the Museum’s popular Blast from the Past trend pack to create graphic, dinosaur-focused designs. Secondly, tonies® is building upon the success of its Natural History Museum: Discovery Crew Pocket Tonie by launching a second set of four stories, Discovery Crew: Dinosaurs, in which the Crew return to explore the desert, jungle and polar habitats of prehistoric creatures, as well as British discoveries. As well as product launches, the Museum’s licensing team is continuing to grow its portfolio of live experiences. Between July and September, for the summer holidays, Bakehouse PAGE 46
Factory launched its ABC Trail in Westgate Oxford shopping centre, engaging children in an A to Z of nature that introduces 26 amazing animals, insects, plants and natural wonders. Furthermore, the team are delighted to announce the launch of a themed family hotel suite with Park Plaza London Riverbank. Within the suite, the adult’s bedroom takes inspiration from the Victoriana feel of the Museum and incorporates design elements inspired by the Museum’s architecture. Meanwhile, the children’s bedroom is a celebration of dinosaurs, featuring a bespoke T. rex bunk bed and custom wall mural that transports guests back to the Cretaceous period. New licensee signings continue to strengthen the Museum’s UK programme. In the toys and games category, B-Corp games and
puzzles specialist Gibsons Games is signed for jigsaw puzzles and currently developing product for spring 2027, while Cypriot STEM toy experts Engino are working with the team to develop educational natural history model kits for launch later this year. Beyond Europe, the Museum’s international licensing programme is growing via agents. In the US, a first wave of apparel has launched from new licensee Philcos Enterpriser and in South Korea a beautiful range of stationery and gifting has been rolling out into Aladin bookstores over the summer, taking inspiration from the Museum’s extensive archives. In response to these growing markets, two new trend packs have been developed this year to specifically appeal to the Asian market. The first, Cute Dinosaurs, reimagines two of the Museum’s most well-known dinosaurs, Dippy the Diplodocus and Sophie the Stegosaurus, in a sweet, naïve style and soft colour palette. TOTAL BRAND LICENSING
NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM The second is focussed around Lunar New Year and incorporates the Museum’s animal carvings and architectural details in elegant patterns and motifs, while also introducing a second, more graphic aesthetic for this theme. Looking ahead, there are some fantastic launches still to come this year. London-based apparel company Palava will be launching its second Natural History Museum collection in October, this time taking inspiration from the Museum’s architecture, combining delicate botanicals from Hintze Hall’s ceiling tiles with the animals from architectural carvings to create beautiful and unique prints. Knitwear is being introduced to this collection alongside Palava’s popular skirt and dress silhouettes. Also in the apparel category, Zipster is launching its first collection of Natural History Museum baby, children’s and family bamboo clothing for the European market in November. The range introduces custom dinosaur
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prints across babywear, daywear, sleepwear and underwear in a way designed to encourage curious conversations. Elsewhere, Nemesis Now will be launching its first dinosaur and fossil-themed range of collectables and gift, initially into the Museum’s retail spaces for Q4, before launching into wider retail early next year. As we approach Christmas, a dinosaur-themed advent calendar will also be launching into M&S for a third consecutive year from licensee Kinnerton. At BLE, the Natural History Museum licensing team are looking forward to engaging in discussions across multiple product categories. This year they are particularly targeting apparel, food gifting, health and beauty and homewares, as well as looking to form stronger direct links to retailers.
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NATIONAL GALLERIES OF SCOTLAND
Scotland’s National Art Collection. Yours to Discover... Consumers today are looking for more than beautiful products. They are seeking authenticity, emotional connection and stories with which they can engage. The National Galleries of Scotland offers licensing partners access to one of the UK’s richest cultural resources, with a collection of more than 130,000 artworks. It spans Scottish and International art from the early Renaissance to the present day. As home to the world’s most comprehensive collection of Scottish art, alongside works by some of the greatest names in global art history, including Botticelli, Raphael, Rembrandt, Vermeer, Monet, Cézanne, Picasso, Van Gogh, and many others the collection provides an exceptional foundation for product development across giftware, stationery, homewares, publishing, textiles and lifestyle brands.
tiles, and heritage gifts to lifestyle products. Sir Henry Raeburn’s The Reverend Robert Walker (1755–1808) Skating on Duddingston Loch, affectionately known as The Skating Minister captures a uniquely Scottish sense of character, it continues to inspire products that balance heritage with humour and visual charm.
complement the Scottish collection, creating opportunities for licensing programmes that are both locally distinctive and globally appealing. The collection is rich in decorative imagery inspired by Art Deco and Arts and Crafts, such as Robert Burns’s vibrant stylised mural The Hunt. Originally created for Crawford’s Tea Rooms in Edinburgh during the 1920s, the work features three woodland nymphs surrounded by exotic wildlife in a decorative landscape. Phoebe Anna Traquair’s extraordinary Progress of a Soul series also offers exceptional licensing potential. A central figure in Scotland’s Arts and Crafts movement, Traquair’s work combines symbolism, skill and narrative in a way that feels remarkably contemporary.
With over 2.6 million visitors annually across its galleries and around 3 million website visitors, the National Galleries of Scotland attracts audiences both nationally and internationally. The collection is uniquely positioned to help brands create products with genuine cultural relevance and broad consumer appeal. Its strength lies not only in the quality of the artworks, but in the extraordinary stories behind them. These stories transform products into powerful narratives for retail, marketing, and merchandising. The collection also reflects major international art movements that continue to influence contemporary design. Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works by artists such as Monet, Cézanne and Van Gogh bring global recognition to licensed products. Meanwhile, Picasso and later modern artists introduce opportunities to engage audiences looking for innovation. These internationally recognised names PAGE 48
Scotland’s influence and importance as an artistic centre can be seen in the work of The Scottish Colourists. Inspired by the French Impressionists, artists such as Samuel John Peploe and F.C.B. Cadell transformed familiar subjects into celebrations of colour and light. Their paintings of Iona, still lifes and interiors offer both sophistication and escapism.
For designers and manufacturers, the breadth of the collection means there is imagery to suit every category and consumer demographic. Decorative arts, botanical studies, portraits, landscapes, Celtic Revival works, Arts and Crafts design, Scottish Colourist paintings and internationally recognised masterpieces within Scotland’s national art collection. Licensing with the National Galleries of Scotland is also an opportunity to support one of the nation’s leading cultural institutions. Every licensed product helps extend the reach of Scotland’s national art collection beyond gallery walls while supporting its care, preservation and future development. As consumer demand for authenticity, storytelling and cultural heritage grows, the National Galleries of Scotland collection represents an exceptional licensing opportunity. It is more than a collection of artworks. It is a collection of stories, identities, places and ideas that continue to inspire audiences around the world. To find out more about image licensing opportunities, visit: https://www.nationalgalleries.org/ collection-image-licensing
Scotland’s landscapes and heritage have inspired generations of artists to recreate dramatic Highland scenery, coastal views, castles, and historic architecture. These paintings offer rich opportunities for storytelling and destination-inspired product ranges. Among the collection’s most recognisable works is Sir Edwin Landseer’s The Monarch of the Glen, one of the most famous images of Scotland ever created. More than a painting of a stag, it has become a symbol of Scottish identity. Its enduring appeal makes it a natural fit for everything from homewares, texTOTAL BRAND LICENSING