Dolly Parton – Speckled Bird Productions (IMG)
In 2025, Dolly Parton set a new benchmark for celebrity licensing excellence, reinforcing her brand as one of the most powerful and enduring in the global marketplace. The launch of Dolly Beauty quickly became a standout success, with sales on TikTok Shop and strong social engagement. In fashion, a collaboration with Good American delivered the brand’s most successful celebrity launch to date, achieving 74% sell-through in its first day. Meanwhile, partner Conagra Brands expanded Dolly’s food portfolio into frozen desserts and meals, securing nationwide distribution at Walmart and Target and earning industry recognition for its award-winning frozen cheesecake. From value retail with Dollar General to premium placement at Nordstrom and Selfridges, Dolly Parton’s brand demonstrates exceptional cross-generational appeal and unmatched multi-tier retail reach, setting the gold standard for modern celebrity brand licensing.
Grateful Dead – Warner Music Experience
In 2025, Grateful Dead celebrated their 60th anniversary with a milestone year of cultural relevance, commercial success, and innovation! Loewe and Alice + Olivia launched elevated women’s collections with styles selling out immediately. Malbon debuted the first installment of a six-part, artist-driven partnership across fashion and golf accessories, selling out at its flagship launch. The “Grateful Ducks” Air Max 90 with Nike and the University of Oregon honored the band’s Eugene roots, drawing more than 50,000 attendees on game day. The band partnered with Verve on organic Ethiopian coffee and Dogfish Head Brewery on a pale ale brewed with sustainable Kernza grain, recognized as the number one innovation six-pack in craft beer. Dead in the Kitchen, the band’s official cookbook, achieved nationwide retail success. Grateful Dead released a highly exclusive Arc’teryx jacket and set of Atomic skis in celebration of Mountains of the Moon, an artistic film by Chris Benchetler set to music by the band. Other collaborations included Vineyard Vines, BE@RBRICK, Lids, Hedley & Bennett, Wrangler, GU, and thisisneverthat.
Iron Maiden – Iron Maiden LLP (Global Merchandising Services)
Iron Maiden’s global licensing program is distinguished by its rare combination of authenticity, creative control, and global scale, demonstrating how a music brand can grow commercially while remaining true to its DNA. Celebrating its 50th Anniversary in 2025, Iron Maiden collaborated with approximately 100 licensing partners worldwide, spanning apparel, collectibles, lifestyle, beverages, gaming, publishing, and premium collaborations. What truly sets Iron Maiden apart is its multi-generational appeal and its fan-first, band-led approach to licensing. Every product is carefully curated, design-driven, and rooted in the band’s iconic imagery, storytelling, and touring legacy. This disciplined yet innovative strategy has resulted in strong sell-through, repeat partnerships, and sustained global demand, cementing Iron Maiden as one of the most successful and enduring music-led licensing programs in the marketplace.
Martha Stewart – Marquee Brands
The Martha Stewart brand further set the benchmark for modern lifestyle leadership in 2025, demonstrating unmatched cultural relevance, lifestyle authority, and global reach across media, retail, and consumer products. The year marked major publishing milestones, with the release of Martha Stewart’s 100th and 101st books debuting as New York Times best sellers, alongside growing anticipation for the reissue of her seminal first title, Entertaining. Media leadership expanded with the 100th episode of The Martha Stewart Podcast, 11 Emmy nominations across Martha-branded Roku programming, and the Emmy-nominated Netflix documentary Martha, which introduced the brand’s story to a new generation and charted in Netflix’s Top 10 in over 41 countries. Expanding its global footprint, the brand opened its first freestanding stores in Dubai. Numerous in-person brand experiences and new category launches across home, food, hospitality, beauty, and collectibles further reinforced Martha Stewart’s continued growth as a multi-generational lifestyle platform.
Oasis – Oasis Merchandising Ltd (Global Merchandising Services)
Oasis has delivered a standout year as a global licensed brand, blending iconic heritage with modern cultural relevance, with nearly 30 active licensees and distribution spanning over 64 countries. The brand’s strength is reflected in premium collaborations and licensing partnerships, including Adidas, Levi’s, CASETIFY, and Represent, alongside a diverse product portfolio covering apparel, accessories, and collectibles that engage both long-time fans and new audiences worldwide. Localised and global retailers have worked closely with licensees to deliver a wide product roll-out to coincide with the most high-profile tour of 2025, including C&A Brazil, Walmart, H&M, Bershka, Pull & Bear, Abercrombie and Fitch, Hollister, and Target. With consistent international growth, high-profile partners, and enduring fan demand, Oasis continues to set the benchmark for music-led licensing, demonstrating exceptional commercial performance and lasting brand relevance on a truly global scale.
The Rolling Stones – MUSIDOR BV (Bravado)
The greatest rock and roll band of all time crossed over to become one of the most recognisable pop culture logos of all time, transcending generations and fashions. The Rolling Stones continue to push boundaries, forge dynamic new partnerships, maintain exceptional brand recognition, and maintain an elite level of performance both musically and commercially. Our flagship store on Carnaby Street (RS No. 9) continues to drive the standards of our retail and commercial operation. Retail distribution is amongst the best for any licensed brand, let alone music specifically. Through the twin pillars of music merchandise and design iconography, The Rolling Stones brand resonates at all levels of retail, be it in the premium space, fashion specialty, mass retailers, or independents and mom-and-pops. Irrespective, 2025 has seen the Rolling Stones launch some of our most dynamic and ambitious partnerships to date, including launching luxury fragrances, a disruptive Formula 1 collaboration, an industry leading upcycling project breathing new life into tour deadstock, and millions of retail consumer touch points.
