With the Footwear Show New York Expo back in step this week, licensing is moving across all categories from formal wear to exercise shoes, sneakers and sandals.

For example, Nicky Hilton Rothschild, great-granddaughter of the late hotel magnet Conrad Hilton, launched her fourth collection of flats and sneakers with French Sole, the latest in an eco-friendly line that’s made from recycled cotton (25%) and polyester and linen (19% each). And Kathy Ireland brand slippers, socks and shoes were introduced, among the first output of a 5-year licensing agreement with Reliable of Milwaukee, best known for its Muk Luks brand.

Meanwhile, high-profile makers of performance athletic footwear continue to strike collaboration agreements with streetwear brands and artists.

And then there are the organic (non-licensed) relationships with entertainment properties that yield unanticipated benefits, such as the sharp spike in sales of Vans canvas slip-on sneakers after a cameo on the feet of “Squid Game” competitors.

Among recent developments:

Entertainment:

• Adidas is bringing a retro Star Wars twist with the Samba “Sarlacc Pit” colorway that harkens back Boba Fett’s escape in the 1983 film Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of The Jedi. And that’s after Adidas used its Stan Smith label to further extend its partnership with South Park to include four characters. This includes Adidas Stan Smith “Stan Marsh” shoes which are inspired by the character’s iconic brown jacket with a red collar.
• Puma earlier this week announced an agreement with Mattel for “Masters of the Universe” footwear, a first for the brand, which has undergone a revival since “Masters of the Universe: Revelation” was released on Netflix in July. The Puma Clyde features colors that match He-Man’s outfit and has a die-cut He-Man figure on its side, while Puma Suede pays homage to the series’ famed villain Skeletor.

Corporate:

• Clorox’s Hidden Valley Ranch salad dressing may not come to mind as a footwear brand, but Crocs licensed it for a limited edition that combined its colors with hamburger and pizza Jibbitz charms, foods that “complement” the dressing. It quickly sold out at $69 and was being offered on the StockX resale site on Wednesday at $249.
• Crocs also added a collaboration with Benefit Cosmetics that adds sparkles and pink color to its classic clogs, and venture with footwear designer Salehe Bembury for “Cucumber” and “Menemsha” footwear that launches via the Crocs web site on Dec. 14.

Streetwear:

• Nike continues to go deep with streetwear brands. Late last month it announced a partnership with the streetwear brand A Ma Maniere that added a snakeskin version of the Nike swoosh to the popular Air Jordan Retro High OG. That agreement followed deals with Netherlands-based brand Patta and Brooklyn, NY artist Chitose Abe and her Sacai imprint.
• Reebok jumped into fray in partnering with hip hop artist ASAP Rocky, who parted with Nike’s Converse brand earlier this year after a four-year run. The designs started with classic Reebok sneakers and have been expanded to the Zig Kinetica II Edge footwear.
• Also on tap is a further extension New Balance’s co-branded collection with streetwear brand Stray Rats that’s due later this month, building on an agreement that started in January.