KNOCKOUT LICENSING TO EXPAND BEST-SELLING DESIGNER TANYA WHELAN™ INTO HOME DÉCOR AND MORE

 NEW YORK (January 13, 2016) – Designer Tanya Whelan has appointed Knockout Licensing to develop a licensing program that brings her best-selling fabric designs into a wide range of new product categories, with an emphasis on Home Décor.
“I’ve been extremely fortunate to be able to design fabrics and craft papers that have consistently been top sellers in their categories and that have provided consumers with products they value. I knew there was a market for my designs that wasn’t being fulfilled when I started designing fabric almost a decade ago. I feel strongly now that consumers who love my designs on fabric and craft items will also love them in other product categories – from bedding and housewares to infant layette and gifts – and beyond. I’m incredibly excited to be working with the Knockout team to bring that to fruition,” says Whelan.
Approximately 400 designs in various colorways are now available for licensing from Tanya Whelan’s 20 fabric collections produced thus far. The distinctive designs range from soft, romantic florals to bold, vibrant vintage kitsch to eclectic modern.  Tanya Whelan is known for blending the romance of the past with a contemporary sensibility. Her fabrics and craft papers are sold in stores across the U.S. and around the world.  Additional retailers include Hobby Craft, Liberty of London, and John Lewis in the U.K. as well as Karstadt in Germany.
Whelan has also has written two instructional sewing books published by Random House, that explain to readers how to make their own dresses, bags, and other sewing projects. Whelan’s work has been featured in many national publications including Martha Stewart Living, Country Home (cover), Romantic Homes (cover), and McCall’s Quilting (cover).
“As soon as I saw Tanya’s designs, my mind raced with all of the product possibilities that her work really lends itself to,” said Tamra Knepfer, President, Knockout Licensing. “Her popular floral designs are simply beautiful and their soft simplicity with bolder colors are unlike anything else currently in the marketplace. One look at the breadth and beauty of her designs and it’s clear as to why these have proven successful at retail.  Knowing that these designs are already best-sellers in fabrics, makes the potential of expending them into a wide array of product categories very exciting indeed!”
Knockout is now seeking licensing partners across all applicable product categories, including home furnishings and home décor, housewares, fashion accessories, infant layette, gifts, and paper products.
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 About Tanya Whelan
Tanya Whelan is a well-known designer of beautiful fabrics for Coats and Clark, craft papers, scrapbooking products and sewing patterns. She is the author of the popular sewing books for Random House “Sew What You Love: The Easiest, Prettiest Projects Ever” (2011) and “Sew Many Dresses Sew Little Time: The Ultimate Dressmaking Guide” (2015). Known for her fresh, vintage-modern style, Whelan’s work is featured frequently in national publications including Martha Stewart Living, Country Home, Romantic Homes, McCalls Quilting, Quilts and More, and Sew News, as well as on Decor8, Sew Mama Sew, True Up, and Craftzine.
About Knockout Licensing
Knockout Licensing (www.knockoutlicensing.com) is a dynamic, full-service boutique licensing agency that creates customized, innovative, and strategic merchandise programs for a varied portfolio including entertainment, digital media, fashion/trend, publishing, corporate brands, characters, and children’s properties.  In addition to Tanya Whelan, notable Knockout Licensing client properties include television drama Downton Abbey™ (NBCUniversal International Studios); Outlander™ (Sony Pictures Television), and Poldark™ (iTV Studios); social media canine celebrity Boo, The World’s Cutest Dog™; beloved classic family franchise Little House on the Prairie®; the Smithsonian Libraries’ Seed Catalog Collection, The Michelangelo Collection™, Rita’s Italian Ice™ and more.  Formed in 2012, Knockout Licensing is a joint-venture headed by CopCorp Licensing’s Carole Postal and TK Brand Group’s Tamra Knepfer, bringing together two of the most well-respected professionals in the industry.
Press Contact:
Ken Wong
Knockout Licensing
(212) 947-5958
kwong@copcorp.com