In the midst of the European fashion weeks, with their circus of shocky catwalks and glossy presentations, we had the chance to meet Smiley Company’s CEO Nicolas Loufrani, talking about how his brand has mastered the art of developing long-term licensed brand collaboration with likeminded fashion brands, where participation is fluid and reciprocity is everything.
Brand Jam: Hi Nicolas tell me more about your successes in licensed collaborations, I think the best example is your ongoing partnership with Anya Hindmarch?
Nicolas Loufrani: We have been co-creating with Anya since 2015, we launched with one SKU, her now iconic ‘Have A Nice Day’ Smiley python skin tote bag, and since then our relationship has blossomed. Today Smiley is a core element of Hindmarch’s seasonal collections, which has now extended to over 150 Smiley styles across footwear, clothing and accessories, and the business generates over €10million a year in revenue. On top of this Anya also creates global marketing campaigns to support her launches, which give Smiley amazing visibility across her entire retail portfolio. This partnership sets the benchmark for what brands can achieve with Smiley.
B.J.: So there is a recipe to make collaborations last more than one single season, or a capsule?
N.L.: “When brands chose Smiley, they get to understand that we offer a lot more than just being another one-season collab. Our approach is to create long term and mutually beneficial relationships that reflects who we are as a brand and what we believe in, and this really drive’s authenticity and success. We focus on being agile and aligned creatively with our partners, offering advice and guidance to develop a business where Smiley becomes a seasonal staple within their collections. This is definitely the case with our 5 main collaborations this season; Ami Paris, Anya Hindmarch, Chinatown Market, Joshua Sanders and Moschino. We also have a 130th anniversary collection with Lee Jeans and are about to launch a backpack line with Eastpak. Whilst we are happy to look at seasonal capsules in isolation, ultimately we really want brands to try and see the bigger picture potential from something longer term and more meaningful with us.”
B.J.: Smiley’s unique position continues to attract some of the world’s hippest brands for collaborations, and this includes Fendi, Gucci, Jean-Charles de Castalbajac, Lee Jeans, Moncler, Palladium, Stella McCartney and even Supreme amongst many others, right?
N.L: We’re very well positioned for collabs, there are lots of likeminded brands who share our passion for spreading happiness and it’s pretty amazing to be able to work with such diverse elements of the fashion world and watch them all create their own completely unique interpretation of Smiley. I personally really enjoy working with these brands, as they not only sell to the cool opinion leaders, but I love to see Smiley on creative products and these are the ones I want to wear myself. We work really hard to leverage these, we have created a Smiley shop portal only featuring our collaborations, we also show them on Instagram and they have a section on our Pinterest. This is the image of Smiley we want the public to remember, a brand about creativity and positivity.
B.J: It’s easy to see why so many are attracted to Smiley’s message of happiness and positivity. However it’s Smiley’s recent collaborations with ‘streetwear brand of the moment’ Chinatown Market, that has attracted acclamation from buyers, journalists and tastemakers alike.
N.L.: Sure.That partnership has a unique 3-way licensing approach, that facilitates sub-collaborations across a range of specialist products with industry leading brands like; Timex, Guess, Converse, Urbanears, The Hundreds, Stance Socks, Cole Haan and even an NBA promo with Puma. This is the way we like to do things in the collaborations space, always trying to be innovative and finding new ways of doing things to the best of our abilities.
B.J: Have you got any other big plans for Smiley over the next 12 months?
N.L.: “We’ve just launched our latest major project – Smiley Movement>, a global non-profit business aiming to tackle big issues in society by matching people and organisations that can help solve problems, with others that need solutions. For all intents and purposes Smiley Movement is a ‘matchmaker for good’ platform that will help to mobilise good ideas and social projects and accelerate social investment. I think it’s really important today for brands to do their bit to make a difference and to do it in a way that empowers people towards positive change. The new and next generation of consumers (millenials and Gen-Z) are socially conscious and impacted by brands that they view are making a positive impact on our world and that’s very much the Modus Operandi of Smiley Movement. It also sends a message to our partners and prospects that by associating with Smiley, you align with a brand having a positive impact on our world and this can be really positive for your image and reconnect you with a new world where giving back becomes the norm.
Check out the Smiley collabs on this photogallery