Miffy looks forward to an even busier 2025
Miffy, the delightful bunny loved by children and adults alike for nearly seven decades, is celebrating a major birthday next year – after a lot of successes this year, including a fantastic night at the recent Junior Magazine design awards.
The fabulous Miffy x Cath Kidston range was declared joint silver winner in the Junior Design Awards in the Best Children’s Fashion Collection category at the event hosted by the leading kids fashion, decor and shopping publication. This follows a win for the Miffy x Cath Kidston range in the 2024 Licensing Awards in the highly competitive Best Licensed Giftware, Home Décor, Tableware or Housewares category.
The timing could hardly be better for a collection that is not just award-winning but has been so popular that its first launch sold out quickly. It’s now back in Next stores, bigger and better than before, for the autumn/winter market – but that’s not all. The collection was a highlight of the triumphant opening of a new, dedicated Cath Kidston store that took place at Westfield White City.
The returning collection sees an artful merging of illustrative worlds that partners Cath Kidston’s painterly florals with Miffy’s beloved graphic joy. The Cath Kidston design team took inspiration from Dick Bruna’s creative process and the imaginative world he crafted with colour. The result is a refreshed curation of irresistible bags and accessories for women and children, along with pyjamas, dresses and homewares, including both the sold-out favourites fans have called out for as well as new pieces across tableware and womenswear.
Rocket Licensing, which manages UK licensing on behalf of brand owner Mercis, has just signed Blueprint Collections, creator of beautiful and stylish stationery and accessories, to develop a range of Miffy stationery and gifts. The Carat Shop, the jewellery and hair accessories specialist, has also joined the licensing programme and will develop a range of Miffy product for launch next year.
A number of other new product launches from existing partners are in progress. These include baby and toddler leggings, socks and tops from Blade & Rose, new babywear from Dennicci, duvet covers and cushions from Dreamtex, phone cases, dressing gowns and pyjamas from Skinnydip and a recently launched card range from Woodmansterne, all underlining Miffy’s huge consumer appeal.
And activity will ramp up further in 2025 when the classic brand created by Dick Bruna celebrates its 70th anniversary. Expect major promotions and wide media coverage for what is surely one of the world’s best-loved brands. Many more licensing and retail announcements are also in the pipeline for 2025, including at least one big new launch collection in early 2025.
An important part of the brand’s success is its multigenerational appeal. As well as the baby, toddler and young girls’ and boys’ demographics, the brand is also popular with older teens and women, with notable success in apparel, bags and accessories from Fashion UK and Daisy Street. These are opportunities that Rocket and Mercis will continue to address throughout the coming year.
As Rob Wijeratna, Joint Managing Director of Rocket Licensing, explains: “These awards and new partners underline the strength and awareness of the Miffy brand across multiple demographics and the sheer delight that Miffy brings to so many people. All of these factors will be a major theme of 2025 when licensing, retail and Miffy’s millions of fans worldwide join in the celebrations for the 70th birthday of a character that is more popular and loved than ever. We’re looking forward enormously to supporting this wonderful anniversary.”
