SpongeBob Gold At LFW
To kick off a year-long SpongeBob Gold international campaign, Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products (NVCP) has unveiled the SpongeBob Gold fashion collection at London Fashion Week.
An innovative collaboration with six international designers – Peter Jensen, Bobby Abley, Salar, Maria Francesca Pepe, Suecomma Bonnie and Bad Denim – the SpongeBob Gold fashion collection features clothing for men and women as well as footwear, accessories and jewelry. SpongeBob Gold will be available at retail exclusively outside of the U.S. from May 2017, with retail partnerships to be announced in the coming weeks.
“SpongeBob is a design icon,” said Charlotte Castillo, SVP of brand management and creative for Nickelodeon and Viacom Consumer Products (NVCP).
“The show’s art and lovable characters have been interpreted by designers into consumer products around the world, and we’re thrilled to have these six SpongeBob Gold fashion collection designers put their own spin on this global icon. What makes this collection special is the way each designer has incorporated SpongeBob into their own trademark style. By bringing SpongeBob into their world and incorporating the element of gold, our collaborators have created beautiful items unlike anything we have seen before.”
Inspired by Nickelodeon’s incurably optimistic and earnest sea sponge, SpongeBob SquarePants, the SpongeBob Gold collection features classic SpongeBob iconography embellished with a golden twist. Featuring 27 items, the collection includes exclusive designs from some of the biggest names in fashion, such as unisex sweatshirts by Peter Jensen, t-shirts by Bobby Abley, vintage embroidered pieces by Bad Denim, patchwork sneakers by Suecomma Bonnie, stand-out accessories by Salar and charm-adorned jewelry by Maria Francesca Pepe. The new designer collaborations form part of the year-long SpongeBob SquarePants Gold international campaign from Nickelodeon. Across the next 12 months, Nickelodeon will celebrate everything that makes SpongeBob one of the most iconic animated characters in the world: his humour, optimism and heart of gold. The campaign will include activations on-air, online, and on social media as well as additional product and retail launches.
Designer's Bio:
Bad Denim
Erin Fridja opened Bad Denim in Clapton, East London, in May 2014 to offer denim and only denim.
The store is a revelation; surprising and delighting with Erin’s denim finds from around the world, including the best selection of vintage denim in London, a curated edit of the best denim brands on the planet and limited edition collections of customised vintage denim.
Vintage Levi, Wrangler and Lee jeans are designed and reworked by hand in London with embellishment. embroidery and applique.
“When approached to design SpongeBob-inspired jeans, everything else fell to the back of the queue. SpongeBob is a yellow square of positivity and optimism and I knew instantly that I wanted to incorporate my favourite part of the show’s theme song - ‘He lives in a pineapple under the sea’ into my designs.” Erin Fridja
(Bad Denim Sketch)
Bobby Abley
Bobby Abley is known for his unique charm, wit and humour - blending nostalgic and playful imagery with a contemporary menswear design.
Launching his namesake label in 2012 and receiving a place on the prestigious MAN catwalk for the inaugural London Collections: Men, Bobby Abley is one of the breakthrough menswear names of recent years.
Now part of the NEWGEN platform from the London design studio, Bobby Abley has taken the international markets by storm and is available exclusively through the world’s leading retailers. Firmly established and instantly recognisable, the unstoppable momentum of the Bobby Abley brand continues.
“It is such an honour to work with a lifelong hero of mine, the one and only SpongeBob, as I say, I’m excited my Bear and SpongeBob are finally meeting. I’ll SpongeBob your SquarePants!" Bobby Abley
Maria Francesca Pepe
Italian Designer Maria Francesca Pepe was born in Foggia, Puglia on 5 March 1979. In 1997, Maria relocated to Milan to study Literature and Philosophy at Universita Statale di Milano. After two years she decided to focus on Fashion, eventually accomplishing her BA in Fashion Design at the Marangoni Institute in 2003.
After graduating, Maria freelanced as a Womenswear designer for Blumarine, Luciano Soprani and Kookai. In 2005, Maria moved to London to complete her Master Degree in Womenswear at the Central Saint Martins College, directed by the late Professor Louise Wilson. Her final degree collection was showcased as the show finale at the London Fashion Week in 2007, and gained the attention of both press and buyers.
Following the MA and while working alongside designer Jens Laugesen and at Vivienne Westwood's for about a year, Maria Francesca founded her eponymous brand. The Maria Francesca Pepe avant-garde fashion jewellery brand was introduced for the first time in Paris for Spring-Summer 2008, accounting Dover Street Market as its first ever stockist. Maria currently lives and works with her team in London, Fulham.
MFP's SpongeBob Gold Jewellery Collection
“I’ve always felt the concept of pop defined the core of my creations. Developing an exclusive capsule collection of jewellery featuring the pop sensation SpongeBob felt such a match! I based the collection on SpongeBob's variety of super cute facial expressions, so you could wear your own mood as a charm. I find SpongeBob’s positive vibe and vibrant energy so addicting. He wears his heart on his sleeve and that's why I love him. SpongeBob’s underwater world is so realistic and ironic at the same time; I feel like I live in Bikini Bottom myself at times.” Maria Francesca Pepe
Salar
Bags designed as creative, unique objects fusing an eye-catching aesthetic with practical functionality. This is the core business of Salar, the brand founded in 2010 in Milan by Mexican Salar Bicheranloo in collaboration with his both business and real life partner, Italian Francesca Monaco. Both graduated at Milanese prestigious Politecnico University, Salar Bicheranloo and Francesca Monaco combined their skills, matured in the design and fashion businesses respectively, to develop a line of Made in Italy bags infused with a rock-glam attitude tempered by a very feminine spirit.
Salar is sold in 150 high-end stores across 30 countries, including La Rinascente in Milan, Luisa Via Roma in Florence, I.T. Hong Kong, Galleries Lafayette and Fenwich in the UK, as well as online at Shopbop and at the company’s e-commerce.
Salar Bag
“It has been so exciting to work on SpongeBob Gold, we LOVE SpongeBob for many reasons… but mainly because he cooks the best krabby patties!” Salar Bicheranloo and Francesca Monaco
Suecomma Bonnie
Regarded as Korea's first luxury shoe brand, Suecomma Bonnie was founded by entrepreneur Bo-hyun (or Bonnie) Lee in 2003 and has since become one of the Korea’s biggest success stories. Trained as a menswear designer and owner of a popular boutique in Seoul, Lee launched her own footwear brand in 2006. Through her own boutique, Bonnie`Next Door, Lee offered ready-to-wear and bespoke designs all combining innovative, striking design with wearability and comfort. Feminine and sexy, Suecomma Bonnie started distributing outside of Korea in 2008 and is now available in 120 stockists in over 40 countries. “There’s just something about SpongeBob that makes everyone smile! That’s why I love him. I wanted to create something special to celebrate his heart of gold.” Bonnie Lee
Suecomma Bonnie Sketches
Peter Jensen
Danish-born Peter Jensen is one of London fashion’s most cherished and recognizable figures. Born in Denmark and educated at Central Saint Martins, he established the Peter Jensen brand in 1999 and has been showing as part of London Fashion Week since 2001.
Known for a mastery of colour and print, including the signature rabbit motif, the brand caters to a loyal customer base of men and women looking for contemporary design that incorporates charm and wit into wearable clothing.
The brand has moved from niche to established with over 150 stockists worldwide.
“I have watched SpongeBob for as long as I can remember, he is part of my Saturday morning ritual in the same way a boiled egg with salt is. I wonder what it is about SpongeBob that makes so many grown-ups watch his show again and again. It must be his silly, naive, friendly way that just makes everyone happy! Mrs. Puff is my absolute favourite but of course I love SpongeBob, Patrick, Gary and the rest of the clan. It’s been great fun to be part of this project and having my rabbit live in the world alongside SpongeBob, imagine how fun would it be if my rabbit could do a guest appearance on the show?!” Peter Jensen
Peter Jensen Hand Drawn