Perfecting Your Brand’s Go-to-Market strategy for Europe

Hosted by K&L Gates

In this session our expert panel will look at how luxury brands can optimize their sales strategies in Europe, from exploring dynamic new retail partnership models through to avoiding the traps of the burdensome antitrust law environment in Europe when it comes to pricing and online controls.  We’ll contrast European and U.S. luxury go-to-market strategy options and the available tools for a successful and fully compliant distribution model in Europe which maximises opportunities and limits online brand disruption.

Julia Straus, former CEO, Sweaty Betty

Abby Brand, Legal Counsel, Fiskars Group

Melissa Roth Mendez, Luxury Brand Strategist and Former Global VP, Burberry

Jennifer Marsh, Partner, K&L Gates

Gabriela da Costa, Partner, K&L Gates

Michael Murphy, Partner, K&L Gates

The Multifaceted World of Hybrid Licensing Agreements 

Hosted by Holland & Knight 

Overview: High Fashion, beauty, and luxury brands as well as third party licensees/manufacturers are consistently looking for opportunities to work with celebrities to create memorable content, endorsements and marketing opportunities. At the same time, celebrities are increasingly looking to build their own brands around their personality and/or newly created brands.  In many respects, when a deal is made, these two independent goals often coalesce in the form of a “hybrid” license agreement which has elements of both (i) endorsements as well as (ii) product licensing. 

The goal of this conversation is to discuss the material terms of such hybrid agreements and explain in more detail how they depart from traditional product licensing and endorsement deals.  We will also look at a number of case studies. Further, we will explore important considerations in deal-making from both the perspective of Licensors and Licensees. 

Danielle Garno, Partner, Holland & Knight 

Collaborations: Luxury Brands & Toys

Hosted by Epstein Drangel 

This session will explore the background of recent collaborations between Mattel and certain luxury brands, including its recent collaborations with Balmain, Moncler, Off-White, and Gucci, among others, and will touch upon how the deals developed, their successes, and the unique business and legal challenges involved in bridging the gap between the toy and luxury sectors.

Kerry B. Brownlee, Partner, Epstein Drangel LLP

Daria Licausi, Senior Counsel, Legal and Business Affairs, Mattel Inc.

Racheal Irizarry-Sauer, Senior Counsel, Mattel Inc.

A View from the Trenches: Class Action Threats for Retailers and How to Stay Ahead

Hosted by Benesch

This session will explore recent developments in the retail class action space. Our speakers will delve into new privacy claims, including wiretapping and VPPA (Video Privacy Protection Act) litigation, in addition to important updates in the ongoing waves of pricing and greenwashing litigation. Additionally, this discussion will address the rising threat of mass arbitration, and how retailers can protect themselves.

Stephanie Sheridan, Partner and Chair of the Retail & E-Commerce Practice, Benesch Law 

Meegan Brooks, Partner, Benesch Law

Hot Topics in a Post-Pandemic Supply Chain

Hosted by Greenberg Traurig

This panel will address hot topics in a post-pandemic supply chain where legal issues intersect and strike at the heart of business continuity, compliance and risk mitigation, and the furtherance of social and environmental initiatives.  Key issues include:

• Defining ESG to resonate with key stakeholders: identifying risks and opportunities
• Managing supply chains with increased tariffs including duty mitigation and sourcing strategies
• Forced Labor – focus on protecting the business
• Driving compliance and inclusion through ESG: drafting and implementing Vendor and Employee Code of Conducts
• Global economic impacts on supply chain

Moderator:  John R. Richards, Shareholder, Greenberg Traurig

Laura Siegel Rabinowitz, Shareholder, Greenberg Traurig

Friederike S. Görgens, Shareholder, Greenberg Traurig

Julia K. Hughes, President, United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA)

The Anti Money Laundering and Sanctions Risks of NFTs

Hosted by Crowell & Moring 

Some luxury companies considering creating non-fungible tokens to promote their brands.  If not done properly, this can result in the NFTs being treated as virtual currency, and the companies being treated as money transmitters subject to regulation under federal and state law.  There also can be risks under US sanctions on the sale or distribution of NFTs.  We address these risks in this session and consider ways to avoid or mitigate these risks.

Carlton Greene, Partner, Crowell & Moring LLP

Alexander Urbelis, Senior Counsel, Crowell & Moring LLP

Rachel Zilberfarb Schreiber, Legal Counsel, Wix.com

Private Equity and M&A Trends in Fashion and Beauty: 2023 and Beyond

Hosted By Accordion and Holland & Knight

Despite market volatility and dynamics this year, the fashion and beauty sectors had some blockbuster deals in 2023 (think: L’Oreal and Aesop, Kering and Creed, Tapestry and Capri Holdings, Estée Lauder and TOM FORD). What’s more, many luxury fashion houses are pouring dollars into building and/or rebooting beauty divisions (think: Prada, Dries Van Noten, Valentino, Kering, Richemont). So, what does 2024 hold for these sectors? How are these industries innovating to remain desirable to transactions during a recessionary economic environment? In this session, we’re bringing together experts from the Private Equity and Brand worlds to dig deep on these industries’ rampant M&A activity and top deal trends – as well as hot button topics like Generative AI, IPOs (think: Birkenstock going public this year), strategic global expansion, and more – to get a clearer picture of what’s to come for fashion and beauty for the remainder of 2023 and beyond.

Penny Tehrani-Littrell, Managing Director and General Counsel, Accordion 

Leslie Mahre, Partner, Holland & Knight

Pascal Houdayer, CEO, Orveon Global

Jessica Parry, Principal, Blackstone

Lucy Chen, Principal, L Catterton