Party City Invests in Digital Invitation Supplier Punchbowl

Party City invests $4 million in online digital invitation developer Punchbowl, and will launch its first branded digital invitation and greeting card service. The program, built around Punchbowl’s platform, is available through Party City’s web site and features a broad selection of digital cards containing licensed properties. There are 36 birthday invitations for boys featuring classic Spider-Man, Smiley, Elmo, the Incredible Hulk and Avengers and about 30 for girls, including My Little Pony, Disney Princess and Frozen. In addition to the investment, Party City gets a seat on Punchbowl’s board that will be filled by its EVP Ryan Vero. Punchbowl, founded in 2007, will help Party City expand its ecommerce business, which accounts for about 10% of the 900-store chain’s $2.3 billion in annual revenue.

Contacts:

Party City, Ryan Vero, EVP, rvero@partycity.com

Punchbowl, Matt Douglas, Founder, 508-589-4486

Interparfums Weighing Bid for Jimmy Choo

Interparfums has signed a non-disclosure agreement with Jimmy Choo, barring it from commenting on a reported bid for one of its top-selling fragrance brands, says a company spokeswoman. The fragrance supplier is working with the Chinese private equity group Hony Capital on a joint offer to buy the luxury footwear firm, Women’s Wear Daily reported. Interparfums signed a 12-year licensing agreement with Jimmy Choo for fragrances in 2009. Jimmy Choo is Interparfums’ second bestselling brand behind Montblanc, having generated $90 million in revenue in the year ended Dec. 31, down 2% from a year earlier when the brand’s first men’s fragrance was added. Interparfums is shipping two new fragrances in the second half – Jimmy Choo L’Eau and Man Ice. Jimmy Choo is valued at $921 million. In addition to the Interparfums-Hony bid, CVC Capital Partners and Michael Kors are weighing offers for Jimmy Choo, Skynews reported earlier this month.

Contact:

Interparfums, Russell Greenberg, Chief Financial Officer, 212- 983-2640, rgreenberg@interparfumsinc.com

Zara’s Launching DTR for Farah Fawcett T-Shirts

The late actress Farah Fawcett is taking on a new role as part of direct-to-retail (DTR) agreement with Zara. The t-shirts, which feature a photo of Fawcett taken from her mid-1970s posters, are among the first licensing agreements struck since Beanstalk started representing the Farah Fawcett Foundation last year. Revenue goes to the foundation, which was established following Fawcett’s death from cancer in 2009. In addition to Zara, the Pull & Bear chain will add another version of the DTR t-shirts later this year, says Beanstalk’s Martin Cribbs. Pull & Bear, like Zara, is owned by Spain’s Inditex.

Contact:

Beanstalk, Martin Cribbs, VP Brand Management, 212-303-1130, martin.cribbs@beanstalk.com