King Features Syndicate, a unit of Hearst and home to some of the world’s most popular entertainment characters, announced the international expansion of Popeye and Olive Oyl into select areas of Central and South America through new apparel collaborations. Multinational retailer, Permoda (KOAJ), and Ecuadorian textile brand, Cornejotex, both recently debuted new collections inspired by the iconic comic characters and their unique, recognizable fashion styles. The deals were negotiated by King Features’ agent in Latin America, Tycoon.
The dynamic multinational retailer and manufacturer, Permoda (KOAJ), recently unveiled its Popeye and Olive Oyl collection, which is currently available exclusively at their retail stores and website, KOAJ, in Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Colombia. The inspiration to create a clothing collection came from Popeye’s rugged, nautical style and his personality as someone who is persistent and fights for his values. The full line includes shirts, blouses and hoodies in various sizes for men, women, and kids.
Ecuadorian textile company, Cornejotex, also debuted a collection with high-quality apparel and designs featuring Olive Oyl’s unique fashion sense. Inspired by Olive Oyl’s renowned minimalist, retro style, the collection was brought to life through the increasingly popular loungewear style, which features natural colors, soft textures and cotton bases.
“We’re incredibly proud to witness Popeye and Olive Oyl’s growth internationally, specifically expansion into South and Central America with two new partners. We echo the sentiments of Permoda and Cornejotex when it comes to the relatability and iconic imagery of Popeye and Olive Oyl that transcends comics into fashion globally,” said Carla Silva, Vice President/GM, global head of licensing, King Features.
The two new collections from Permoda and Cornejotex follow on the heels of many recent successful international fashion collaborations for the iconic Popeye and Olive Oyl characters, including Iceberg, Moncler, Intimissimi, WROGN and more.
Sailor. Tough guy. Hero. Legend. That’s Popeye. An underdog with bulging forearms, a mean uppercut and a love of canned spinach. Unassuming, unsophisticated and undeterred by a challenge, from the minute he walked into the comic strip, The Thimble Theatre, and muttered his famous “Ja think I’m a cowboy?” line, Popeye the Sailor Man captured the hearts of millions of fans around the globe. As the star of his own comic strips and animated content on the big screen and small, Popeye became quickly ingrained in American culture, and today remains one of the most recognizable pop culture icons in the world. Popeye celebrated his 90th anniversary in 2019.