New ‘Wednesday’ Merch Collection to Launch at Funko, Including First-Ever Makeup Line From Loungefly (EXCLUSIVE)
Funko is making its move into the makeup business with the recent acquisition of cosmetics company HipDot, which will release a collection inspired by Netflix’s smash-hit “Wednesday” as its first project under Funko ownership.
The cosmetics line is just one of several offerings in an upcoming collaboration between Funko and the Jenna Ortega-led MGM TV series, with products that span Funko’s iconic Pop! figurines, as well as its Loungefly accessories and high-end collectibles from its Mondo brand.
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Per Funko, “Celebrating Wednesday Addams’ allergy to color and inspired by the Nevermore Academy uniform, Loungefly’s new accessories will feature a grayscale color palette. Featuring a stripe pattern, the mini backpack, crossbody, wallet, and cardholder are made of twill with a vegan leather trim. The collection will also include a mystery box of pins inspired by Wednesday; and makeup items, marking Loungefly’s first forray into the category.”
This portion of the “Wednesday” collection will only be available at Loungefly.com.
Additionally, Funko is releasing a Pop! figure of “Wednesday” character Enid Sinclair, exclusive to Funko’s website, while Mondo is launching a new life-size collectible of the Addams Family’s disembodied family member, Thing.
A product launch date has not been set yet for the new “Wednesday” collection.
See below for Variety‘s Q&A with Funko’s senior vice president of licensing and emerging brands, Dolly Ahluwalia, about the new “Wednesday” collection and Funko’s move into makeup with the acquisition of HipDot, followed by images of the upcoming “Wednesday” line of products.
Funko has already released some “Wednesday” merchandise in connection with the Netflix series — where did the idea come from for expanding the line and what products to add in?
Dolly Ahluwalia: We always had plans to work on additional products, but the day the show was released and we saw firsthand its unique aesthetic and how fans were engaging, we knew that there would be an appetite for a broader array of items. With the acquisition of Mondo and HipDot it was the perfect opportunity for us to show what Funko can do when we fire across all cylinders.
This project marks Funko’s first foray into makeup following its acquisition of HipDot. What spurred that acquisition and what has the start of the new venture been like?
We have been talking for years about our goal of growing Loungefly, our handbag and accessories division, into a full lifestyle brand. Purchasing HipDot is part of this expansion; they were a small but mighty brand that tapped into a part of the licensed makeup category that many were not. Makeup is an incredibly saturated category and becoming an expert in this field is not easy, which is why it made sense to partner with a company that already had a rabid fan base and deep knowledge in this space. We are still early in the process of integration but have some incredible new products planned for 2024.
Are there other TV series or movies you are looking at releasing similar collections for, across Funko, Loungefly, Mondo and HipDot products? What kind of project is the best fit for this far-reaching approach?
There are, but I can’t tell you what they are yet, sorry! One of the points we are driving home at Licensing Show 2023 is our goal of becoming the ultimate pop culture one stop shop for our licensors and retail partners. There is no other company that not just makes but has expertise in every price point of collectibles, bags and accessories, makeup, posters, records, board games, digital NFT, you name it. However you express your fandom we have the ability to bring that product to life in a meaningful way. I think you will be surprised at the kinds of properties that can benefit from this; as we have been planning 2024 and beyond it’s been amazing to see what’s possible across our five product verticals.
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