Though the juniors customer is probably the most fickle in the entire apparel market, she is clinging to one trend: retro properties. Whether American Greetings' Care Bears sleepwear and loungewear from Wish Licensing or Jim Henson's Muppets undies from Sugar D, customers keep on buying--and the end is nowhere in sight. In fact, building on the trend, many licensors who did not ride the initial wave of nostalgia are jumping onto it for back-to-school '03 and spring '04.

The retro resurgence started in specialty stores such as Hot Topic. After the rest of the industry observed their retail success with seemingly has-been properties, they decided to carry similar merchandise. Now, old-school merchandise retails at Wal-Mart as well as the Claire's Stores of the world. Everyone is dusting off yesterday's hits, from Sony with Charlie's Angels to Universal Studios, which has been putting '80s film-based properties like Sixteen Candles and Pretty Pink out on the table.

Mattel is testing the waters with Barbie juniors' apparel for the first me, with T-shirts making a planned debut at Hot Topic into 2004.

"There is so much history to Barbie as a fashion brand and style icon, and we have already had a great deal of success in juniors in Japan--this is another way for us to expand our audience," said Lesley Levinson, director of fashion for Barbie Consumer Products for Mattel. Juniors apparel has already been a hit in Asia much in the same way Sanrio's Hello Kitty has developed a strong teen audience overseas.

Similarly, Sesame Workshop is finding its children's properties are hitting a chord in the juniors' marketplace, though it is maintaining a strong presence in children's wear via its continuing Kmart exclusive. The more retro the character, the better it is selling.

"Apparel has brought us a lot of success, in loungewear through Junk Food and intimates through Jacques Moret. While Elmo is our most popular preschool character, alternative older characters like Snuffleupagus are doing really well at Hot Topic," noted Tamra Seldin, vp of marketing for Sesame Workshop's Global Consumer Products and International TV Distribution division. Again, the brand coexists in both its Kmart exclusive and in the specialty channel. Sesame Workshop plans on emphasizing its 35th anniversary in 2004 in special-edition apparel to further drive home the nostalgia factor.

Though babydoll Ts, boy short panties, camisole tops and other best-selling items continue to sell even better when retro screens are applied, the range of product is also expanding into 2004. United Media is exploring the reach of the classic Charles Shultz Peanuts comic strip property. This time around, the company is expanding into an older audience with Puma-inspired bags, adding extra style and purchase incentive.

"Our Snoopy- and Woodstock-appliqued messenger bags, with trendy sports-influenced silhouettes, are a tremendous hit in the specialty channel with juniors customers, and we are going forward with them for next year," noted Morris Chehebar, president of Accessory Network's KidBiz division.

Juniors are not the only ones feeling nostalgic--retailers have fond memories of kinder, gentler times in which the licensing business and business in general were booming. Thanks to continued performance from retro brands, these memories are becoming reality