Wrangler Aims to Re-create Barbie Magic with Hot Wheels
Wrangler and Mattel Inc. are joining forces for a second time.
The Kontoor Brands-owned denim brand unveiled Thursday a nostalgia-driven Hot Wheels collection. The streetwear-inspired lineup spans denim, jackets, coveralls and graphic tees in coordinating youth and adult styles. A limited-edition Wrangler branded miniature diecast ’85 Ford Bronco is also available.
More from Sourcing Journal
Designs like blue and yellow coveralls nod to Wrangler’s Nascar history. Patches of a bucking horse celebrates the brand’s Western roots and Hot Wheels horsepower. A button-down shirt and graphic tees combine Hot Wheels’ flame logo with racing flags, tires and other automobile motifs.
Denim items include laser printed jackets and jeans, a Western shirt with patches, cargo jeans and cutoff shorts with flame details on the pockets.
The collection is available now on Wrangler.com and in select stores. It retails for $30-$150.
Wrangler teamed with Mattel last fall on a Barbie collection. The women’s and girls’ line of tees, denim and fleeces became Wrangler’s fast-selling collaboration, underscoring the retail power of the doll franchise and the blockbuster “Barbie” movie starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling.
Hot Wheels is the next franchise to get the Hollywood treatment. In 2022, Mattel and Warner Bros. Pictures announced that J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot will produce a live-action motion picture featuring the iconic and timeless toy racing car.
“Partnering with Hot Wheels has been a collision of heritage and horsepower,” said Holly Wheeler, vice president of global marketing, Kontoor. “Tapping into the resurgence of motorsport and inspired by the classic American iconography and nostalgia of both brands, Wrangler x Hot Wheels hits the market at full speed and ignites a beloved pastime shared from generation to generation.”
Solve the daily Crossword
