The long-term licensing agreement strengthens Movado’s fashion portfolio while expanding Kate Spade’s presence in the global watch market.
Movado Group has signed a new long-term licensing agreement to design, manufacture, and distribute Kate Spade New York watches worldwide, adding another established fashion brand to its licensed portfolio. The agreement, announced Monday, will see the first collections launch in Spring 2027, further expanding Movado’s presence in the accessible luxury watch category while giving Kate Spade a new strategic partner for one of its key accessories businesses.
The appointment follows the conclusion of Kate Spade’s previous watch licensing arrangement and positions Movado as the exclusive global partner responsible for the brand’s timepiece business. Under the agreement, the company will oversee every stage of the category, from product development and design to manufacturing, marketing, and international distribution. For fashion brands operating under licensing models, these partnerships allow them to extend into specialized product categories while relying on companies with dedicated expertise and established global distribution networks.
For Movado, the addition reinforces a licensing strategy that has long been central to its business. Alongside its own brands—including Movado, Concord, Ebel, and Olivia Burton—the company manages watch licenses for fashion houses such as Coach, Tommy Hilfiger, Hugo Boss, Calvin Klein, and Lacoste. Bringing Kate Spade into that portfolio further strengthens its position within the fashion watch segment, particularly among consumers seeking products that combine recognizable brand identities with accessible price points.
Kate Spade also represents a complementary addition to Movado’s existing portfolio. Since its founding in 1993, the New York label has built its identity around optimistic design, colorful expression, and playful femininity, characteristics that have extended across handbags, ready-to-wear, jewelry, footwear, and lifestyle products. Watches have remained an important extension of that universe, serving not only as functional accessories but also as expressions of the brand’s distinctive visual language.
The timing is notable for both companies. While the global watch industry continues to face changing consumer habits and growing competition from smartwatches, licensed fashion timepieces remain an important segment of the market, particularly for brands whose customers seek design-driven accessories rather than traditional Swiss horology. For Movado, expanding its portfolio with another internationally recognized fashion label broadens its consumer reach while reinforcing its licensing business at a time when diversification has become increasingly valuable.
The agreement also illustrates the continued importance of licensing within the luxury and premium fashion industries. Rather than developing highly specialized categories internally, many brands partner with expert manufacturers capable of delivering technical expertise, production capacity, and global retail relationships. These collaborations allow fashion houses to maintain creative oversight while benefiting from partners with decades of category-specific experience.
The first Kate Spade collections under Movado are expected to debut in Spring 2027, marking the beginning of a new chapter for both companies. Beyond introducing new products, the partnership reflects how licensing continues to serve as a strategic growth tool—allowing fashion brands to expand their lifestyle offering while enabling specialized manufacturers like Movado to strengthen their position within an increasingly competitive accessories market.