Opening up two new product segments, Arena has signed a swimwear licensing deal with Mattel for children between the ages of 3 and 10, and is launching Body Lift, a sexy new line of women’s swimwear with special cuts. At the same time, the company has developed a new performance swimsuit for competition that it has submitted to FINA, the international swimming federation, for certification.
Executives of Arena say they have the support of many swimming champions, coaches and of the national federations of the U.S. and Australia, among others, for a technical swimsuit that uses no polyurethane patches for flotation, unlike the latest record-winning model of Speedo. Adidas’ latest development uses a new Japanese material, but little could be found about its characteristics or its actual performance.
The contract with Mattel gives Arena exclusive rights for two lines of swimwear and accessories for boys and girls under the famous brands of Barbie and Hot Wheels. The contract covers all the countries including North America but not Japan, where Descente has the rights to the Arena brand name. Arena cannot sell the line in the mass market or toy shops.
The new Body Lift line makes use of a new material, Sensitive Life, developed by Eurojersey for the wellness sector. The suits are lightweight, seamless and dry quickly. Some models use a new ink-jet printing technology that produces final color tonalities and more complex designs.
