The appointment furthers the brand’s business strategy to elevate its appeal with millennial parents through unique collaborations, according to the company.
Fisher-Price, the largest division of Mattel, has appointed designer, potter and author Jonathan Adler as creative director.
In a multi-year agreement, Adler is consulting on style direction for Fisher-Price to be interpreted and applied by internal designers and external consumer products partners for children ages 0-to-5 years old.
Adler will debut his new collection this fall with Fisher-Price baby gear, newborn toys, crib bedding, nursery décor and infant apparel, with further expansions in 2017.
“Fisher-Price is an iconic and beloved global brand and it has been a dream to collaborate with them. My goal is to marry modern design with the brand’s expertise in early childhood development,” said Adler in a statement. “Babies-and parents-deserve baby gear and toys as stylish as they are.”
Jean McKenzie, executive vice president, Fisher-Price Global Brands, added, “Jonathan’s influence will bring a modern sensibility to our iconic design. While staying true to what we’ve always stood for-enriching developmental play, quality and safety-we are contemporizing form, function and style to write a new chapter in our brand history.”
This new chapter may help breath some new life into the company, which saw sales down nearly a quarter from 2007 to $1.85 billion in 2015. Additionally, sales in Fisher-Price’s core business-baby gear and baby toys-fell in 15 out of 16 quarterly periods from 2011 through 2015.
Fisher-Price isn’t the only Mattel brand that is getting a makeover. Mattel recently gave Barbie a revamp with the launch of three new body sizes for the doll: curvy, petite and tall.