The Backpack: Issue #59

Fisherman Core Makes a (Merch) Splash for Spring!

🎣 Get ready to reel in the hottest trend of Spring 2025 (and brace yourself for the puns!) "Fisherman Core" is making waves in fashion, and we're totally hooked! This sea-worthy style combines rugged maritime workwear with contemporary fashion. How can merch take advantage of this trend? Think light Spring sweaters, fish-shaped merch, boat totes, or nautical themed campaigns, and don’t forget those classic fisherman beanies and a rain jacket. The trend is swimming upstream from its utilitarian roots and landed on street style runway shows with everyone taking the bait on this nautical aesthetic. Be the first to share with your client ideas from our collection here and reel it in backpackers! 

70’s inspired merch is big for Spring/Summer

The big LA “Garden State” concert featuring Zach Braff, Natalie Portman, and friends was a once-in-a-lifetime live experience and had all the stars: The Shins, Remy Zero, Milk Carton Kids, Colin Hay, Imogen Heap of Frou Frou, Sarah Paulson, Iron & Wine, Thievery Corp, but the real start? This 70’s inspired merch collab with California based brand Aviator Nation. Check this groovy low-rise trucker, on-trend mocha hoodie, concert crew, but our fave? This colorful concert hoodie with rad sleeve stripes. 

 

The “branded product agency” that is anything but ordinary

LR Paris is a brand’s "private chef," cooking up bespoke solutions that build a strong “emotional dollar value” for their customers. A globally connected, full-service branded product agency operating in over 45 countries with clients that include American Express, H&M, Tom Ford, Ritz Carlton, Marriott and The White House, we chat with Francis Pierrel, CEO, who has held pivotal CEO and Brand President roles at some of the world’s most iconic fashion brands, including Ralph Lauren, Club Monaco, Lacoste, Diesel, and Urban Outfitters. Tune in as we chat about this cross-section of fashion and merch! 

You need to double down on customer experience in 2025, how? Camp with us.

Want to learn how to craft an unforgettable customer experience? At skucamp, keynote Dan Gingiss is showing us how, plus, we’re tackling all the critical topics (tariffs, building a sales team, supply chain) and even insights on ethical sourcing, raising leaders in your biz, developing an agency mindset, fashion-forward merch, and innovative lead-gen tactics. Only a handful of seats left, grab your spot! 

Welcome commonsku’s new VP of Technology Dileshni Jayasinghe! 

We're thrilled to announce that Dileshni Jayasinghe has joined the commonsku team as our new VP of Technology! Dileshni is building on an incredible foundation built by Chief Technology Officer, Michael Armstrong, who after twelve years with commonsku, retired in May. Dileshni brings over 15 years of experience in designing and building scalable software systems and a strong passion for AI led development and the future of commonsku is brighter than ever! Stay tuned, because with Dileshni on board, we're geared up for some seriously awesome advancements in AI, enterprise, shops, and more!

Warmer weather brings the bikes + merch

LaMarche is a Portland based bike shop that does merch right: playful, timely, and on-brand including transitional pieces like these long sleeve mockneck tees “Get Bent” designed by the artist Bill Rebholz. We talk a lot about how great brands under stand their niche and their core audience and it shows in their merch like these tool pouches for bikers or these risque bumper stickers or this brazer tee (a brazer is “a person who makes a joint between two metal surfaces by fusing a layer of brass or high-melting solder between them”) total bike nerdy goodness. Merch on LaMarche! 

The hottest piece of merch in London is this cap

The National Portrait Gallery in London drops a merch collection alongside its exhibition dedicated to FACE Magazine, a pioneering publication that shaped British style and culture. This specialized retrospective examines the magazine's influential role in documenting and influencing fashion, music, and cultural trends through portraiture and photography and includes iconic merch we love:  “Girls on Bikes” tote, culture shift tee, Liam Gallagher tee, 1984 Leigh Bowery shirt, these killer Union Jack distressed bucket hats and towel scarf, and retro lapel pin.  And, according to the New York Strategist, the hat to have in London right now is this one.  

Check out our Collection inspired by The Backpack 

Loved what you saw in our previous Backpack issue? Browse our latest commonsku Collection for products inspired by merch you saw in Issue #58! This Collection features products from commonsku supplier partners Gemline, Sanmar, Outdoor Cap, and more! Click here to check out the coolest trends like colorful apparel, playful headwear like bold caps, maximalist pieces, and pop-culture merch from commonsku supplier partners Gemline, Sanmar, Outdoor Cap, and more!  

👕 Tariff talk: American Giant is a U.S. made clothing brand based out of San Fran (fleece, t-shirts), in 2023, they started providing a $12 t-shirt to Walmart that is entirely made in the US, hear American Giant CEO Bayard Winthrop on NPR talk about it here. 

🦄 A24 does that wild merch thing again: Get your” Death of a Unicorn” Lamp filled with unicorn blood here. 

🏎️ 10 NASCAR Drivers who move the most merch.

💃 Yes, we know Lady Gaga’s in a bit of Mayhem over her logo right now but honestly, how can you not respect the hell outta her Coachella merch: Dance or Die Trucker and this Silhouette festival tee.

🎓 How non-power four schools (colleges outside of the Power Four: Big Ten, SEC, Big 12, and ACC) “can stay competitive by turning merch into rev share dollars.” 

⚡ May the 4th for those who celebrate, you know who you are. 

🎉 Merch pop up’s are still white hot, like Blackpink’s Jennie x Adidas pop-up. You are onto this trend by creating virtual pop-ups for each of your clients, right?

🔮 Studio Gruhl is a rad creative studio and their rebrand (including merch) for electronic music label, House of Reptile from East London / Boston is cool. Also, this branding work for newly formed, female-led techno label, Spellbound.

🎨 Canva’s Create 2025 event was insane, scroll to the end of their keynote to hear the most unhinged feature release drop that’s so bad it’s good with full choir, rap battle, and one of our design heros (and now fairy godmother) Jessica Hische. 

📚 Another example of how authors boost their books with merch.

🏀 Want to go after one of the fastest-growing merch market? Try the WNBA. The demand is “growing too fast for its teams to keep up with demand” for jerseys, t-shirts. 

🌺 Goodbye White Lotus. “We’ll always have Lorazepam” merch (NYT).

☕ Is the Good Morning America merch too bland or on brand? Hard to tell.

🤔 Speaking of: Braveholic merch is borderline cool, great colorways but maybe a little too logo-droppy for superfans? What say you?

😎 Best thing for brands to do right now amid tariff chaos? Keep a calm head (from The Drum).