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UPDATE: The collection is here! And just in time for Thursday’s season premiere (if you really want to take it there)!

 

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Update by Tonya Garcia

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Original story published September 17, 2014

What woman doesn’t want to dress like the stylish-yet-powerful Olivia Pope?  Well, you can. And affordably.

The Limited is introducing a collection of clothing inspired by the hit ABC drama Scandal. Just in time for the show’s return for a fourth season on Sept. 25.

More than 70 items are on sale in the Limited’s “Scandal” collection.” Prices range from about $49 to $250 making it easy for anyone to copy the attire Kerry Washington dons as Liv on the show. “The garments are due in stores and online next week and are scheduled to be available through May, the end of the 2014-15 television season,” reports The New York Times.

There is already a multimedia campaign, which boasts the collection as “Fearless fashion for ladies who lead.” And The Limited is putting some major money into promoting the line. The campaign has an estimated budget of $12 million.

Washington was included in selecting the designs, along with Elliot Staples, head of design for the retailer and Lyn Paolo, the costume designer for Scandal. “The three are featured in a video clip that promotes the collection; some print ads, showing models wearing the clothes, also give a shout-out to the creator of ‘Scandal,’ Shonda Rhimes, and feature the logos of the series and ABC,” reports The Times. A licensing deal was made by The Limited with ABC and the creators of Scandal. Financial terms were not made public.

Apparently the idea came out of a Good Morning America segment in fall of 2013 that “took outfits Olivia Pope wore on the show and replicated them at affordable price points,” said Diane Ellis, chief executive of The Limited. “A suit that was ours was featured.”

Most often such apparel licensing deals target kids, such as a line of Dora the Explorer clothing, but the Scandal collection shows the growth of licensed merchandise involving series for adults, said Ira Mayer, publisher and executive editor of a newsletter, The Licensing Letter. Other adult shows with licensing deals include The Big Bang Theory, Boardwalk Empire, Downton Abbey, Mad Men and Sons of Anarchy.

For series like Game of Thrones an estimated $100 million a year in retail sales can be made, Mayer said, with a typical deal bringing in “under $50 million a year.” Licensed merchandise from a popular children’s show, however, can rake in an estimated $250 million to $500 million annually in retail sales.

We’re sure The Scandal line will be a big seller. Will you buy?

h/t Jezebel

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