Brands Untapped Releases Their Top 100 List
Brands Untapped | 2026 Online Edition
Celebrating the 100 top designers, product developers and creatives in the brand licensing industry.
“The 100 is again filled with individuals and teams doing incredible work in the realms of design, product development and creative.”
Billy Langsworthy | Co-Founder, Brands Untapped
The Brands Untapped 100 is an annual publication celebrating designers, studios, product developers and creative leaders that have done great work in the licensing space over the past 12 months.
Each year the physical publication launches at Brand Licensing Europe alongside a digital version which is available to download.
Katie Sklenar
Director of Licensing, Jewel Branding & Licensing
Bringing an unusually valuable dual perspective to Jewel’s are licensing division, Katie Sklenar manages artists and licensees while being a licensed artist herself. Katie oversees more than 25 artists and hundreds of licensees in categories spanning wall art, greeting cards, tabletop, gift and more. Katie helps shape portfolios around emerging trends, matches licensees with artwork and steers designs through approvals.
By balancing commercial realities with each artist’s creative vision, Katie has built the trust that keeps strong partnerships – and successful products – moving forward.
Lindsay Hopkins
Artist & Designer, Plum Pretty Sugar
Continuing to turn Plum Pretty Sugar’s distinctive West Coast aesthetic into a growing lifestyle proposition, Lindsay Hopkins combines an artist’s eye with an understanding of what works at retail. Building on the brand’s roots in the bridal category, Lindsay develops modern, feminine prints with licensing in mind.
Recent developments include trend-led patterns and seasonal palettes for key holidays, helping Plum Pretty Sugar grow across home, gift, health and beauty, tabletop and beyond. With Lindsay closely involved at every stage, the brand’s expansion retains a clear and recognizable creative identity.
Jewel Branding & Licensing
Continuing to bridge licensing and design, Jewel Branding & Licensing pairs brand-building expertise with a broad creative-services offer. Led by Julie Newman and Ilana Wilensky, the agency represents a design-focused roster spanning the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, New York Botanical Garden, MFA Boston, Nikki Chu and more than 40 artists worldwide. The studio delivers everything from trend direction and style guides to packaging, web design and factory ready product concepts. That combination allows Jewel to take ideas from strategy to retail while keeping strong, creative design at its heart.