Manhattan Beach footwear firm Skechers USA Inc. has teamed up with Malibu toymaker Jakks Pacific Inc. to launch a new doll line based on Skechers’ Twinkle Toes shoes and a series of web videos based on the characters.
The line includes four dolls, each standing at nearly seven inches tall and wearing colorful, girlie outfits and light-up Skechers Twinkle Toe shoes. As part of the partnership, the firms will also produce videos based on Twinkle Toes characters. The Twinkle Toes videos will be released bimonthly on TwinkleToesUSA.com, with animation being done by Sherman Oaks’ Cosmic Toast Studios.
Skechers executives called the partnership with Jakks a natural fit.
“Twinkle Toes has consistently been our top performing children’s footwear line since its introduction in 2008, and the global success is evident not only from the popularity of the footwear collection, but also with the broad appeal of the Twinkle Toes character,” Skechers President Michael Greenberg said in a statement. “Jakks’ Twinkle Toes doll collection and webisodes will allow children to use their imaginations and interact with their favorite Skechers character in an exciting new format.”
The Skechers Twinkle Toes doll line is at Toys “R” Us stores, where dolls retail for $16.99. The line is expected to launch at select Target stores in the fall.
Shares of Skechers rose two percent Monday, closing at $123.71, while shares of Jakks Pacific Inc. rose one percent to $8.84.