Home Box Office (New York) has signed an apparel licensing agreement with Zanzara Intl. Ltd. (Boca Raton, Fla.) to market shirts and ties under the Sopranos brand, tying in with the cable TV network's successful “The Sopranos” series about a crime family in New Jersey.
The merchandise, starting with $40 silk ties, is expected to be launched by the Macy's division of Federated Department Stores (Cincinnati) in time for Father's Day (June 15, 2003).
Coming in the fall, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal, are shiny cotton sateen dress shirts in seven colors (for $47.50) and silk-and-wool knit shirts with patterned fronts and solid sleeves (priced between $60 and $80).
The announcement of the launch coincided with another announcement: that the series' lead actor, James Gandolfini, has filed a breach-of-contract lawsuit against HBO, casting a possible shadow over the show's future.
“Our challenge is to give the collection staying power, whether or not 'The Sopranos' remains on the air,” said Larry Ganet, president of Zanzara, which has signed a three-year licensing deal. Zanzara's licensing labels also includes Jhane Barnes merchandise.