Fanwear revolutionized the Norwegian merchandise market by allowing artists to focus on what they do best, turning the traditional model on its head.
In 2015, I launched Fanwear, a company that provides merchandise for artists, YouTubers, and other public figures. At that time, the market was dominated by DIY solutions that offered poor product quality, leaving artists with minimal profits. If artists wanted high-quality merchandise, they had to manage purchasing, sales, and inventory themselves.
Fanwear disrupted this model by offering a seamless solution for artists. They only needed to supply the designs, and Fanwear handled the inventory and sales. This approach eliminated risk for the artists and allowed them to earn royalties from each product sold.
Fanwear’s first office was located at Karl Johans gate 8, where I rented a small corner within Forward Motion’s office. However, Fanwear rapidly outgrew not just the corner but also the cardboard boxes we started with.
Fanwear generated more than a million NOK (about $ 93,000) in revenue in its first year of operation, quickly expanding from catering exclusively to YouTubers to serving a diverse range of customer groups. Products were sold through events and online stores.
In 2016, Fanwear was acquired by the management company Compro, which managed the popular Norwegian pop duo Marcus & Martinus. I continued to work with Fanwear, developing their merchandise concept until February 2017.
