Fossil Group to make watches and smartwatches for BMW

Fossil Group Inc. has signed a global licensing agreement with car manufacturer BMW for the design, development and distribution of watches and smartwatches carrying the BMW brand.

“BMW is one of the most iconic brands in the world”, said Kosta Kartsotis, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Fossil Group, in a statement. “We look forward to bringing our watch design expertise and smartwatch capabilities to BMW enthusiasts around the world”.

The licensing deal is set to run through 2023, with the first collection set to launch in 2019. The branded watches and smartwatches will be sold at BMW’s more than 4,000 retail channels, as well as by key retailers in Fossil’s network.

Fossil, which makes accessories for both owned and licensed brands, holds licenses to several prominent labels, including Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, Diesel, Emporio Armani and Kate Spade New York.