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| Evil Queen Collection, Courtesy Bath & Body Works |
The magic didn't happen for this Disney collab.
In early September, Bath & Body Works announced the launch of a limited edition Disney Villains collection. It was a follow-up to the successful Disney Princess collection released in February of 2025. The collab featured bath and body products, makeup cases, candles and accessories inspired by six Disney Princesses. The candle holders and makeup bags sold out almost immediately, and the body products were not far behind.
Disney's Villains are just as popular as its hero characters. The Disney website features Villains merchandise that is available year-round, and a life-size animatronic Maleficent from Home Depot sold out in late July. Ahead of the launch of the Disney Villains collections, the company sent out elaborate PR packages to content creators. TikTok was full of videos by anxious fans speculating on how fast it would sell out. It features two popular Villains, Maleficent of "Sleeping Beauty" and the Evil Queen from "Snow White". The collection included wall diffusers, hand soap holders and elaborate candleholders, one priced at $79.99.
The launch was slated for September 4, 2025 and Bath & Body Works offered a special preview a week early for its rewards members. However, when members went to the app to snag their favorites, they were disappointed. The early release only included some of the body products along with the priciest candle holders. Unlike the Disney Princess release, sales were slow and did not pick up on in-store release day. A couple of weeks later, the collection was 50% off for rewards members and now (early October) it's part of the 75% off fall sale.
So why did a collection built around such iconic characters fall so flat? Was it the limited early access, the underwhelming product lineup, or a case of social media hype that couldn’t translate into sales? It’s also possible that timing played a role. According to the September 2025 ADP Jobs Report, private employers cut 32,000 jobs, while the New York Federal Reserve noted rising costs for essentials like food, gas, and medical care. Combined with tariff uncertainty, these pressures may have consumers rethinking their discretionary spending. Whatever the cause, the short-lived reign of the Disney Villains collection serves as a cautionary tale for marketers heading into the holiday season: even the most famous names can’t guarantee a happily ever after at the cash register.
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