Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
March is Women's History Month!

'Downton Abbey' Expands Into Merchandising

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

Ah, suitors make me think of this. Cue it.

(SOUNDBITE OF THEME SONG TO TV SHOW, "DOWNTON ABBEY")

GREENE: "Downton Abbey," it's our last word in business today. The hit PBS program is expanding into the world of merchandise.

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

CNBC reports the costume drama, set in England a hundred years ago, will soon launch a line of fashion, furniture, wallpaper and beauty products. The show's popularity has already created a boost in sales for items from the era, like gloves, fur capes and old-fashioned sherry.

GREENE: And this whole sales push, it's the kind of income generator we imagine Cousin Matthew would approve of - but not, we suspect, the dowager countess.

That's the business news on MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm David Greene.

MONTAGNE: And I'm Renee Montagne.

(SOUNDBITE OF THEME SONG TO TV SHOW, "DOWNTON ABBEY") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

Corrected: May 1, 2013 at 12:00 AM EDT
Earlier versions of this story incorrectly referred to Edwardian England.