L.A.-based licensor The Harvey Entertainment Company and denim and sportswear manufacturer Azteca Production International are teaming up to create and market a range of apparel products under Harvey’s tween-and-teen girl brand Hot Stuff. As per the agreement, the companies will produce denim jeans, jackets, shirts, skirts, knit and woven pullovers, button-front shirts and tops, and separates for girls and teens in the nine to 18 age range.

The majority of merchandise will be unveiled at Magic (an international fashion trade show in August), and will hit retail sometime during fourth quarter `99, except for the denim and separates, which will street in spring 2000. Harvey, in association with Azteca (which produces apparel for -ber labels Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren, among other popular brands) will focus on distributing the product through current Hot Stuff accounts, as well as mid-tier retailers that cater to young women.

Since Hot Stuff debuted last March, Harvey (which also owns kid properties Casper the Friendly Ghost, Richie Rich and Baby Huey) has signed a total of 20 licensees to the brand. To coincide with the new Hot Stuff merch, starting in the fall, Harvey will run a major ad campaign for the brand in the teen and entertainment fashion mag Jump.

The Hot Stuff deal is the first part of a larger multiyear agreement the two companies signed, which will see Harvey and Azteca develop and acquire rights to apparel brands that target a variety of customer demos. Rounding out the triumvirate of owners of the as-yet-named entity will be Too Cute, a California-based design firm that specializes in creating character-based fashions.