How Etsy's Celebrity Partnerships—With Kacey Musgraves and Others—Create a Bigger Stage for Sellers

Showing up in cultural spaces in fresh ways

Etsy is known for … well, a whole lotta things. The online marketplace features sellers offering everything from vintage dishware and unique jewelry to customized apparel. And these sellers are benefitting big-time from Etsy’s creative and curation partnerships with Kacey Musgrave and Breanna Stewart, among others.

An alum of Spotify and MTV, Dan “Monty” Montalto, Etsy’s senior director, brand marketing, has spearheaded its recent strategy of tapping into culture through unexpected partnerships. Here, he shares the thinking behind partnering with stars from the worlds of pop culture and sports:

MUSE: How do you choose who your brand partners with?

Montalto: Our goal is to show up in fresh cultural spaces in a way that feels true to Etsy. We look for people and platforms that share our values around creativity and individuality. And we ask: Will this give our sellers a bigger stage, and will it connect us with new audiences in an authentic way?

One example is our recent partnership with Good Mythical Morning, the most-watched daily show on YouTube with over 19 million followers. We teamed up with Rhett & Link on a curated Etsy page featuring their picks, fan-made creations and items seen on the show, plus first-ever on-air product integrations.

It was a fresh, unexpected way to tap into fandom and invite their massive, engaged audience to own a piece of that world, directly from Etsy’s creative community.

Obviously, a partnership needs to benefit both sides. What does Etsy have to offer?

We connect them to a global community that’s passionate about originality, creativity and small business—and grounded in real human connection. Many partners bring sellers directly into the process. So, the end-result is one-of-a-kind.

Alongside the creative collaboration, we can amplify it to millions through our own channels—from Etsy’s roughly 20 million social followers to our global marketing and email network—giving partners depth and scale. In doing so, we create an authentic way for fans and shoppers to step into a partner’s world. That could be Kacey Musgraves turning her album Deeper Well into a wearable charm collection. Or our Icon Collection with Cameron Brink, Skylar Diggins, Nneka Ogwumike and Breanna Stewart, blending their personal style with the craft of Etsy sellers.

Does Etsy tend to approach potential partners? Do you have celebs approaching Etsy with pitches?

Both. There’s so much love for the brand that a lot of people already shop on Etsy and have a genuine connection to it. That’s different from partnerships that start with a cold pitch. Many of ours grow out of that connection. Which means we’re building on something authentic from day one. With each launch, the buzz generates more interest, which often leads to new opportunities. When we see someone doing something exciting in culture who aligns with our values, we’ll reach out, too.

Do you see partnerships as one-and-done situations, or potentially long-term relationships?

For us, it’s never just a quick transaction. We think of partnerships as relationships—some are designed to be one big cultural moment, others grow over time. Drew Barrymore is a great example. She spent last year as our chief gifting officer, judged the Etsy Design Awards and was woven into our marketing in ways that felt natural.

Our recent collaboration with top women’s basketball players was a first for us in sports and a chance to show up in a new cultural space. We’re always exploring what’s next and definitely will build on that kind of success.

The 2026 Clio Music Awards are open! Enter your most creative work HERE by Oct. 3.