Acquisitions, Investments and Joint Ventures - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	12 Months Ended				1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	1 Months Ended				1 Months Ended			1 Months Ended			12 Months Ended			1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended				1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended					1 Months Ended										1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	1 Months Ended				1 Months Ended					1 Months Ended			12 Months Ended		1 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011 Year	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	Dec. 31, 2011 Licensing agreements Year	Oct. 26, 2011 Sharper Image	Dec. 31, 2011 Sharper Image	Dec. 23, 2011 Hardy Way	Apr. 26, 2011 Hardy Way	Dec. 31, 2011 Hardy Way	May 31, 2009 Hardy Way	Apr. 26, 2011 Hardy Way Equity method of accounting	May 31, 2009 Hardy Way Equity method of accounting	Dec. 31, 2011 MG Icon	Mar. 31, 2011 MG Icon Equity method of accounting	Mar. 31, 2010 MG Icon Equity method of accounting	Dec. 31, 2011 MG Icon Equity method of accounting	Dec. 31, 2011 MG Icon Equity method of accounting Minimum	Dec. 31, 2011 Peanuts Worldwide	Jun. 03, 2010 Peanuts Worldwide	Jun. 03, 2010 Peanuts Worldwide Licensing agreements Year	Nov. 28, 2011 OP Japan	Dec. 31, 2011 OP Japan	Dec. 31, 2011 Scion	Dec. 31, 2011 Scion Cost method of accounting	Dec. 31, 2010 Scion Cost method of accounting	Mar. 31, 2009 Scion Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary Cost method of accounting	Dec. 31, 2011 Scion Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary Cost method of accounting	Dec. 31, 2010 Scion Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary Cost method of accounting	Dec. 31, 2009 Scion Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary Cost method of accounting	Jan. 31, 2012 Scion Acquisition Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary Cost method of accounting	Nov. 07, 2007 Scion Artful Dodger	Sep. 30, 2008 Parent Company Equity method of accounting	Mar. 31, 2009 Parent Company Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary Cost method of accounting	Jan. 31, 2012 Parent Company Acquisition Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary Cost method of accounting	Mar. 31, 2009 Scion Partner Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary Cost method of accounting	Jan. 31, 2012 Scion Partner Acquisition Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary Cost method of accounting	May 31, 2011 Novel Equity method of accounting	Jul. 31, 2010 Novel Equity method of accounting	Sep. 30, 2008 Novel Equity method of accounting	Dec. 31, 2011 Novel Equity method of accounting	Sep. 30, 2009 Novel Equity method of accounting	Dec. 09, 2011 Iconix China	Dec. 31, 2011 Iconix China	Dec. 29, 2008 Iconix Latin America Equity method of accounting	Dec. 31, 2011 Latin America Territory	Dec. 31, 2011 Latin America Territory Other assets - current	Dec. 31, 2011 Latin America Territory Other assets	Oct. 31, 2009 IPH Unltd	Dec. 31, 2011 IPH Unltd	Jul. 27, 2011 IPH Unltd	Dec. 31, 2010 IPH Unltd	Oct. 31, 2009 IPH Unltd Ecko Assets	Oct. 31, 2009 IPH Unltd Ecko Assets Licensing agreements Year	Jan. 31, 2011 Iconix Europe Equity method of accounting	Dec. 31, 2009 Iconix Europe Equity method of accounting	Dec. 31, 2009 Iconix Europe Equity method of accounting	Dec. 31, 2009 Iconix Europe Equity method of accounting Minimum	Jun. 03, 2010 Icon Entertainment LLC Peanuts Worldwide	Jun. 03, 2010 Beagle Scout LLC Peanuts Worldwide	Dec. 31, 2011 Beagle Scout LLC Peanuts Worldwide Other assets - current	Dec. 31, 2011 Beagle Scout LLC Peanuts Worldwide Other assets
Schedule of Investments [Line Items]
Percentage of minority interest in subsidiary																																																49.00%											20.00%
Contribution made to investment								$ 62,000,000																								$ 2,000,000	$ 2,100,000	$ 1,100,000	$ 2,100,000	$ 1,100,000	$ 3,000,000	$ 4,000,000	$ 8,000,000									$ 63,500,000										$ 141,000,000	$ 34,000,000
Controlling interest								85.00%		50.00%		50.00%			50.00%				80.00%							16.60%																																80.00%
Percentage of interest in joint venture after transaction																																																51.00%
Future contribution to be made to investment year one																																								2,000,000
Business acquisition total purchase price												17,000,000			20,000,000																15,000,000																			18,000,000
Cash payment for acquisition of assets								55,000,000
Consideration paid to acquire interest in licensees			63,500,000																							1,000
Indebtedness of joint venture																																																90,000,000
Acquisition of interest in MG Icon	4,000,000													4,000,000	4,000,000
Business acquisition purchase price, cash paid					65,600,000			62,000,000				9,000,000																																														172,100,000
Cash entitled to be received by sellers upon the achievement of earn-out								7,000,000
Business acquisition remaining amount owed to Purim																12,000,000
Business acquisition purchase price, common stock issued, shares												588,688
Amount deposited into escrow account					2,000,000
Goodwill deductible for income tax purposes					8,200,000			18,800,000											17,700,000																																	700,000
Business acquisition remaining amount owed to Purim included in other current liabilities																4,000,000
Business acquisition purchase price, common stock issued, value												8,000,000
Amount held in escrow account period (in month)					6 months
Business acquisition remaining amount owed included in other liabilities					1,451,000			1,886,000								8,000,000
Business acquisition additional common stock issued, value												1,000,000
Acquisition costs	400,000	1,500,000	1,000,000			100,000
Percentage of ownership interest sold																					45.00%
Investment with a cost basis																																										2,600,000
Payment received upon sale ownership interest in subsidiary																					7,400,000
Fair value of investment with a cost basis																																										15,300,000
Net gain recognized on sale of interest in subsidiary																					5,600,000	5,600,000																				12,700,000
Investment with a cost basis sold, carrying value																					1,800,000
Joint venture ownership interest									85.00%				50.00%					80.00%					50.00%																			50.00%							51.00%
Guaranteed royalties receivable per year																					2,000,000
Equity (earnings) loss on joint ventures	10,353,000	5,492,000	3,424,000																																							6,400,000	6,400,000
Guaranteed royalties, number of years																					5 years
Percentage of Companies ownership in OPJapan																					55.00%
Cash collateral deposited under the terms of the entity's financing agreements																										4,100,000				2,200,000
Cash collateral released and distributed to the Scion members																												3,300,000
Remaining cash collateral, restricted cash	14,071,000	3,300,000	6,163,000																									800,000
Dividend from investment in licensee																											0	800,000	0
Consolidated assets that are collateral for variable interest entity's obligations																								11,600,000	12,600,000
Committed contribution to joint venture																																5,000,000							20,000,000		9,000,000
Percentage of interest sold in equity method investment																																												50.00%											50.00%	50.00%
Agreed price for sale of interest in a subsidiary																																												6,000,000	4,500,000										4,000,000	4,000,000
Payment received upon sale interest in subsidiary																																												1,000,000										1,000,000	3,000,000
Receivable for investments sold																																												5,000,000	3,900,000	1,400,000	2,500,000
Gain on sale of interest in subsidiary																																																								7,000,000
Committed amount receivable period																																												30 months
Period for revenue recognition																																													4 years
Prepaid royalties								7,000,000
Guaranteed minimum royalties, number of years								2 years
Non-cash gain on re-measurement of equity investment	21,465,000							21,465,000			21,500,000
Contingent consideration released back							2,000,000
Contingency provision amended and considered earned by NT							5,000,000
Minimum amortization contractual period of licensing contracts	1			1																1																																	1
Maximum amortization contractual period of licensing contracts	15			9																5																																	9
Consolidated assets that are collateral for variable interest entity's obligations																																																	184,500,000		209,100,000
Preferred profit distribution to the Company																	20,000,000																																								6,000,000
Notes loaned to subsidiary																																																											17,500,000	2,200,000	13,100,000
Notes receivable, annual interest rate																																																											6.00%
Notes receivable, minimum principal annual installments																																																											$ 2,200,000
Notes receivable, maturity date																																																											Jun. 03, 2015