This Friday, Disney Channel in the U.S. will host the world premiere of the new TV movie Radio Rebel, a MarVista Entertainment production. This is the second collaboration for the pair, after having co-produced 16 Wishes, which debuted last summer on Disney Channel in the U.S. The world premiere of that movie was the number [...]]]> New York, Fernando Szew, the CEO of MarVista Entertainment, shares with TV Kids the details of the brand plan for the Disney Channel co-production Radio Rebel.

This Friday, Disney Channel in the U.S. will host the world premiere of the new TV movie Radio Rebel, a MarVista Entertainment production. This is the second collaboration for the pair, after having co-produced 16 Wishes, which debuted last summer on Disney Channel in the U.S. The world premiere of that movie was the number one TV telecast among kids 6 to 11 and tweens 9 to 14, and was cable’s number one broadcast in total viewers, garnering an audience of 5.6 million.

“Based on this success, Disney invited us to review the script for Radio Rebel, which we loved, and with 16 Wishes star Debby Ryan onboard to play the lead, we knew we had a winning formula,” says MarVista’s CEO, Fernando Szew. “Our partnership with Disney works so well because we respect and understand each other’s goal of developing engaging content for family and teen/tween audiences,” he adds. “We feel very fortunate and honored to be working with Disney Channel and their executives, as well as our Canadian co-production partner Two 4 the Money Media, and the incredibly talented group of actors who star in this movie.”

The movie is based on the novel Shrinking Violet by Danielle Joseph, and MarVista made a few tweaks to bring it new life on the small screen. “The trick to book adaptations is finding the balance between preserving the essence of what the book fans will be looking for with the core elements that bring a story to life on screen,” Szew explains. “Books and films are very different mediums, and trying to follow the book to the letter often doesn’t translate into an interesting film. So, while we needed to keep that shy, wallflower essence of Tara and depict her transformation through music, which was key to the author and the fans of the book, we also had to make the story cinematic. That’s where we brought in the ensemble cast and comedic elements that Disney Channel viewers love and expect.”

A number of efforts have gone into building the Radio Rebel brand ahead of the movie’s release. Brand Sense Partners was tapped as licensing agent, signing up several licensees for Radio Rebel merchandise. As music is integral to the show, the supporting soundtrack, released by Razor & Tie, has been a big push as well. “In today’s pervasive multiplatform world, merchandising can serve as a key driver in promoting tune-in and attracting and engaging viewers across media and also extending the longevity of a property,” Szew notes.

Social media has also been a key part of this strategy. This includes special online chats with Ryan, in-person Tweet Ups with fans via U Stream, online auctions to win tickets to the premiere and after party and more. “We’ll also have other members of the cast doing Twitter takeovers, offering fans downloadable ringtones from the film, contests to win props and signed behind-the-scenes photos, and we also hope to tap into the over 5 million YouTube views of Debby’s performances by offering 30 days of special behind-the-scene video footage,” Szew says.

Building an immersive brand experience around a property has become increasingly important in today’s kids’ environment, Szew adds. “It’s always been important to produce compelling entertainment so that the audience can be immersed in the content. The difference is that in today’s environment, where the audience has so many choices, being able to attract and retain a viewer is crucial. It’s not enough to deliver a good film or series, you’ve got to have some connection to the viewer at every turn, on every device, so that your brand, your content and merchandise, becomes as compelling as it is ubiquitous. You have to engage the consumer with ancillary content online while they’re surfing the web, in the car, or on the go through music, and with merchandise when they’re at the mall or perusing online. You’ve got to be everywhere your core audience is with some type of offer to engage them.”

The line, called VSTR, will launch this spring, offering sportswear that mixes function with understated design and quality fabrics. Pronounced “visitor,” VSTR is an acronym for visiting, surfing, traveling and responsibility. The target customer is a man of any age, with a slightly higher income and a bout of wanderlust. The brand summarizes its philosophy as “modern travel essentials for the ocean, road and [...]]]> Quiksilver Inc. and champion surfer Kelly Slater are introducing an apparel line aimed at adventurous globe-trotters.

The line, called VSTR, will launch this spring, offering sportswear that mixes function with understated design and quality fabrics. Pronounced “visitor,” VSTR is an acronym for visiting, surfing, traveling and responsibility. The target customer is a man of any age, with a slightly higher income and a bout of wanderlust. The brand summarizes its philosophy as “modern travel essentials for the ocean, road and the journey in between.”

In other words, VSTR is “about how to put your passions and beliefs into something that wasn’t seen as just a product for mass sale,” Slater said. “The line and Web site are ways to express that in a different forum. Of course, we’re still a company and we’re backed by [Quiksilver] — just to be transparent about that — but we can quickly change direction or make decisions without all the red tape.”

Slater is the latest elite surfer to jump from the surf to sportswear. Dane Reynolds, another surfer sponsored by Quiksilver, also created a signature line with the Huntington Beach, Calif.-based company. Joel Tudor collaborated with Vans on a better-priced men’s capsule collection highlighting eco-friendly fabrics such as recycled polyester and organic cotton.

While one can’t deny Slater’s status in the sport — last year he won his 11th world title and picked up his 17th Surfer Poll trophy — he is hardly considered a fashion role model, à la soccer stud David Beckham. Still, surfing and traveling are what Slater knows best from 20 years on the pro circuit, chasing waves from Australia’s Gold Coast to Hawaii, Brazil, South Africa and beyond. He channeled his experience into VSTR.

“Creating function into the design is really the idea we have for making pieces,” he said. “I take a lot of flights and drive a lot and end up in a different climate day after day. You need something that keeps you warm but won’t be overly warm, or fits in your backpack without being too bulky. Things you see along the way you sort of pick up mentally or physically and incorporate that into the pieces. Lots of artists and drawings from our own sketches make their way into the line.”

For instance, boardshorts are printed with watercolor paintings overlaid on topographical maps created by Simon Buttonshaw, a Quiksilver artist who hatched the idea for VSTR with Slater a few years ago. Other men who collaborate with VSTR include artist Sandow Birk and Kepa Acero, a former European surf star. Their influences range from Slater’s idea of sewing the front pockets on a wool blazer at a 45-degree angle so that the hands can slouch better inside to Acero’s video of surfing the tip of Patagonia.

Fitting the men’s peripatetic lifestyle, each piece is designed with travel in mind. For example, the selvage jeans, in straight and slim fits, feature an inner back pocket that holds a passport snugly. The line’s signature detail of nautical rope is stitched to the bottom hem of a T-shirt so that it can be used to hang the garment dry from a hook or even a tree branch. Otherwise, the styling is clean, classic and minimal, in rugged neutral hues such as black, indigo, dark green and brown.

“You should be able to wear each item three days in a row without raising an eyebrow,” said John Moore, founder of Pop Studio, the design and brand consultancy that oversaw the creation of the line. VSTR is Moore’s latest project with Quiksilver; his firm also designs Quiksilver’s collections for girls and women.

At Pop Studio’s loft here, Moore and Jesse Faen, VSTR’s marketing director, explained that VSTR is different from Quiksilver Waterman, another brand that is geared toward what Faen dubs an “aging surfer.”

“We’re not an adventure brand, but we’re adventure-spirited,” Faen said. VSTR is also about quality, particularly in the current economy, he said. “People are looking for quality when they buy something. You don’t want to buy something new every six months,” he said.

Slater has already identified his favorites from the line, which will offer as many as 40 styles for spring and 30 more for fall. He’s waiting to get his hands on a marled cotton pullover hoodie with an extended panel that acts like a muffler.

“The long-sleeve shirts are slim-fitting but have some stretch to ’em, and I love those,” he said.

Hovering between the upper end of the action-sports market and the opening level for premium brands, retail prices start at $38 for T-shirts. The rest of the line sells from $65 to $75 for boardshorts, $68 to $150 for shorts, $85 to $115 for woven shirts, $98 to $125 for pants, $125 to $180 for denim, and $195 to $350 for outerwear. There’s also

a $395 waxed-canvas backpack that VSTR produced in collaboration with Partners & Spade. In fact, VSTR’s philosophy is embodied by that bag, which also comes with a compact hammock and removable messenger bag.

“The idea is that if it doesn’t fit in that bag, it’s not necessary,” Slater said. “The whole package can fit in our travel bag as a whole travel piece with every item in the line.”

U.S. retailers that have ordered the inaugural collection include Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, American Rag Cie, Ron Herman, Fred Segal Man, Thalia Street Surf in Laguna Beach, Calif., Voyager in San Francisco, and Air and Speed in Montauk, N.Y. VSTR also plans to launch in Europe this spring. Its e-commerce site is expected to debut in March. Moore is now scouting locations for a freestanding store in Southern California, which will supplement the shop that opened last October in Byron Bay, Australia.

“The plan is to have a gallerylike space to showcase our product and collaborators we work with,” he said of the criterion for the California store.

Moore declined to provide sales projections for VSTR. To promote sales, Faen said VSTR has placed ads in publications in the U.S. and Australia, including Malibu, Monster Children and the March edition of Surfer.

True to his stature as a world-class surfer, Slater wanted to make sure VSTR set its mark in boardshorts. At his first design meeting with Moore, he twisted the boardshorts as hard as he could. Well-made boardshorts, in his opinion, would pass the wring test.

“It’s not about fashion. Fashion could care less about our wring test,” Moore said. “It’s about great function.”

In 2007, Matthew Weiner and the team from AMC introduced a television show about 1960s Ad Men that has since not only become the first television show in history to win the Emmy [...]]]> Since its introduction in 1931, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Reverso has acted as the blank slate on which so many great stories have been told and tributes have been paid.  Now, in 2012, one more tribute will be made using the Reverso, one that in our opinion, couldn’t make more sense.

In 2007, Matthew Weiner and the team from AMC introduced a television show about 1960s Ad Men that has since not only become the first television show in history to win the Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series four years in a row, but also had a profound impact on fashion, design, and watches.  Think about how many times you’ve flipped through the pages of a magazine and seen a “Mad Men” style shoot.  Or how many times you’ve heard the thin, formal style of wristwatch now being referred to as “very Mad Men.”  In tribute to the incredible story of Mad Men and the connection Jaeger-LeCoultre has had with its stars and creators, we bring you the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Ultra-Thin Tribute To “Mad Men”.

This limited edition of 25 pieces will bare the Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce logo hand-engraved onto the Reverso’s caseback (as seen above).  It will come in walnut commemorative box featuring the Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce logo embossed on the top, along with a personalized commemorative letter from Roger Sterling (see below), several high quality Jaeger-LeCoultre advertisement reproductions, pictures of the Grande Reverso Ultra-Thin Tribute to “Mad Men”, and a copy of Roger Sterling’s book “Sterling’s Gold”, autographed by show creator and executive producer, Matthew Weiner.

We couldn’t think of a better watch to pay tribute to the show that brought subtle, masculine styling back to the forefront of American culture than with a watch that exemplifies those exact same traits.  The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Ultra-Thin Tribute To “Mad Men” will be available at JLC boutiques starting next month in a limited, numbered edition of just 25 pieces.  Until you can see the JLC Reverso Tribute To Mad Men in person, enjoy the fantastic photography provided by JLC of this special Reverso on set, taken in Roger Sterling’s actual office.

Additional Coverage:

Selectism: http://www.selectism.com/news/2012/01/03/jaeger-lecoultres-reverso-watch-for-mad-men/
PorHomme: http://www.porhomme.com/2012/01/jaeger-lecoultre-reverso-ultra-thin-tribute-to-mad-men/
HypeBeast: http://hypebeast.com/2012/01/mad-men-tribute-jaeger-lecoultre-reverso-ultra-thin-watch/
Acquire Magazine: http://www.acquiremag.com/style/watches/jaegerlecoultre-reverso-ultrat.php
Gear Patrol: http://gearpatrol.com/blog/2012/01/03/daily-briefing-1-3-2012/

The recent Central Saint Martins grad, who was raised in Malibu, Calif., is launching a line called Lily Ashwell for Shabby Chic as part of her mother’s licensing business.

“My company was going through an aggressive expansion, but after the recession that all changed,” said the elder Ashwell. “I chose to focus on my four bespoke [...]]]> Home decor maven Rachel Ashwell, who turned her flea market finds into the Shabby Chic lifestyle, is entering the apparel business alongside her daughter, Lily Ashwell.

The recent Central Saint Martins grad, who was raised in Malibu, Calif., is launching a line called Lily Ashwell for Shabby Chic as part of her mother’s licensing business.

“My company was going through an aggressive expansion, but after the recession that all changed,” said the elder Ashwell. “I chose to focus on my four bespoke stores, [bespoke furniture line] Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic Couture and personal projects.” The stores — located in Santa Monica, Calif.; New York’s SoHo; London’s Notting Hill, and Round Top, Tex., (where Ashwell owns an inn called the Prairie by Rachel Ashwell B&B) — specialize in custom and ready-made furniture and repurposed vintage items such as tablecloths made from antique petticoats.

Ashwell has also penned seven books and is developing the Prairie into a retreat complete with its own line of branded merchandise. She is building a Web presence via the home entertaining site Cocodot.com, which launched its content and e-commerce component last week with a lush pictorial on the Prairie (exclusive Prairie-branded items sell on the site along with other home accessories).

But Ashwell wanted to grow the Shabby Chic empire she created 22 years ago. She linked with Target in 2004 for a line called Simply Shabby Chic. In 2009, she inked a deal with Los Angeles-based licensing company Brand Sense Partners to seek new partnerships and expand. Brand Sense developed a line called Treasures by Shabby Chic, which encompasses a full range sold on QVC, as well as a stationery and craft line for Michaels and a quilting line with distribution in independent stores nationwide. Separate from the Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic Couture brand, the company licensed the Shabby Chic name to furniture maker Miles Talbot with national distribution in 100 stores.

This year, Brand Sense approached Ashwell about expanding into clothing, but she said, “I live in jeans and white T-shirts. My daughter has a better finger on the pulse of fashion so I encouraged her to do it. I have no part in the line apart from birthing her,” she laughed.

Lily Ashwell for Shabby Chic is produced by Pop Studio, a Culver City, Calif.-based design and production consultancy backed by Brand Sense. The younger Ashwell, who is 24, took the vintage prints she grew up with and reimagined them as rayon and double georgette dresses, plus knit and woven separates for a younger generation. Price points range from $60 to $275 at retail.

“I aspire to do for fashion what my mother does for homes,” said Lily, who was two years old when her mother launched her business. “It’s about creating atmospheres.”

The goal is for the line to be sold at wholesale to national chains and boutiques come spring. There will also be a place for it at Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic Couture stores and possibly on Cocodot.com. Via a section labeled “Chic Host,” the goal is for the site to enter the fashion e-commerce business as well.

Said Rachel Ashwell, “At this stage in my career, I’ve narrowed my own focus, but the Shabby Chic brand has legs that hopefully will grow longer.”

For Spring/Summer ‘12, Mountain Khakis introduces 23 new Men’s and 21 new Women’s styles. For this historically ‘hips-down’ brand, they are particularly excited that a majority of these new styles are tops, and that nearly half of the collection is comprised of Women’s styles.

“MK has been present in the Women’s category since June, 2006 when we launched our Women’s [...]]]> Mountain Khakis, a leading mountain-inspired lifestyle apparel brand, is proud to announce the launch of their Men’s and Women’s Spring/Summer 2012 collection.

For Spring/Summer ‘12, Mountain Khakis introduces 23 new Men’s and 21 new Women’s styles. For this historically ‘hips-down’ brand, they are particularly excited that a majority of these new styles are tops, and that nearly half of the collection is comprised of Women’s styles.

“MK has been present in the Women’s category since June, 2006 when we launched our Women’s Alpine Pant,” stated Martin Wilkinson, MK’s National Sales Manager. “As part of our growth strategy, we have invested in our Women’s program like never before, and are 100% committed to this channel. Our biggest statement for S12 is ‘MK is now in the Women’s business!”

In the design and development phase for their Spring/Summer ‘12 line, the MK product team collaborated with John Moore and his team at The POP Studio.  Best known as the visionary behind the Hollister brand, Moore and his team have worked with MK’s product and creative teams since July 2010. “Colors and silhouettes are truly MK, met with some ‘John Moore incusion’,” said Noah Robertson, MK Co-Founder and Director of Product Development & Design.  “It’s great for us to establish our design direction that is true to MK, then test it against John’s fashion insight.  MK does not chase fashion and trend, but we are careful to stay germane to these patterns.  Our style is mountain lifestyle, but relevant to all aspects of coastal, urban, western…MK relates to all sectors of Americana.”

According to Moore, “The MK design filter for the Spring ‘12 collection is ‘style that happens to offer performance.”  MK has cranked up the volume on superior fabrications, great fit and new signature details. We’re continuing to expand our tops assortment to offer more layers and versatility in the top to bottom look. It’s a new day at MK—-everyone is inspired…and good things are happening!”

On the technical side, Mountain Khakis is introducing two new fabrics with particularly unique attributes.  The Approach Collection features a jersey fabric made from coffee grounds, called S.Cafe.  The Fairway Collection also features a performance jersey knit fabric made from PET recycled plastic bottles, called Bionic.

A technical composite fiber, S.Cafe exhibits inherent, permanent properties including odor control, UV resistance and quick-dry.  The S.Cafe life cycle and patented process starts with the green coffee bean: the peabody. Spent coffee grounds from coffee shops are salvaged. Redirecting the waste away from the land-fill is an added eco benefit of the fiber.  The coffee grounds are recycled into a composite fiber. The fiber is made into yarn, which then becomes a knitted or woven fabric.  Curious minds may wonder whether the odor control is masked by the smell of coffee grounds…not the case.

Bionic uses an innovative, patented process to blend cotton and recycled PET.  The Bionic life cycle and patented process starts with discarded plastic bottles. Redirecting bottles away from the landfill is one of many eco-benefits to the process.  As plastic bottles are recycled into PET, or Polyethylene Terephthalate, the chips are transformed and melted into 2” fiber strips.  Spun together with cotton through a proprietary spinning process to create a dual layer of Bionic Dpx yarn, the affect is a super-soft fabric surface of cotton and a core of recycled PET. Each MK Fairway shirt contains as many as 14 recycled PET bottles.

Mountain Khakis Spring/Summer 2012 collection will be available in February, 2010 at authorized MK dealers in the U.S., Canada and Asia, and online at mountainkhakis.com.

About Mountain Khakis
Rugged. Authentic. Reliable Timeless. What started as a casual conversation at the Shady Lady Saloon in Jackson Hole, WY has become a top-performing mountain-inspired lifestyle apparel brand.  Established in 2003, Mountain Khakis quickly became a staple in the wardrobe of everyone from ranch hands to golf pros, those who travel by jet, as well as those who travel by thumb.  The Mountain Khakis brand story continues to resonate as it connects to the enthusiast who believes that freedom and rugged adventure is a way of life.

Mountain Khakis – Built for the Mountain Life – Rise Above it.

For More Information Contact:
Jen Taylor, Dir. of Creative Development & Public Relations
(970) 250-9682
jen.taylor@mountainkhakis.com
http://www.mountainkhakis.com

Mattel’s Barbie Collector Farrah Fawcett doll, a three-dimensional rendition of the poster—right down to the one-piece red bathing suit, gold necklace and striped beach blanket—is now available. (In [...]]]> Just over two years since Farrah Fawcett’s death from cancer at the age of 62, two reminders of happier moments in her life and career are appearing, and both are related to the iconic Bruce McBroom poster that helped launch not just Fawcett’s career but also the feathered hairstyle that defined a generation.

Mattel’s Barbie Collector Farrah Fawcett doll, a three-dimensional rendition of the poster—right down to the one-piece red bathing suit, gold necklace and striped beach blanket—is now available. (In November the doll’s prototype sold in 20 minutes for $1,500.) And joining the Smithsonian’s “National Treasures of Popular Culture” permanent exhibition this summer is the self-same red swimsuit donated in February by Fawcett’s longtime romantic partner Ryan O’Neal.

Alana Stewart, who was Fawcett’s close friend for more than 30 years and is the president of the Farrah Fawcett Foundation, says she always asks herself, “What would Farrah do?” She thinks her late friend would approve. The poster, Stewart says, represents “a sexy, all-American beauty; there is an innocence to it.”

Stewart believes that these reminders of the former “Charlie’s Angels” star will draw attention to the foundation Fawcett started two years before her death. “When we were in Germany [for treatments], Farrah told me she was glad she got cancer, because now she could make a difference,” Stewart said. The foundation, which is private, funds many nonprofit organizations, including some that do research in cutting-edge treatments and others that provide patient assistance programs.

The foundation receives a royalty, which it would not disclose, from each Farrah Barbie sold. Stewart says there are plans for more projects that will carry on Fawcett’s legacy.

The Farrah Fawcett Barbie is available at http://www.barbiecollector.com for $34.95.