Disney Consumer Products (DCP) and ABC Family, in collaboration with The Wet Seal Inc., announced a millennial lifestyle brand called ‘Crush by ABC Family.’ This new collection will offer an assortment of apparel and accessory styles wholly inspired by the fashion-forward female characters of popular ABC Family shows.
“This collaboration further supports DCP’s goal of engaging licensees to deliver unique product experiences tied to the hottest properties on screen,” said Josh Silverman, executive vice president of global franchise licensing and commercialization at Disney Consumer Products.
“ABC Family leads the trendsetting with what millennials are watching and wanting to wear, and the ‘Crush’ collection gives viewers the opportunity to wear styles inspired by favorite characters at a retailer they love.”
“The passion and enthusiasm our viewers have for our series and iconic characters is only matched by their passion for the trendsetting fashion of our shows,” said Kate Juergens, Executive Vice President, Original Programming and Development and Chief Creative Officer, ABC Family.
“Fans are always asking –‘how can I get ‘that’ look?’ and I’m so happy we can now respond…‘go to Wet Seal.’ This a wonderful collaboration that enables us to further extend the connection our fans have with their favorite characters.”
The first collection this fall will feature fashions inspired by characters from ABC Family’s sizzling dramas “The Fosters,” “Twisted” and “Switched at Birth” and its hit comedy series, “Baby Daddy.” “The Fosters,” “Baby Daddy,” and “Switched at Birth” have launched as the #1 new cable television/cable comedy series for the past three summers, respectively. Each of the items in the collection is designed specifically based on a character’s personality and individual style:
ABC Family’s breakout hit The Fosters, which was the summer’s #1 new cable television series with women 12-341, is represented in the collection through looks inspired by Callie (played by Maia Mitchell), a tough girl with a tender heart.
Callie influences the collection with casual, easy styles that have a boho flair. Her collection is threaded in earthy colors and bohemian influenced patterns, as well as classic silhouettes that reflect hope and optimism as she is embraced in the Foster family.
Inspired by the eclectic style and fierce independence of Switched at Birth’s street-artist Bay (played by Vanessa Marano), key pieces of the collection are grounded in a darker palette with a mix of edgy styles and silhouettes.
A passionate romantic often caught in love triangles, Bay is embodied in this collection, which is layered with dark romantic prints and graphics. Her rebellious nature influences the structure of moto-style jackets worn with brocade print dresses and maxi skirts.
In Twisted, the popular and sophisticated Lacey (played by Kylie Bunbury) is the recognized fashionista of the show, inspiring new silhouettes and fabrications to classic feminine dressing.
Lacey’s determination to always be perfect and maintain her hard-earned social stature is represented in the pairing of graphic tops with sleek pencil skirts. Lace insets and unexpected embellishments add a unique twist to these classic feminine looks.
The classic girl-next-door from hit comedy Baby Daddy, Riley (played by Chelsea Kane) brings pretty and feminine style to this collection.
Through modern florals and prints, paired with clean, casual silhouettes, pieces are inspired by her fun-loving attitude but ambitious legal mind. Flirty skirts, dresses and skinny denim paired with floaty tops and cardigans reveal Riley as a romantic at heart.
“This is a very innovative collaboration unlike anything Wet Seal has done in the past. The team has worked to craft fashions and marketing programs that will drive exciting buzz around two very well-known brands,” said John D. Goodman, chief executive officer of The Wet Seal Inc. “We know that the ‘Crush by ABC Family’ collection will directly appeal to our customer, as she will now have access to the closets of her favorite ABC Family characters.”