Disney to Debut 'Crush by ABC Family' Apparel Line

Disney Consumer Products (DCP) and ABC Family, in collaboration with The Wet Seal Inc., today 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. A first of its kind for Wet Seal, a leading specialty retailer to young women, the initial collection will be unveiled in all Wet Seal stores nationwide and online at wetseal.com this holiday season.

"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 trend setting 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 trend-setting 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 is a wonderful collaboration that enables us to further extend the connection that 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 12-34, 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 the 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."

Wet Seal will support the launch with creative windows and in-store displays, a national print and digital media campaign, and an extensive social media program that includes a variety of contests hosted on the brand's social platforms. The first Contest is live now and offers fans a chance to win a trip to Los Angeles, CA and experience a runway fashion show to view the 'Crush by ABC Family' collection, modeled by select 2012 and 2013 Wet Seal Model Search Contest winners. Visit www.facebook.com/wetseal for entry details; visit for official Contest rules.

The merchandise assortment is Being designed and manufactured by long-time DCP licensee, Jerry Leigh, in collaboration with ABC Family stylists and DCP product development teams. The collection will offer a variety of apparel and accessory items, ranging from $9.90 to $32.90. Items will be tagged and labeled with 'Crush by ABC Family' branding and will flow monthly over the course of the next year. For more information, visit www.wetseal.com.

About the shows:
"Baby Daddy"
"Baby Daddy" follows Ben, a young man in his early 20s living the life of a bachelor as a bartender in New York City with his buddy, Tucker, and his brother, Danny, a professional hockey player. Their lives are turned upside down when they come home one day to find a baby girl left on the doorstep by an ex-girlfriend of Ben's. After much deliberation, Ben decides to raise the baby with the help of his friends and his protective and sometimes over-bearing mother, Bonnie, and his close female friend, Riley, who has had a secret crush on him since childhood. Riley is hopeful that Ben will finally take notice, but she doesn't realize that Ben's brother, Danny, is harboring a secret crush on her.

The series, which launched as the network's #1 comedy series in ABC Family history, stars Jean-Luc Bilodeau ("Kyle XY"), Derek Theler ("90210") and Tahj Mowry ("The Game"), along with Melissa Peterman ("Reba") and Chelsea Kane ("Dancing with the Stars," "Jonas LA"). "Baby Daddy" is created and executive produced by Dan Berendsen ("The Nine Lives of Chloe King," "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch" and "Hannah Montana: The Movie"). The multi-camera comedy shoots in front of a live studio audience in Los Angeles.

"The Fosters"
Winner of 2013 Teen Choice Awards for Choice TV Breakout Show, "The Fosters" is a compelling, one-hour drama about a multi-ethnic family mix of foster and biological kids Being raised by two moms. Stef Foster, a dedicated police officer, and her partner Lena Adams, a school Vice Principal, have built a close-knit, loving family with Stef's biological son from a previous marriage, Brandon, and their adopted twins Mariana and Jesus. Their lives are disrupted in unexpected ways when Lena meets Callie, a hardened teen with an abusive past who has spent her life in and out of foster homes. Lena and Stef warily welcome Callie, along with her younger brother Jude, into their home thinking it's just for a few weeks, until a more permanent placement can be found.

"Switched at Birth"?In "Switched at Birth," two families are forever altered when they discover their daughters were switched at birth. Life hasn't been easy for hard-working, single mom Regina Vasquez, but along with her mother, Adriana, Regina has provided her daughter Daphne, a typical teenager who just happens to be deaf, with a loving and secure home. Although she attends a school for the deaf and hard-of-hearing with best friend Emmett, Daphne's hearing loss does not prevent her from leading a full life. In sharp contrast to the Vasquezes, Kathryn, a stay-at-home mom, and John Kennish, a state senator, lead a seemingly perfect life with their two children, Bay and Toby. But when the Kennishes' learn the hospital made a grievous error and Bay is not their biological child, their entire world is turned upside down. Regina, Kathryn and John must learn to co-exist as parents, and blend two families into one for the sake of their daughters, despite overwhelming socio-economic, ethnic and cultural differences. The award-winning series is the first mainstream television series to have multiple deaf and hard-of-hearing series regulars, and scenes shot entirely in American Sign Language (ASL). A ground-breaking all-ASL episode aired in March.

"Twisted"
"Twisted" is a one-hour mystery full of twists and turns that follows Danny Desai, a charismatic 16-year-old with a troubled past who returns to his hometown after spending five years in juvenile detention. Immediately branded an outcast, Danny attempts to reconnect with his two childhood best friends, Jo and Lacey, and smooth over tensions with his mother, Karen, whose socialite status plummeted after her son's imprisonment and the mysterious disappearance of her husband, Danny's father. When a fellow student is found dead in her home, Danny instantly becomes the prime suspect and the town spirals into a frenzy of suspicion and mystery. Jo and Lacey must decide if their childhood friend is unforgivable, or if he's really a victim Being persecuted for his own Twisted secrets.

About Disney Consumer Products ?Disney Consumer Products (DCP) is the business segment of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) that delivers innovative and engaging product experiences across thousands of categories from toys and apparel to books and fine art. As the world's largest licensor, DCP inspires the imaginations of people around the world by bringing the magic of Disney into consumers' homes with products they can enjoy year-round. DCP is comprised of three business units: Licensing, Publishing and Disney Store. The Licensing business is aligned around five strategic brand priorities: Disney Media, Classics & Entertainment, Disney & Pixar Animation Studios, Disney Princess & Disney Fairies, Lucasfilm and Marvel. Disney Publishing Worldwide (DPW) is the world's largest publisher of children's books, magazines, and digital products and also includes an English language learning business, consisting of over 40 Disney English learning centers across China and a supplemental learning book program. DPW's growing library of digital products includes best-selling eBook titles and original apps that Leverage Disney content in innovative ways. The Disney Store retail chain operates across North America, Europe and Japan with more than 350 stores worldwide and is known for providing consumers with high-quality, unique products. Disney's official shopping portals online are www.DisneyStore.com and www.DisneyStore.co.uk. For more information, please visit Disney Consumer Products " www.DisneyConsumerProducts.com or follow us at www.YouTube.com/DisneyLiving, www.Facebook.com/DisneyLiving, www.Twitter.com/DisneyLiving and www.Pinterest.com/DisneyLiving.

About Wet Seal Inc.
Headquartered in Foothill Ranch, California, The Wet Seal, Inc. is a leading specialty retailer of fashionable and contemporary apparel and accessory items. As of August 3, 2013, the Company operated a total of 525 stores in 47 states and Puerto Rico, including 464 Wet Seal stores and 61 Arden B stores. The Company's products can also be purchased online at HYPERLINK "http://www.wetseal.com/" www.wetseal.com or at www.ardenb.com. For more Company information, visit www.wetsealinc.com

About ABC Family
Part of the Disney/ABC Television Group, ABC Family is distributed in over 97 million homes. ABC Family features programming reflecting today's families, entertaining and connecting with adults through relatable programming about today's relationships - told with a mix of diversity, passion, humor and heart. ABC Family's programming is a combination of network-defining original series and original movies, quality acquired series and blockbuster theatricals. Emmy(r) Award-winning ABCFamily.com provides full episodes of the network's hit programming, along with sneak peek exclusive previews. ABC Family is also the destination for annual Holiday events with "13 Nights of Halloween" and "25 Days of Christmas." ABC Family. A New Kind of Family.

About Jerry Leigh of California, Inc.
Jerry Leigh, established in 1962, is a family-owned clothing designer, manufacturer, and brand management company with a philosophy of designing fashion that reflects consumer's lifestyles, utilizing a wide range of brands and licenses. With over 750 employees worldwide, Jerry Leigh distributes to retailers at all tiers of distribution, from boutiques to mass market, and manufacturers apparel for everyone, from toddlers to adults. Its notable roster includes some of the best-known entertainment licensors, as well as contemporary lines David Lerner New York, Isaac Mizrahi New York, and a crowd sourcing division, Blank You Very Much. For more on Jerry Leigh, please visit www.jerryleigh.com.

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