It may not be Vera Wang, but some reviewers may consider them as “charming.”
Last week, Walt Disney Co. unveiled its “Blossoms” line of flower girl dresses, just months after the debut of its line of bridal gowns.
According to the Burbank studio, the gowns are “inspired by the spirit and style of each Disney Princess” characters like Jasmine, Ariel and Snow White and the ultimate fairy tale princess, Cinderella.
There are five to six gown styles for brides and bridal party members, with about 35 adult gowns and dresses in all.
Kirstie Kelly, a veteran Brentwood bridal designer who has designed for TV and films, created the line.
“We knew we needed to partner with a designer who had credibility in the business,” said Aaron Hunt, a Disney spokesman. “Our parks and resorts do a sizeable wedding business, so we knew there was a market out there for it. Fairly rapidly we saw there was an opportunity to build that out; maidens’ line for bridal parts and a blossoms line for flower girls were natural extensions.”
There is nothing Mickey Mouse about the prices. The gowns retail for $1,100 to $3,500, and are now sold in more than 300 boutiques domestically and in other outlets in Europe and Japan
Disney has developed a number of partnerships in the fashion industry, including deals with couture labels like Dolce & Gabbana, a line designed by Kidada Jones and a Disney Couture collection sold at Fred Segal stores.
Zappa Goes Dutch
Dutch entertainment rights company Fintage Music has acquired the rights to publish nearly 1,000 titles from the late Frank Zappa’s songbook outside of North America.
Fintage’s Los Angeles representative Bruce Lampcov negotiated the deal for the company. Since Zappa died in 1993, his widow Gail has largely controlled the use of his songs.
Zappa’s career spanned more than 30 years and he produced more than 70 albums, including classic albums “Freak Out!” and his trilogy, “Lumpy Gravy,” “We’re Only In It For The Money” and “Civilization,” all of which are all included in the Fintage Music deal.
Scribe Tribe United
The Writers Guild of America, West members re-elected their union’s leadership last week.
The “Writers United” slate was led by current WGAW president Patric M. Verrone, who was returned to his position with more than 90 percent of the vote. The rest of his slate followed suit, winning their seats by roughly a two-to-one margin.
Two years ago, Verrone, Vice President David N. Weiss and Secretary-Treasurer Elias Davis were elected to their posts by the largest margins in WGAW history.
The election comes as the guild is in the midst of contentious contract negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.
Film Financing
Banking and entertainment industry executives Harold Lewis and Brenda Doby-Flewellyn, both formerly entertainment loan executives with Union Bank of California, have teamed to launch a new enterprise FilmBankers International.
Based in Beverly Hills, the firm will assist filmmakers with financing, sales and distribution of production projects. The startup company has just a dozen production companies on their books, but is in negotiations or already providing advisory services for more than 30 film, television and animation projects, including a television series and feature biopics on musical icons Miles Davis and Marvin Gaye.
FilmBankers is involved in negotiating co-financing for the $30 million Bob Marley film “No Woman, No Cry” on behalf of producer Rudy Langlais and his Frigate Bay Filmworks. The company will also handle the film’s international sales.
Ovation TV Packs Bags
Ovation TV, the Los Angeles-based network dedicated to covering art and creativity, will premiere its first original series since re-launching this spring.
“Art & the City,” a cultural tourism series hosted by Travel and Leisure Magazine’s David A. Keeps. The half-hour series premieres with back-to-back original episodes Sunday, Oct. 7 at 9 p.m. before moving to its regular Wednesday 8 p.m. time slot on October 10. The first two episodes will explore the cultural highlights of Chicago and Paris, respectively.
“Art & the City” leads cultural tourists on discoveries of arts, architecture and design in uncovered corners, highly regarded museums and culinary sites of well-traveled destinations throughout the U.S. and Europe. Ovation is owned by private investors including the Weinstein Co. and Hubbard Media Group.
Local production house World of Wonder Productions Inc. is behind the series. The company is best known for award-winning films and documentaries including “The Eyes of Tammy Faye,” “Party Monster,” “Tori & Dean: Inn Love” and “Million Dollar Listing.”
Staff reporter Anne Riley-Katz can be reached at [email protected]. or (323) 549-5225, ext. 225.
