May 22, 2008

Walt Disney Launches Signature Stationery Collection

New York, NY — The Walt Disney Signature collection, Disney’s first upscale, non – character, adult lifestyle brand, has expanded with the launch of luxury stationery products unveiled this week at the National Stationery Show in New York City. A collaborative effort between Disney Stationery – part of Disney Consumer Products – and industry leaders, Crane & Co., Eccolo and Monteverde, the collection features exquisite pens handcrafted by Italian artisans, and fine paper products including note cards and leather bound journals.

“The Walt Disney Signature stationery collection will appeal to anyone who seeks unique and elegant products that are beautifully crafted,” said Mark Coleman, senior vice president, global stationery, Disney Consumer Products. “Art enthusiasts, Disney film aficionados, executives, pen collectors, and anyone who has an affinity for Disney will appreciate the new collection.”

Walt Disney’s legacy has flourished for more than 80 years, and his life inspired generations to be innovative and creative. The Walt Disney Signature stationery collection celebrates Walt and his creativity with three distinct and elegant lines including: The Executive Collection, Sleeping Beauty Collection, and Fantasia Collection. In order to authentically interpret Walt Disney’s brand essence, designers from Crane & Co., Eccolo and Monteverde were provided special access to artwork from the Disney archives.

The Walt Disney Signature collection of fine paper products is Disney and Crane’s first co-branded line. Since before the American Revolution, Crane has been using recovered cotton clippings from garment factories to produce its line of high quality paper; its products are eco-friendly and utilize only the best raw material. The Walt Disney Signature collection of note cards and lined envelopes by Crane is made of 100% cotton, a 100% renewable, recovered and recyclable resource.

The new Walt Disney Signature stationery collection will be available at fine retailers and specialty boutiques in fall 2008.

The Executive Collection:
The Walt Disney Signature Executive collection salutes those who take chances and achieve impossible dreams. The limited edition pen by Monteverde is trimmed in sterling silver with a crown hand – polished to antiqued silver, making each pen unique. Design elements are inspired by the synergy of heritage and innovation and are exemplified in the mix of materials: ebony black marbleized acrylic interspersed with rings of aviation grade carbon fiber. The clip of the pen is reminiscent of vintage tie pins taking its lines from the industrial designs of 1940’s era. A black onyx is set within the pen clip as the repeating archway pattern on the crown salutes the image of Walt Disney walking through the archways of Disneyland Park—surveying his dream realized.
The note cards by Crane exemplify classic and sophisticated design in an elegant ecru white kid finish. Eccolo’s Italian nappa leather journals with silver edged ivory paper and a leather bookmark with logo “coin” complete the stylish collection.

Sleeping Beauty Collection:
With its 50th anniversary approaching soon, Walt Disney’s Sleeping Beauty remains a true Disney classic and makes a definitive artistic statement. Themes of love, dreams, and beauty were potent elements in the design process of the collection. The hand-assembled, limited edition pen by Monteverde reflects the golden, jewel encrusted, Sleeping Beauty storybook from the film, which was central to the design direction for the collection. The trim of the pen is made with rose gold and artwork from the movie is recreated on the top of pen. The clip contains a snow flake color stone, and the top of the pen has been molded to a crown motif. All parts of the pen are hand-assembled and brilliantly presented in an exclusive lacquered Walt Disney Signature gift box. The stationery collection from Crane features hand engraving in a pearl white kid finish and envelopes with rose gold liner; the note cards feature five famous scenes from the film – on the back editorial copy describes the origins and inspiration of the artwork. The pearl accents and gilded pages of the Sleeping Beauty journal by Eccolo complement the classic country scene that is printed on the creamy end sheets. A unique magnetic closure keeps secrets safe and secure.

Fantasia Collection:
After nearly 70 years, Walt Disney’s Fantasia continues to be an innovative artistic highpoint in Disney’s heritage. The Fantasia stationery collection’s central color story is royal blue with silver accents. Monteverde’s majestic blue, limited edition pen is complemented by Eccolo’s Italian-made leather bound journals, and Crane note cards embossed with silvery blue frost fairies. The Fantasia pen has a marbleized resin cap and a “reverse hand painted” section in the barrel, created with an ancient technique known as NABU. The clip contains a blue agate stone, the top emblem is a musical note inspired by the musical scores of Fantasia, and the trim of the pen is chrome.
Additional stationery features hand engraving in a pearl white kid finish and envelopes lined with reproductions of archival artwork from Fantasia; the note cards feature five famous scenes from the film – on the back editorial copy describes the origins and inspiration of the artwork. A true fantasy in leather bookbinding, the Fantasia-inspired journal from Eccolo features a ribbed spine, silver edge pages and traditional Italian leather tooling.

About Disney Consumer Products
Disney Consumer Products and affiliates (DCP) is the business segment of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) that extends the Disney brand to merchandise ranging from apparel, toys, home decor and books and magazines to interactive games, foods and beverages, stationery, electronics and fine art. This is accomplished through DCP’s various lines of business which include: Disney Toys, Disney Apparel, Accessories & Footwear, Disney Food, Health & Beauty, Disney Home and Disney Stationery.
Other businesses involved in Disney’s consumer products sales are Disney Publishing Worldwide, the world’s largest publisher of children’s books and magazines, Disney Interactive Studios, a leading developer and publisher of video games and interactive entertainment, and www.disneyshopping.com, the company’s official shopping portal. The Disney Stores retail chain, which debuted in 1987, is owned and operated by Disney in North America and Europe. The Disney Stores chain in Japan is operated under a license agreement with Disney.

About Crane & Co.
For more than two centuries, Crane & Co. has been country’s leading maker of fine 100 percent cotton stationery for social and business correspondence. Crane stationery is sold nationwide through a network of more than 2,000 independent retailers, as well as through printers, engravers and paper merchants. The Crane watermark remains the most significant mark of uncompromising quality, symbolizing the pride and personal touch of the stationer.
Founded in 1801, the company’s roots extend to the birth of the nation. It was at Crane’s Liberty Mill that paper was made for Paul Revere to engrave colonial currency in 1776. Crane has made the distinctive paper for United States currency since 1879. The company continues to be owned and managed by members of the sixth and seventh generations of the Crane family.