Babar "Story Time" Featuring Local Celebrities, Mascot Appearances and More!
TORONTO, Nov. 23, 2012 /CNW/ - Holt Renfrew has partnered with Nelvana Enterprises and The Clifford Ross Company to feature the classic children's brand, Babar, exclusively at its retail stores across Canada this holiday season.
The vintage-inspired collection of new products includes beautifully-designed books, games, puzzles, plush and pajamas.
All Holt Renfrew stores will be hosting book readings from the cherished tales of Babar on Saturday, December 1, 2012, and Sunday, December 2, 2012 at 1:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. (local times), with select stores featuring celebrity readers (see list below). Young guests will be treated to Babar's signature gold-coloured crowns, bow ties, cookies and refreshments. Babar will also be making special appearances in Toronto at Holt Renfrew's flagship Bloor Street location and Sherway Gardens store.
| "STORY TIME WITH BABAR" CELEBRITY READERS SCHEDULE |
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| Holt Renfrew Store Location | Date | Story Times | Celebrity Reading |
| Toronto - 50 Bloor Street West | December 1, 2012 | 1:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. | Hilary Farr from Love It or List It - W Network |
| Toronto - 50 Bloor Street West | December 2, 2012 | 1:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. | Torri Webster and Madison Pettis from Life With Boys - YTV |
| Calgary - 510 8th Avenue SW | December 1, 2012 | 1:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. | Matreya Fedor from Mr. Young - YTV |
| Calgary - 510 8th Avenue SW | December 2, 2012 | 1:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. | Matreya Fedor from Mr. Young - YTV |
| Vancouver - 737 Dunsmuir Street | December 1, 2012 | 1:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. | Anna Wallner and Kristina Matisic from Anna & Kristina's Grocery Bag - The Oprah Winfrey Network (Canada) |
Also, for a limited time, Holt Renfrew customers who purchase items from the vintage Babar collection will receive an exclusive Babar holiday card.
"Babar has found a perfect home for the holidays at Holt Renfrew," said Andrew Kerr, Head of Consumer Products, The Americas and Australasia, for Nelvana Enterprises. "Both are celebrating significant milestones with Babar's 80th anniversary and Holt Renfrew's 175th, and are synonymous with time-honoured elegance and have a multi-generational appeal. We are excited to partner with Holt Renfrew to introduce our new range of vintage Babar products to its clientele."
Babar's Back-Story
Babar originated in the 1930s as a bedtime story told to Laurent de Brunhoff and his brother by their mother, Cecile, and first came to life through the art of Laurent's father, Jean de Brunhoff, a painter, who produced seven books about the character. When Jean passed away at the young age of 37, Laurent, who studied at the same art academy, built on his father's work, creating many bestselling adventures for the elephant family. Babar tells the charming tale of a little elephant playing in the jungle who ventures into town after his mother is shot by a hunter and then returns to the jungle, where he becomes the King of the elephants.
A remarkable success story with humble beginnings, today Babar continues to reign as the King of children's literature. The lovable elephant has appeared in more than 100 books in 17 languages as well as multiple TV series and specials, and even a feature-length film.
About Nelvana Enterprises
Nelvana Enterprises is owned by Corus Entertainment Inc. is a Canadian-based media and entertainment company. Corus is a market leader in specialty television and radio with additional assets in pay television, television broadcasting, children's book publishing, children's animation and animation software. The Company's multimedia entertainment brands include YTV, Treehouse, Nickelodeon (Canada), ABC Spark, W Network, OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network (Canada), CosmoTV, Sundance Channel (Canada), Movie Central, HBO Canada, Nelvana, Kids Can Press, Toon Boom and radio stations including CKNW AM 980, 99.3 The FOX, Country 105, 630 CHED, Q107 and 102.1 the Edge. Corus creates engaging branded entertainment experiences for its audiences across multiple platforms. A publicly traded company, Corus is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (CJR.B). Experience Corus on the web at www.corusent.com.
About The Clifford Ross Company
Founded in 1985 by artist/photographer Clifford Ross, The Clifford Ross Company focused on three classic properties during its early years: the works of Edward Gorey, Tom Swift and Babar. After optioning the rights to Babar in 1986 directly from Laurent de Brunhoff and the de Brunhoff family, CRC entered into a working relationship with Nelvana on all aspects of the property. For over 20 years, the companies have worked together producing both television and feature-length movies featuring the Babar characters and developing a worldwide licensing program. Ross recently completed "Harmonium Mountain," an animated, computer-generated landscape video, with an original score by Philip Glass, which was an original selection of the Tribeca Film Festival. He is currently working on the completion of a stained glass wall for the new United States Federal Courthouse in Austin, Texas.
About Holt Renfrew
Celebrating a 175-year heritage, Holt Renfrew is recognized worldwide for an inspired shopping experience. In September 2012, Holt Renfrew announced a new era of luxury, style and experience, with plans to expand the total square footage of its network of stores by 40% before the end of 2015. Each Holt Renfrew store will be renovated and updated, with some stores completely rebuilt. Holt Renfrew Yorkdale will be the first store to herald the new era, doubling to 120,000 ft by August 2013 and showcasing a number of innovative new luxury encounters and an enriched array of new designer offerings. A unique new concept store, hr2, will also have a national presence before the end of 2015, with a first store opening in Quebec in March 2013.
Once a purveyor of fashion to Her Majesty Queen Victoria, Holt Renfrew began in 1837 as a modest hat shop in Quebec City. Over the years the brand developed and expanded across Canada. In the 1930's Holt Renfrew began exclusive accounts with some of the best designers in Europe and in 1947 hosted Monsieur Christian Dior when he launched his "New Look". After many years of foreign ownership Holt Renfrew was bought in 1986 by W. Galen and the Hon. Hilary M. Weston. Under their ownership Holt Renfrew has become Canada's destination for luxury retail. Holt Renfrew has 2,300 employees with nine stores across the country in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, Quebec City, Ottawa and Toronto (Bloor Street, Sherway Gardens and Yorkdale). Visit us at holtrenfrew.com.
Holt Renfrew is part of Selfridges Group Limited. With extensive know-how and experience in operating luxury fashion retail stores, the Selfridges Group owns and operates leading heritage banners in key markets around the world, including Brown Thomas in Ireland; de Bijenkorf in The Netherlands; Holt Renfrew in Canada and Selfridges in the United Kingdom. Selfridges Group is a family owned business. W. Galen Weston is Chairman.
Image with caption: "Beloved Children's Icon, Babar The Elephant, Comes to Holt Renfrew Stores to Celebrate the Holidays (CNW Group/Corus Entertainment Inc.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20121123_C3109_PHOTO_EN_21113.jpg
SOURCE: Corus Entertainment Inc.
Diana Pitt
Publicist, Nelvana
416.479.6678
[email protected]
Corus Entertainment Inc. (TSX: CJR.B) is a leading media and content company that develops and delivers high quality brands and content across platforms for audiences around the world. Engaging audiences since 1999, the company’s portfolio of multimedia offerings encompass...
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