Trendy. Cutting edge. These aren’t exactly words that one normally associates with The Walt Disney Company. At least when it comes to fashion.
And yet – judging by the steady stream of shoppers that have been coming through the doors at Tren-D, Downtown Disney’s newest boutique – there’s clearly an appetite out there for hip apparel & accessories that makes whimsical use of the Disney characters.
Copyright 2009 Disney. All Rights Reserved
According to Dara Trujillo, manager of merchandise synergy & franchises for Disney Parks & Resorts, this recent addition to WDW’s shopping, entertainment and dining district (which has been in soft opening mode for two weeks now but will have its grand opening this Thursday morning) has been in the works for quite a while.
“We’ve spent the past year working on this project,” Dara explained. “Our goal was to add something truly unique to the Marketplace section of Downtown Disney. An eclectic boutique where our Guests could find character merchandise with an urban twist.”
Tren-D’s interior is certainly a departure from your usual WDW shop. Formally the home of Summer Sands, this 2,500 square-foot retail space now has a raw, unfinished feel. With a funky assortment of jeweled chandeliers hanging over displays of embroidered handbags and jeweled sunglass cases.
“What we tried to do here was create something that went beyond our Guests’ expectations, which served up something more than the usual assortment of souvenirs to choose from,” Trujillo continued. “We’ve worked with some top designers in order to create Tren-D’s merchandise. People like Kidada Jones and Tarina Tarantino, who bring their own individual style to these Disney-inspired creations.”
Mind you, some of the stuff that’s currently up for sale at Tren-D is pretty subtle when it comes to how it makes use of the characters. Sure, there are items in here that are full-on Disney. But there are also other pieces that just make use of the characters’ silhouettes. And then there’s that 25% of Tren-D merchandise which has no Disney characters on it whatsoever.
“We wanted a shopping destination with offerings unlike anything else that you’d find on property,” Dara said. “Which would then appeal to that WDW visitor who was looking to make a fashion statement while they visited the Parks or once they got back home.”
And speaking of making a fashion statement … Check out Faith Prince’s new look.
Faith Prince as Ursula in “The Little Mermaid,” presented by Disney Theatrical Productions. Copyright 2009 Disney. All Rights Reserved. Photo by Joan Marcus
“What's with the duds & the do?,” you ask. Starting tomorrow night, this Tony Award winner joins the Broadway Company of Disney’s “The Little Mermaid.” Where Faith begins playing that oh-so-stylish Sea Witch, Ursula.
And should those elbow-length, blue-green ruffled gloves that Prince is wearing in the above photo ever catch on with hipsters … Well, you can bet that Tren-D will start selling them shortly to WDW visitors.
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