HSN to Present an Exclusive Collection Inspired by the Highly Anticipated Feature Film "The Help"

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Aug. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Multichannel retailer HSN will launch a multi-platform exclusive shopping event that celebrates the style, fashion and decor inspired by one of the most highly anticipated films of the summer, "The Help."  The event will take place starting August 5 across all of HSN's platforms, including television, HSN.com and HSN mobile.   "The Help," presented by DreamWorks Pictures and Reliance Entertainment, in association with Participant Media and Imagenation Abu Dhabi, is distributed by Touchstone Pictures and will be released nationwide on August 10, 2011.

"HSN is proud to collaborate with DreamWorks Pictures to celebrate this powerful film as part of our ongoing entertainment strategy." said Bill Brand, EVP of Programming, Marketing and Business Development.  "We are excited to bring to life one of the biggest movies of the year on all of our platforms with exclusive content and unique products."

HSN programming during the event will focus on the themes of fashion, American home decor, southern-style cooking and beauty products.  The HSN event will feature the launch of new personalities, designers and brands, including:

• CR by Cynthia Rowley –exclusive fashion and accessories that radiate classic style and timeless design.
• Lela Rose for HSN –impeccable 60's style apparel with bold flowery prints and whimsical silhouettes.
• Chef Martha Hall Foose –celebrated chef and food stylist for The Help will debut her cookbook "A Southerly Course: Menus and Recipes from Close to Home" and present a variety of classic southern foods ranging from boneless stuffed chicken breasts to red velvet cakes and brewed ice teas.
• Viking – known for their top-of-the-line major kitchen appliances, Viking will be showcasing their line of state-of-the-art hand-held appliances as part of the event.

In addition, the event will showcase products from HSN favorites, including beauty from Carol's Daughter and Stila; culinary and home offerings from Emeril Lagasse, Jeffery Banks, and The Lee Bros; and jewelry from R.J. Graziano.

Mary J. Blige, a spokeswoman and investor in the Carol's Daughter brand, will be expanding her fragrance collection with the launch of My Life Blossom, exclusively on HSN on August 13.  The Grammy® award-winning singer composed "The Living Proof, the theme song for The Help and will share personal anecdotes on working on the film when she appears on HSN.  

Blige's song is written from the point of view of the lead character Aibileen, the African-American maid who bravely shares her story.  Blige was in awe of the character's fearlessness and deeply moved by the support of the women surrounding Aibileen in the film.

"I cried the most when I saw all of the women gathered together.  They chose to walk in love and forgiveness. My personal connection to the themes in the film is the fact that my Aunt Lara belle was a maid who worked for a very wealthy white family and they loved her to death and she ultimately raised their children," said Mary J. Blige. "To be able to speak to so many women with this song means a lot to me."  To hear more about Mary's inspiration, click here.

Tune in for the HSN event "The Help" on August 5, 6 &13. Special features, including behind-the-scenes footage, videos, community boards and cast biographies, as well as an opportunity to buy an autographed copy of the book, can be found at www.hsn.com, keyword: the help.  

About HSN:

Headquartered in St. Petersburg, FL, HSN is a leading interactive multichannel retailer, offering a curated assortment of exclusive products and top brand names to its customers. HSN incorporates entertainment, inspiration, personalities and industry experts to provide an entirely unique shopping experience. At HSN, customers find exceptional selections in Health & Beauty  (e.g.  Benefit, Carol's Daughter, Coty, Elizabeth Arden, Shiseido, Signature Club A, Andrew Lessman, Lancôme, My Life Mary J. Blige, Perlier, Serious Skin Care, Stila, Wei East, ybf Beauty); Jewelry (e.g. Heidi Daus, Iris Apfel, R.J. Graziano, Rarities: Fine Jewelry with Carol Brodie, Amedeo Scognamiglio, Tori Spelling); Home/Lifestyle  (e.g. Jeffrey Banks, Nate Berkus, Bissell, Colin Cowie, Dyson, Easy Exotic by Padma Lakshmi, Todd English, Emeril Lagasse, Happy Chic by Jonathan Adler, Joy Mangano, MoMA Design Store, Wolfgang Puck); Fashion/Accessories  (e.g. American Glamour Badgley Mischka, Joan Boyce, Curations with Stefani Greenfield, Libby Edelman, Sam Edelman, Chi by Carlos Falchi, Diane Gilman, IMAN Global Chic, "Timeless" by Naeem Khan, Twiggy LONDON, Sharif, Serena Williams Signature Statement); and Electronics  (e.g. Sony, Kodak, Acer, Olympus, GE, Panasonic).  

A leader in transactional innovation, HSN is the only retailer offering live streaming video in HD on three screens: TV, online and mobile.  HSN broadcasts live to 96 million households in the US in HD 24/7 and its website – hsn.com – is a top 10 e-commerce site, featuring more than 15,000 product videos.  Mobile applications include HSN apps for iPad, iPhone and Android.  HSN, founded 34 years ago as the first shopping network, is an operating segment of HSN, Inc. (Nasdaq: HSNI).

About the Movie:

Based on one of the most talked about books in years and a #1 New York Times best-selling phenomenon,  "The Help" stars Emma Stone ("Easy A") as Skeeter, Academy Award®–nominated Viola Davis ("Doubt") as Aibileen and Octavia Spencer as Minny -- three very different, extraordinary women in Mississippi during the 1960s,  who build an unlikely friendship around a secret writing project that breaks societal rules and puts them all at risk. From their improbable alliance a remarkable sisterhood emerges, instilling all of them with the courage to transcend the lines that define them, and the realization that sometimes those lines are made to be crossed -- even if it means bringing everyone in town face-to-face with the changing times. Deeply moving, filled with poignancy, humor and hope, "The Help" is a timeless and universal story about the ability to create change.

From DreamWorks Pictures and Reliance Entertainment, in association with Participant Media and Imagenation Abu Dhabi, "The Help" is directed and written for the screen by Tate Taylor, based on the novel by Kathryn Stockett, and produced by Brunson Green, Chris Columbus and Michael Barnathan. "The Help" releases in theaters August 10, 2011.

SOURCE HSN