Sci-fi anoraks in the Silver Cross team were absolutely delighted this week as star of the smash hit X Files TV and movie series, Gillian Anderson (aka Special Agent Dana Scully) became another A-list celebrity to choose the Silver Cross Dazzle Stroller for her second baby, this time in the stylish Pumpkin colourway.
The Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning actress has recently reprised her role as Agent Scully alongside brooding alien hunter Special Agent Fox Mulder (co-star David Duchovny) in the new X Files movie: I Want to Believe. This follows further high-profile outings as Sarah Merrit in Oscar-winning film The Last King of Scotland and as Lady Dedlock in the BBC’s fine adaptation of Charles Dickens’ Bleak House.
Gillian and her partner, Mark Griffiths are expecting their second baby together. Their latest special little agent will join Oscar (their two-year-old son) and Piper, Gillian’s 13-year-old daughter from a previous relationship.
The stylish Silver Cross Dazzle stroller continues to grab the attention of Hollywood’s A-list, with a whole gaggle of celebrity dads deciding that the chic urban stroller is the choice for their babies.
Grammy award-winning megastar Usher and his wife Tameka Foster have chosen a Cosmic Black Dazzle for their son Usher Raymond V.
Following the conclusion of the Jason Bourne trilogy, all action heart throb and good will hunter Matt Damon will be pushing his new baby around in a Cosmic Black Dazzle too. Damon and his wife Luciana are expecting a second little girl to join their first daughter together, Isabella.
Web-slinging Spiderman star Tobey Maguire is another action hero to take a Black Dazzle. He, wife Jennifer Meyer and their first daughter Ruby are eagerly awaiting the arrival of another spiderling.
After the recent arrival of their newborn son Levi, chiselled hunk Matthew McConaughey and his Brazilian beauty Camila Alves also joined the Silver Cross party with a Cosmic Black example.
Hollywood funnyman and Tenacious D rocker Jack Black is also now the proud owner of a Dazzle, this time in the stylish Blueberry colourway. The Kung Fu Panda star and his cello-bowing wife, Tanya Haden have recently had a second son, Tommy, who joins big brother Sammy in the Black household.
Star of adolescent lupine movie Teen Wolf Too and superhero comedy Hancock; Jason Bateman is now also a celebrity Dazzler as he and wife Amanda Anka have chosen a Cosmic Black stroller for daughter Francesca.
And finally, Sex and the City’s Mr Big, Chris Noth and his actress girlfriend Tara Wilson have taken a Silver Cross Dazzle in the funky Pumpkin colourway for their son Orion.
Silver Screen star Marcia Cross and her seventeen-month-old twin daughters Eden & Savannah (above) enjoy the sunshine whilst waiting for husband/daddy Tom Mahoney after a trip to the swimming baths in Santa Monica last weekend.
The Desperate Housewives star certainly showed her keen eye for fashion, with the beautiful twins safe and happy in a pair of super-chic Silver Cross Dazzle Strollers. Marcia, who has achieved global recognition for her performances as highly-strung perfectionist Bree Hodge in the hit US show was in relaxed mood as the family enjoyed their swim, and little Eden (pictured in the Blueberry Dazzle) and Savannah (in the Grape Dazzle) had a great time splashing with mom and dad. Thanks to celebrity baby blog for the pic. You can read celebrity baby blog’s review of the Silver Cross Dazzle here.
The seventeenth of July saw the proud launch of the Silver Cross brand in China. The Shanghai Nursery Fair is China’s (and one of the world’s) largest events of it’s kind, attracting a wide spectrum of high profile buyers from across China. Silver Cross has teamed up with one of the most prestigious nursery and children’s product distributors: Goodbaby Group. Goodbaby have a range of Chinese nursery stores and currently hold exclusive distribution rights for the Nike Kids and Miniman Fashion ranges for China.
The event was a huge success, with the world’s oldest nursery brand attracting a new and excited Chinese audience. With China fast becoming one of the world’s superpowers, the blossoming middle classes are keen to embrace the cream of western quality and design. Mr Shen - International Brand Manager of Goodbaby commented; “We have had a wonderful reaction to Silver Cross products at the show and we’re confident that the brand will have a bright future in China.”
. Silver Cross has climbed an impressive 126 places to position number 101 on the prestigious Superbrands list ahead of such well known names as Pepsi, Orange and Walkers. Still the UK’s favorite nursery equipment brand, Silver Cross was the second highest Baby Brand after Pampers.
The Superbrand list is created through a robust and entirely independent selection process which seeks the opinions of experts and thousands of individuals administered by The Centre for Brand Analysis (TCBA) on behalf of the Superbrands organisation. Which is why we are so proud of the result!
The Silver Cross Dazzle stroller has once again set tongues wagging as the chic British design has scooped another award, this time winning the prestigious ‘Mom’s Best Award’ in the USA.
The Mom’s Best Network, who’s mission is “to be the BEST resource site in providing reviews and information specifically regarding products and services, as well as retailers that carry these products/services” awarded Dazzle their seal of approval after putting the stroller through the toughest test of all; being used by mothers and their babies. The testers were delighted with the stylish stroller, particularly the light weight and eyecatching fabrics. Here’s what moms had to say:
“The Dazzle is easy to fold and the recline is great for newborns through toddlers.”
“It’s so lightweight and such a pretty colour.”
“It’s very lightweight, easy to maneuver and the colours are great.”
“I really liked this product - nothing about it needs improving.”
Academy Award-nominated actress Cate Blanchett certainly knows how to transport little Ignatius in style, showing off her dazzling side when arriving in the UK at Heathrow airport recently.
The Australian A-lister has been visiting England to promote her latest Hollywood blockbuster; Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, in which she stars alongside craggy-faced whip cracker Harrison Ford, who reprises his role as peril-dodging trinket collector Dr Indiana Jones. Despite having her three-month-old baby boy to look after, Cate was taking it all in her stride, travelling with the super-chic Dazzle stroller and soft cot combination to keep Ignatius safe and warm during their long journey.
Cate is picture above arriving smiling with Ignatius and her Dazzle at Heathrow (thanks to celebrity-gossip.net for the pic) and below as Irina Spalko in the new Indiana Jones movie (thanks to indianajones.com for the pic).
Whilst hubby Lleyton was getting on with the important business of trying to win the championships at The All England Lawn Tennis Club, former Home & Away star Bec Hewitt was keeping busy around Wimbledon village, pushing baby Mia around in their stylish Silver Grey Dazzle stroller.
The Hewitts have recently announced that baby Mia will be getting a new baby brother or sister in January and have been on tour in europe while grand slam winner Lleyton played in the French Open and Wimbledon. Unfortunately for the celebrity pair, the racket-wielding Aussie’s progress in both events was short-lived, losing a titanic five-setter to fifth seed David Ferrer in the 3rd round at Roland Garros and crashing out of Wimbledon in the 4th round to eventual runner-up Roger Federer.
On June 10th, Silver Cross and a gaggle of technical staff went on the road , all in the cause of fashion as we descended on one of the quieter corners of Islington for a photo shoot starring the classic Balmoral Pram.
Top fashion model Jen Dawson was on hand to provide the glamour, while London-based photographer Jonny Storey took the snaps. The shoot took place in a number of locations and included a host of great still images, along with some dynamic video. The results will be arriving on international Silver Cross sites in the next two months, so watch this space…
Click play on the video to take a peek behind the scenes!
Following on from the successful showcases in Hong Kong, Silver Cross Asia is further developing it’s in store experience with a brand new display in the high-profile Forum Shopping Mall in Singapore.
The showcase, which sits in the main entrance lobby of the enormous mall, features standing space for Silver Cross strollers and a multimedia screen playing Silver Cross videos throughout the day. The stand will be initially used to promote the stylish Dazzle Stroller (pictured above), with plans to use it for the launch of POP & Fizz in July/August time.
For most parents, making sure that their new baby is kept safe usually means a shopping trip to get hold of all the latest, safety-conscious prams, highchairs and car seats, but for parents in Northern Spain, keeping baby safe means something completely different!
In a bizarre festival known as El Salto del Colacho (Spanish for ‘the jump of the devil’), babies born in the previous twelve months are dressed in their Sunday best and laid on mattresses in the streets of Castrillo de Murcia, near Burgos. Then men dressed as devils, carrying whips and truncheons, jump over babies by the dozen. This outlandish practice is said to protect the babies from evil spirits and illness. The festival, which originated in 1621, occurs every year on the Sunday following Corpus Christi, a Roman Catholic holiday observed across Spain.
The pictures above show the aerobatic devils in flight over unsuspecting tots. ‘El Colacho’ is pictured below in full diabolical regalia.
Mother & Baby have been conducting the latest lightweight pushchair like-for-like test in a bid to find out which strollers are best of breed.
The test was conducted by three mums and featured 6 different pushchairs from various manufacturers. The testers were considering criteria such as weight, practicality, style/looks and overall value. The Silver Cross POP pushchair proved to be the cream of the crop; recieving a four star rating and the coveted ‘best value’ award. Here’s what the M&B testers had to say about POP:
Gemma: “Getting my daughter in and out was a doddle. It’s also just the right height whether you’re tall or small.” Charlotte: “Smooth to push, sturdy and the basket is a good size. Good reclining positions and it’s easy to change the seating position with a child in place, too” Stacey: “Lovely to push and a smooth ride. The harness is easy to adjust, the raincover fixes on easily and it’s easy to recline the seat.”
In summary, Mother & Baby said: “Good value and good quality, our testers loved it!”
Top UK parenting website, Gurgle.com, described the Silver Cross Dazzle stroller; “Designed for the modern urban parent, it has a gorgeous unique design and will be popular with anyone who wants a buggy with a bit of extra va-va voom!” In their ‘travelling with kids’ review, the Growing Your Baby tester said; “I personally like the soft, bold fabrics the stroller is offered in. With names like Blueberry, Cosmic Black, Grape, Pumpkin and Silver Grey, it almost makes you want to head to the bakery for some pie!” And in the last of the latest reviews, top Australian style site Kidstyle File had this to say; “Silver Cross have really updated in the last few years. Their latest model, the lightweight Dazzle stroller, is an iconic design - fresh, stark and simply beautiful. This is a stroller that really will become a modern classic.”
Even more on the Silver Cross Dazzle at Swanky Moms.
Hollywood actress Naomi Watts certainly knows how to make parenting that little bit easier as she is another celebrity to chose Silver Cross, this time with the stylish and practical 3D Pram System.
The Mulholland Drive and King Kong star has been snapped pushing her baby boy, Alexander in the cutting edge British design recently, and little ‘Sasha’ (as he is known) certainly looks more than comfortable in his stylish ride! The nine-month-old is the first child to come from Naomi’s relationship with fellow actor Liev Schreiber. The British-born starlet has been relatively quiet on the movie front since having Sasha, but with a number of new projects in the pipeline, Naomi will be back on the big screen next year. In addition to her new films, Ms Watts has been named as the new face of top posh fragrance, Thierry Mugler Angel.
Naomi is pictured above with Sasha and her 3D and below with lovesick chest-beating mega chimp Kong. You can view more pictures of Naomi Watts on Celebrity Baby Blog here and here and with Liev Schreiber here, and on celebrity-moms here
The display echoes Dazzle’s celebrity credentials, with the iconic British stroller taking centre stage in front of a horde of eager paparazzi, desperate to get the best shot! The addition of a red carpet underneath the Dazzles finishes off the glamorous scene nicely. The showcase is the first in a series of similar displays scheduled for New York kids boutiques over the next few months.
Top Hollywood actor Jake Gyllenhaal has recently been spotted pushing his sister Maggie’s daughter Ramona in her Silver Cross Freeway Linear Pram, prompting speculation about the possibility of babies with partner Reese Witherspoon
OK magazine recently reported that Brokeback Mountain star Jake and Legally Blonde star Reese are ready to start a family, and a friend of the couple stated to the glitzy mag; “Reese is the grounded girl he wants to start a family with!”
If the speculation proves to be correct, Jake and Reese would be well served following Maggie’s example by choosing Silver Cross - the name celebrities trust.
Sunday 18th May proved to be a great day for Silver Cross’ own Tamzin Hawkins (pictured above at the Christmas party!). Our fabric designer took to the streets of Manchester to take part in the Bupa Great Manchester Run.
In sunny and dry conditions Tamzin, running for this year’s Silver Cross charity, the Meningitis Trust, managed to complete the ten kilometre course in a sensational time of 53m32s, finishing in a fine 7,397th position out of 31,000 entries! Well done Tamzin!!!
One of the most difficult decisions all parents down the ages will face is what name to choose for their new arrivals.
While some parents will wait until baby arrives to make a decision (putting it off in other words!), many will have chosen names in advance of their due dates (mainly for nursery decorating and baby shopping purposes!). Nevertheless, actually coming up with a name that meets all the ‘relevant criteria’ can cause much anxiety. Here are some baby name ’criteria’ the Silver Cross team regard important :
“The name and initials should go well with the surname” (Richard - Design Team)
“Watch out for dodgy acronyms like Peter Oliver Orwell!” (Jason - Marketing Team)
“It has to be memorable; distinctively named people are more likely to be famous” (Charlotte - Design Team)
“Make sure it’s not a grandad name” (Javier - Sales Team)
“It has to suit the baby” (Tamzin - Design Team)
“A unique name; not common, but not silly at the same time” (Georgina - Customer Services Team)
“Whatever the wife wants!” (Riccardo - Customer Services Team)
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Thanks guys! Certainly one of the best places to start is the most popular name rankings. National statistics are published every year and in the UK in 2007, Jack was the most popular boys name (again) and Grace the most popular girls name. In the United States however, the story is substantially different with Jacob the number one name for boys and Emily the top girls name. You can take a look at a multitude of historical baby name information from the US by visiting the Social Security Administration baby name statistics page.
Finally, our friends at babycentre have a neat little resource to help with the naming process - their baby name finder will give you plenty of suggestions and name meanings to help you on your way!
As part of the recent work with the Prince’s Trust Silver Cross made a large donation during a musical event supported by top songstress Katie Melua and Welsh crooner, Aled ‘Walking in the Air’ Jones. As a thank you Katie very kindly donated her guitar which she used during the evening and put the icing on the cake with a great inscription on the instrument. The guitar is now on display in the Silver Cross reception area for everyone to enjoy.
Oh, and by the way Katie, we thought you were fab last night and you definitely have a loyal fan club up here in Yorkshire. x
(Ms Melua is pictured above with Silver Cross Chairman Alan Halsall, CEO Nick Paxton and Head of Design Phil Taylor, her guitar is pictured below)
While working through our website email enquiries this week, our customer services department came across a remarkable story from Scotland…
Alison Anderson from Bonnybridge in Falkirk wrote to us, asking where she might buy a replacement Linear Chassis. She went on to write; “My partner had a bout of ‘baby brain’ and reversed over ours with his Toyota Tundra! In the chassis’ defence, it is all scratched however, it withstood the weight of the car!”
Naturally, we were absolutely amazed to hear about this ‘unorthodox’ test and were delighted to hear that the Linear had survived; although we definitely wouldn’t advise using it again! James Barraclough, Silver Cross Technical Manager said; “It’s not a test we’ll be repeating in the lab!!!”
