I remember when I was younger, the only thing I ever wanted to be was a Disney cartoonist. I would draw day and night, trying to better my images and dream of the day I’d be employed by them. Obviously that didn’t happen but I remember that passion so clearly. When I looked back on my drawings the other week, I noticed that my main character of choice would be the style queen herself, Minnie Mouse. Many young girls’ like me had their first experience of fashion, through the vision that was Minnie Mouse. She first appeared along side her sweetheart Mickey Mouse in 1982, after seeing her, all I ever wanted to wear was polka dots - a love that's never faded! In my sketches I had even given Minnie various new ensembles and tried to draw the style icon with different looks. She clearly had made an impact, as even years later I dressed up as her for a fancy dress party.
I was very excited to learn that coming soon, Disney is due to celebrate Minnie Mouse as one of its most beloved and enduring cultural icons. Inspired by her unique and distinctive style, many international designers will be creating ‘Minnie Mouse Must Haves’ one-off garments and accessories, all to be launched at London Fashion Week, in September and auctioned together with eBay, to raise funds for the BFC/Bazaar Fashion Arts Foundation.
The fantastic designers appreciating the style icon include; Michael van der Ham, Giles, Richard Nicoll, Lulu Guinness, Katie Hillier, Tatty Devine, Bunney, Husam el Odeh in collaboration with Luke Hersheson, Terry de Havilland, and Piers Atkinson. In a variety of innovative ways they will all be using Minnie's signature bows and trademark polka dots in their creations. What an utterly spectacular idea!
Richard Nicolls
Michael Van Der Ham
Katie Hillier
“Minnie Mouse and her unique style continue to inspire fans across the world. We’re thrilled to collaborate with such visionaries to create these one-off designs. Surpassing trends, Minnie Mouse’s iconic silhouette, signature bows and polka dots always remain in style which is why she is as relevant today as the day she first appeared on the fashion scene”, commented Marc Low, vice president of Fashion and Home for The Walt Disney Company EMEA. “London Fashion Week is the perfect stage for Disney, one of the world’s largest apparel brands, to put a spotlight on Minnie Mouse."
Personally I'm really looking forward to seeing what these international designers produce. Having loved Minnie Mouse for years, I truly cannot wait and I will have to be extremely strong not to go shopping on eBay when they're launched. Watch this space for more information of what creations emerge.