Disney Marks Mickey Mouse’s B-day With Sounds of Ka-ching, Ka-ching
Mickey Mouse’s momentous milestone — everyone’s favorite rodent turns 90 in November — is being celebrated around the world with events, exhibits, activations and merch, merch, merch.
Besides merchandise, Disney will monetize Mickey with an exhibition that was revealed Monday and parties at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and Disneyland in California, as well as theme parks in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Paris.
Collections launching this week include Forever 21‘s ode to Mickey, which features a bomber jacket with Mickey Mouse graphic, $32.90; white denim jacket with allover print, $39.90; men’s denim jacket with the mouse embroidered on the back, $42.90, and graphic Ts, caps and bodysuits.
The Vault by Van has collaborated with artists Taka Hayashi and Geoff McFetridge, and graphic designer John Van Hamersveld or JVH, to create special-edition sneakers and T-shirts bearing their interpretations of the birthday boy. Hayashi’s envisions Mickey as a black-and-white checkered hot air balloon, McFetridge’s design features lots of little Mickeys, while JVH placed a magnified and deconstructed Mickey on his sneaker.
Disney has all the bases covered with its proprietary Mickey Mouse collection that will continue to grow up until the official Nov. 18 birthday. In addition to T-shirts, sweaters, lounge pants and accessories, a couture collection includes a black boat-neck pleated dress with cap sleeves and the mouse silhouetted in white along the hem, $137.95 and black cotton and polyester pullover sweater with allover Mickey appliqués, $39.95.
Legos, Sugarfina and Apple Hill Creamery are among the other brands paying homage to Mickey.
Marc Jacobs last month launched a Mickey-inspired collection. Target Corp. introduced a Mickey Mouse line that offers apparel for men, women and children; toys; bedding; beauty, summer entertaining products, and more.
“Mickey: The True Original Exhibition,” bowing Nov. 8 at 60 10th Avenue in New York will trace the cartoon character’s legacy and influence on art and popular culture. The 16,000-square-foot show will highlight contemporary artists along with historic material. The project will have some street cred given that Los Angeles designer, creative director and curator Darren Romanelli was involved in the its creation. Romanelli creates limited-edition clothing, including leather jackets and furniture, and founded StreetVirus, a marketing agency.
So far, three artists have been announced: Kenny Scharf, Amanda Ross-Ho and Shinique Smith. Disney said additional artists will be named in the coming weeks. “I was asked to create a cosmic cavern. To utilize Mickey was just a natural thing,” Scharf said in a promotional video. “I want to make a place of fantasy and fun.” Smith is creating a sculpture mainly composed of plush toys. Ross-Ho said her piece will “trigger that sensation of familiarity that we all know and it will act as a unifying object.”
That’s not all for the mouse. A celebrity-filled special will air Nov. 4 on Disney-owned ABC.
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