A look from the Stella McCartney Presents Disney collection.
Photo Courtesy of Stella McCartney
While the family-friend entertainment group Disney has had a tough time in the media lately thanks to their slow reaction to Florida’s controversial “Don’t Say Gay” bill, Brit designer Stella McCartney reminds us that founder Walt Disney’s vision was magical. McCartney culled inspiration from the animator’s early work, Fantasia! to be exact for a delightful collection of fun-to-wear pieces for spring.
The Stella McCartney Presents Disney Fantasia! collaboration follows the International Women’s Day and Disneyland Paris project where Stella let Minnie wear the pants in designing the first-ever pantsuit for the female sidekick of Mickey in March. The Fantasia! project was the result of McCartney’s love for the cult-status cartoon film blending fashion and fantasy for pieces intended to be collector’s items.
Considering Mickey’s biggest fans are thought to be those under 18, a Stella McCartney Kids capsule collection will follow this fall. But the recent surge in Disney fashion collaborations suggests otherwise. The cheerful beloved Mouse has been a favorite among luxury fashion designers with brands such as Gucci, Saint Laurent, Comme des Garçons, Supreme and even Christian Lacroix for Desigual all creating merchandise with the famous Disney mouse. According to this article in Fashion Law, in 2018 Disney generated over $60 million in retail sales of licensed merchandise.
The unisex collection draws upon the natural world with the Rite of Spring and Mickey Mouse himself as The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, both themes of the film. In keeping with the brand, the pieces also embody the sustainable goals of the brand by using regenerated, repurposed and recycled materials on the pieces which exude youthful athleticism and vibrant energy akin to the Stella McCartney Summer 2022 runway collection.
Inspiration and source work include Mickey Mouse hand motifs and rare posters from the 1940s on limited-edition repurposed old-stock silks from LVMH’s Nona Source. Knitwear featuring Mickey and broomstick-man graphics riffs on the film’s The Sorcerer’s Apprentice segment, alongside blush satyr scenery from The Pastoral Symphony. Reinterpreting the film’s night skies and Summer 2022’s glitter, advanced bodycon knits sparkle with PVC-free sequins.
A sustainable sportiness is found in recycled nylon cheesecloth jackets, short overalls and trousers, organic cotton jersey hoodies and tiny vests with Fantasia prints. Accessories also get in on the action with bags in Mickey’s head silhouette and the iconic Falabella bags embellished with a rainbow Mickey.