The fast-approaching birthday of Mickey Mouse has become a worldwide celebration as Disney taps fashion designer Karen Walker to be the exclusive design partner for the Australia region. Walker joins Rag & Bone, Levi’s, Kate Spade, Opening Ceremony, Vans, Marc Jacobs and Havaianas as Disney partners this season.
“When Disney approached us to help celebrate Mickey’s 90th, it was an immediate and unequivocal yes,” says Walker. “Mickey is a true icon and it’s a great honour for me to have an opportunity to interpret his personality, which I’ve always loved, through my own lens.”
The Disney x Karen Walker apparel collection includes sweatshirts and T-shirts featuring Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and Donald toting bindles. The accessories line includes purses, bags, backpacks, enamel badges, eyewear and a keyring. Fine jewelry comes in sterling silver and 9-karat yellow and rose gold.
Known for her quirky eyewear, it’s no surprise that Walker’s glasses are the pièce de résistance of the collection. They come in four Mickey- and Minnie Mouse-inspired styles, including a metal-trimmed, polka dot bow lens in sheer soft pink or black, acetate and metal frames that incorporate mouse ears and hands, and colored acetates trimmed with cartoon Minnie eyelashes. Each pair is finished with the signature Karen Walker arrow temple.
The collection also includes homeware in the form of plates and double-sided Mickey and Minnie mugs.
As if the wide-ranging collection wasn’t enough to celebrate Mickey’s birthday, Karen Walker will be opening a Disney pop-up store on November 7 in Auckland, New Zealand. There will be a curation of other special 90th birthday collaborative collections, ranging from footwear, hats and watches to stationery, oven mitts and egg cups.
The Disney x Karen Walker collection is a limited-edition release. It will be available globally from November 7 in all Karen Walker stores in New Zealand and Japan, on karenwalker.com and in select stores including David Jones, Harvey Nichols, Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, Moda Operandi, Smith & Caughey’s and Ballantynes.
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