Whimsical handbag designer Lulu Guinness announced a collaboration with Disney at London Fashion Week this weekend to produce....wait for it... Minnie Mouse handbags. Yes, I can scarcely believe it myself but the fashionable Ms. Guinness has stepped over to the other side to the cult of all things Disney. In the States the lovers of Disney are legion. They collect all kinds of memorabilia like this, and even go on cruises and vacations patterned after all things Disney. For Disney lovers, these bags are sure to please. For the rest of us, perhaps not so much. I don't see these going into the Victoria & Albert Museum along with some of Ms. Guinness' other handbag creations. But maybe that's just me.
The designer has created two one-off 'Minnie Mouse Must Have' bags. The bags feature Minnie Mouse's trademark style, and by that I mean signature bows and polka dots. Yes, it's not an oxymoron with Ms. Guinness on board, a cartoon character can indeed have style. 'I wanted to use Minnie Mouse's iconic face, signature bows and polka dots to create a truly unique bag which is both playful and stylish and really brings Minnie Mouse to life, " says designer Lulu Guinness.
The bags will be produced in two styles: large and small, aka, 'Minnie'. The bags will be handmade in England. Surprisingly, Ms. Guinness is not the only designer at London Fashion Week to be creating fashions inspired by Minnie Mouse. Giles, Richard Nicoll and Meadham Kirchhoff have also created Minnie Mouse inspired accessories and garments. Look for their "one off" designs to be auctioned on eBay to support the BFC/ Bazaar Fashion Arts Foundation.
Who knew that a cartoon character created in the late 1920's in the carefree flapper style with a flaming red dress would be inspiring designers over 90 years later? I think those Disney artists knew what they were doing with the fashion combination of red with black and white polka dots. It is rather timeless.