Disney Launches Campaign to Pay Tribute to its Leading Style Icon, Minnie Mouse

LONDON, August 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

London Fashion Week designers Inspired by Minnie Mouse

This September, Disney will celebrate Minnie Mouse as one of its most beloved and enduring cultural icons. Inspired by her unique and distinctive style, a number of international designers will create 'Minnie Mouse Must Haves' one-off garments and accessories, to be unveiled at London Fashion Week and auctioned together with eBay, to support the BFC/Bazaar Fashion Arts Foundation.

     (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120817/554776 )

Many young girls' first experience of fashion, Minnie Mouse has been an inspirational character since her first appearance as Mickey Mouse's sweetheart in 1928. Celebrating Minnie Mouse's timeless appeal, renowned designers including Giles, Michael van der Ham, Richard Nicoll, Piers Atkinson, Bunney, Husam el Odeh in collaboration with Luke Hersheson, Katie Hillier, Lulu Guinness, Tatty Devine and Terry de Havilland will creatively interpret her signature bows and trademark polka dots. An extraordinary collaboration with Meadham Kirchhoff will also be revealed at their Spring/Summer 2013 show.

The 'Minnie Mouse Must Haves' will be showcased to international buyers and media at London Fashion Week. In addition, Disney will be working with influential bloggers and beauty brands to further engage audiences with Minnie Mouse's style appeal.

Following the 'Inspired by Minnie Mouse' showcase, each of the 'Minnie Mouse Must Haves' will be available at an exclusive auction on the eBay for Charity programme, offering fashion-followers and Disney fans around the world the opportunity to own a unique one-off Minnie Mouse-inspired creation. Proceeds from the auction will be donated by Disney to support the BFC/Bazaar Fashion Arts Foundation, a British Fashion Council initiative to nurture relationships between the creative industries and maintain a reputation for fashion innovation.

"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."

The Minnie Mouse Must Have auction forms part of eBay's Fashion campaign supporting fashion design talent. eBay's activities also include the recently announced partnership with the British Fashion Council's Fashion Forward initiative, championing emerging British fashion designers.  

Melanie Smallwood, head of eBay Fashion Brands says: "Since 2006 our eBay for Charity programme has raised over £36 million for UK Charities. We're delighted to be supporting this auction during London Fashion Week in aid of the Fashion Arts Foundation."

Notes to editors

About The Walt Disney Company UK and Ireland:

The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise with five business segments: media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment, consumer products and interactive media. Disney is a Dow 30 company and had annual revenues of around $40.9 billion in its last fiscal year (FY11).

The Walt Disney Company has operated in the UK and Ireland for more than 75 years and currently employs over 3,000 people, and is dedicated to creating innovative, entertainment experiences for children and families. Disney's magic is experienced in numerous ways including on a range of Disney branded channels, in Disney Stores, on stage with The Lion King and in cinemas and retail outlets all across the UK and Ireland. In 2008, Disney announced its partnership with Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity focused on raising £10 million towards the hospital's redevelopment appeal. The Disney Appeal works across all of the Disney businesses to raise funds and provide unique and memorable experiences for patients and their families.

About BFC/Bazaar Fashion Arts Foundation:

The BFC/Bazaar Fashion Arts Foundation aims to nurture collaborations and foster relationships between fashion, film, music and art talent.  Through this strategy the BFC aims to highlight London's position as a leading creative capital and re-affirm our fashion industry's reputation for innovation.

About eBay for Charity:

eBay for Charity helps charities of all sizes to raise funds by trading on the eBay marketplace. It also gives over eBay.co.uk's 17 million unique visitors per month a secure and efficient way of donating to a charity of their choice when they buy or sell on the site. Donations from eBay users are collected and regranted by MissionFish, a registered charity No. 1110538.

About eBay Fashion:

• There are over 40,000 online fashion businesses trading on eBay.co.uk whose primary business is Clothing, Shoes and Accessories.
• In one month, 4 million shoppers looked for Clothing, Shoes and Accessories on eBay.co.uk - this has increased from around 2 million in March 2010.
• eBay's UK fashion business grew by between 20-30% in 2011 YoY, outpacing the growth rate of ecommerce generally.
• The most expensive item sold in the clothing, shoes and accessories category in the UK last year was a Hermes Birkin handbag for £4,800.
• A piece of women's clothing is sold every second on eBay.co.uk.
• A woman's handbag is sold every 8 second on eBay.co.uk

For the full list of participating designers and further information please contact:

Exposure
Hugh Gallagher
+44-207-907-7130 / [email protected]

SOURCE The Walt Disney Company UK & Ireland