10 Jun Mickey Mouse Designers
By Andrew Rizza
Dream Design Creative Director
The cynical amongst you may be thinking that this journal was going to be about the state of the industry and how it has been infiltrated with sales men and woman masquerading as designers.
Not at all, here I celebrate Mickey Mouse and feature some great designers who have taken the iconic figure in new directions.
Elena Salmistraro
Mickey Mouse takes on new life through the creativity of Elena Salmistraro and the manufacturing excellence of Bosa, a leading producer of ceramic objects and accessories. This special project was conceived to celebrate 90 years of the “True Original” and the result exudes timeless energy, whilst making Mickey the star of the collaboration. After all, he helped create a world that still makes us dream.Elena imagines Mickey dressed in shorts with stunning street-art decorations combined with a biker jacket and studded shoes: a game of contrasting colours, refined shiny/matt effects and three-dimensional textures envelop the character making him a modern city hero.
Elena Salmistraro
Mickey Mouse takes on new life through the creativity of Elena Salmistraro and the manufacturing excellence of Bosa, a leading producer of ceramic objects and accessories. This special project was conceived to celebrate 90 years of the “True Original” and the result exudes timeless energy, whilst making Mickey the star of the collaboration. After all, he helped create a world that still makes us dream.Elena imagines Mickey dressed in shorts with stunning street-art decorations combined with a biker jacket and studded shoes: a game of contrasting colours, refined shiny/matt effects and three-dimensional textures envelop the character making him a modern city hero.
Walt Disney
Mickey Mouse made his official cinematic debut on the 18th of November, 1928 with the short film Steamboat Willie. It wasn’t long after that Walt won an honorary Oscar award in 1932 for the character, allowing the artist to introduce his chipper little friend to audiences overseas. Today, according to Forbes, that audience has made Mickey the most profitable fantasy character of all time, raking in $5.8 billion a year.
Marcel Wanders
Mickey is sat gazing wistfully at the glass dome, that has entrapped his favourite morsel. Cloche À Fromage, is a unique object envisaged by Marcel Wanders and handcrafted by Leblon Delienne. This centrepiece cheese platter is available in matt white or chromed gold finish, completed with a glass dome in Marcel Wanders’ signature bell shape. Marcel shows how he brings the romanticism of past ages into the contemporary moment.
Martyn Lawrence Bullard
Golden Beach, is a Pop Art–Themed Florida Mansion, designed by Martyn Lawrence Bullard for fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger. The “part art gallery, part beach house” has seven bedrooms, and 12 bathrooms. Mickey Mouse is featured on a Warhol rendering in one of the bedrooms and takes center stage in the entrance hall.
Kelly Hoppen
The Disney wallpaper collection designed by Kelly Hoppen for Graham & Brown, introduces Mickey to a grown-up audience while still maintaining his youthful charm. The range features four wall murals and four wallpaper designs in a range of colourways, that can be custom printed to suit the room dimensions.
Marcel Wanders
Leblon Delienne and Marcel Wanders team up again for One Minute Mickey. Wanders turns to the ancient artisanal ceramic technique known as “Delft Blue” – typical of Holland – with a modern reinterpretation. Eight large models of Disney’s most famous character standing at 140 cm tall, are realised entirely by hand.Mickey’s most widely known traits are his wholesomeness and charisma. In contrast to this, Mickey is also rather mischievous; a scrappy, free-spirited rebel with a head full of curiosity, optimism and slight arrogance – I guess that’s why designers love to work with him!
If you are looking to add some humour in to your home, we would love to be involved, so send us a message or give us a call.