One of my most favourite outfits as a kid was a pair of denim dungarees with a Minnie Mouse appliqué patch. Soon, it was too “un-cool” to sport a cartoon character on my clothes. And although comic prints have been rediscovered by designers in the last couple of years, it’s been more about casual wear than designer chic.
However, with their latest collaborative collection, Satya Paul has given the iconic mouse ears a grown-up avatar. ‘Disney Monopop’ by Satya Paul features unique interpretations of iconic Disney characters, to create a nostalgic collection that reflects the evolution of Mickey and Minnie over the years. It features saris, shirts, T-shirts and tunics in cotton, silk and georgette with prints like polka dots, bows, Mickey and Minnie ears and character silhouettes.
Nikhil Mehra, CEO at Satya Paul, says that the collection was designed to take people on a retrospective journey through Disney’s famous artwork, rendering techniques, fantastical vision and earlier interpretations. Regarding the collaboration, he says, “I think both the brands agreed that the iconic appeal of Disney characters can best be showcased through bright, distinctive print and there was instantaneous synergy there onwards.”
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It is also Masaba Gupta’s farewell collection, the last one she designed before she left her position as fashion director at Satya Paul. For her, going back to the very beginnings of Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse was the most exciting part of creating this collection. “We tried to incorporate their vintage illustrations into the print story and the created vivid, playful tessellations of the iconic Mickey Mouse silhouette,” she says.
Animation and comic book characters have caught the fancy of fashionistas and designers alike. On why these prints are so appealing, Geraldine Wharry, creative director of Trend Atelier, a London-based inspiration studio that specialises in future trends research and analysis, says, “The designers who make our fashion landscape grew up with comics and superheroes in the 70s and are now being followed by a new generation that has also embraced these comics. Of course, there will always be collections that are monochromatic and minimal, but fashion designers are always on the hunt for captivating imagery and are inspired by movies and story telling. They instinctively reference their teenage years, including their favourite superheroes or heroines, which are embedded in their visual consciousness.”
The layout of comic book pages with their exaggerated fonts and messages has inspired not only designers but also stylists and fashion photographers of major publications such as
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It looks like the trend is here to stay with labels like Kook n Keech specialising in pop culture, Marvel and Disney prints on T-shirts, tops, dresses, jerseys and flip flops.
On the future of these prints in the coming year, Geraldine says, “To be honest, the references to comic prints were subtler, but we saw emoticons such as the smiley face make an impact in Moschino’s menswear collection and Jeremy Scott’s women’s wear show. Smiley face, although not directly a comic book character, fits well with the highly expressive nature of comic book design. In terms of styling, Marc by Marc Jacobs didn’t directly use comic book imagery, but styled the models in an aesthetic inspired by Tank Girl (a British comic).”
So go ahead, unabashedly re-live those days spent watching your favourite cartoons on Saturday mornings by wearing them on your sleeve, quite literally.