Mickey Mouse’s 90th birthday inspires fun, playful fashion

The Walt Disney Company Philippines and SoFA Design Institute collaborated on a fashion design challenge.

I grew up watching and loving The Mickey Mouse Club, which counts Ryan Gosling, Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera among its most famous alumni.

Can’t believe it’s been 90 years since the great Walt Disney introduced the club’s beloved icon, Mickey Mouse, in his animated short film, Steamboat Willie.

Mick Perez

As part of the worldwide celebrations of Mickey’s 90th birthday, The Walt Disney Company Philippines and SoFA Design Institute collaborated on a fashion design challenge, inviting up-and-coming designers to show some love for Mickey Mouse with a Mickey-inspired fashion collection.

From over 100 entries, 10 collections stood out and were showcased at a fashion show on Nov. 18 at the Ayala Triangle Gardens. The celebration also included the unveiling of the Mickey and Disney Classics medley of the Ayala Land Inc.’s “Reimagine the Magic: A Festival of Lights,” a must-see/hear sound-and-light show that runs until the New Year.

Neil Anthonie De Guzman

The 10 designer finalists from SoFA included Marie Denesse Ramirez, 26, who infused her collection with the magic of Disneyland theme parks and fashion elements from the 1920s, Mickey’s birth era.

Shelvan Doni Bollozos, 22, created a collection inspired by his first time watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on TV as a kid with his neighbors.

Nicolo Perez

G Gambaloza, 24, focused on the concept of courage and happiness inspired by Mickey.

Mick Perez, 32, was inspired by the playfulness, silhouettes and colors associated with the cute mouse, with whom he shares the same nickname.

Marie Denesse Ramirez

Joy Geocado, 20, expressed her emotional growth in line prints rendered in red and yellow to represent the happiness that Mickey radiates.

Neil Anthonie De Guzman, 20, used playful yet muted colors to represent the power of going beyond gender labels.

G Gambaloza

Nicolo Perez, 22, was inspired by one’s transition from childhood to adulthood — a testament to the timelessness of Mickey’s magic.

Out of the top 10 designers, Farah Zavala emerged as the Grand Winner of the Mickey Design Challenge, followed by Carla Zhang and Candle Ray, who were awarded first- and second-runners up, respectively.

Joy Geocado

Zavala, 21, was inspired by the Mickey Mouse Marching Band and the Mickey short films The Nifty Nineties and The Simple Things.

Companionship and everyday magic were the big ideas behind the collection of Jiale “Carla” Zhang, 23.

Shelvan Doni Bollozos

Candle Ray Torreverde, 25, drew inspiration from the ’20s to the ’60s and used subtle Mickey prints to represent the character’s fun, mischievous side.

An internship at the Disney Philippines office awaits the Grand Winner.

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Follow me on Instagram @theresejamoragarceau.