In a world where the appearance of corporate mascots (and their relationship to cultural norms regarding sexuality and gender) is discussed endlessly, one of the most iconic figures has entered the gladiatorial arena, and this time, she’s wearing pants.
Disneyland Paris, the sprawling entertainment complex outside of Paris, on Wednesday announced that Minnie Mouse would be getting her first pantsuit as part of the park’s 30th anniversary celebration. And what’s more, it was designed by famed British fashion designer Stella McCartney.
Somewhere, someone is furious and deeply longing for Minnie’s trademark bloomers.
The design itself is fairly innocuous; it’s a standard pantsuit, emblazoned with Minnie’s iconic polka dots, and cast in a royal blue that seems to be a part of the anniversary celebration’s overall color scheme. It’s not exactly clear if Minnie will be wearing this pantsuit as she walks around the parks (another video suggests she will be rocking a quasi-futuristic, shimmery number that maintains her dress-and-bloomers combo) or if the outfit will just be used on special merchandise for the celebration (of which there will be plenty). Wherever it ends up, Minnie looks sharp as hell.
Minnie Mouse has always been something of a fashion icon. Since she debuted alongside Mickey Mouse in the groundbreaking animated short “Steamboat Willie” in 1928, she has gone through a number of celebrated looks, including the “Totally Minnie” phase in the late 1980s that saw her embracing a Madonna-ish look (she also wore pants then) and singing “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” alongside Elton John.
More recently, she has been a part of an ongoing merchandise program called Rock the Dots, which saw her trademark polka dots updated and transformed by a number of high-profile fashion brands and in various collections.
The new pantsuit, designed by a true luminary of the fashion world, is a continuation of Minnie’s legacy as a style trailblazer and a wonderful step in the right direction for Minnie (away from those bloomers). Just brace yourself for “the discourse.”
