Brooklyn Museum just unveiled a series of never-before-seen artwork by Virgil Abloh. Part of the museum's exhibition on the late designer, "Virgil Abloh: Figures of Speech," the institution's gift shop dropped merchandise featuring Abloh's take on Disney's Mickey Mouse, fashion's favorite cartoon character.
Disney and Virgil Abloh Securities, the visionary's creative corporation, partnered to bring his unseen interpretation of Mickey Mouse to light. A series of hoodies and T-shirts bear technicolor takes on the anthropomorphized rodent, along with text referencing the Brooklyn Museum show (FYI: it's on view through January 29, 2023).
The merch is yet another example of Abloh's deftness at recontextualizing cultural institutions — e.g. Disney, Mercedes Benz, IKEA — for a younger audience.
Of course, Mickey Mouse isn't exactly a stranger to designer collaborations. The iconic character has served as fodder for brands including Gucci, Marc Jacobs, and COMME des GARÇONS.
Mickey Mouse barely scratches the surface of Disney's extensive history of fashion cross-overs: Disney x Givenchy, Disney x Stella McCartney, and Disney x Kenzo, collabs that referenced 101 Dalmations, Fantasia, and more, are just a few examples of the entertainment company's sartorial ventures.
To all the Disney collectors and Virgil Abloh archivists out there: this one's for you.
