Disney Launches Campaign to Pay Tribute to its Leading Style Icon, Minnie Mouse

LONDON, August 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ –

London Fashion Week designers Inspired by Minnie Mouse

This September, Disney will celebrate Minnie Mouse as one of its most beloved and
enduring cultural icons. Inspired by her unique and distinctive style, a number of
international designers will create ‘Minnie Mouse Must Haves’ one-off garments and
accessories, to be unveiled at London Fashion Week and auctioned together with eBay, to
support the BFC/Bazaar Fashion Arts Foundation.

(Photo:
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120817/554776 )

Many young girls’ first experience of fashion, Minnie Mouse has been an inspirational
character since her first appearance as Mickey Mouse’s sweetheart in 1928. Celebrating
Minnie Mouse’s timeless appeal, renowned designers including Giles, Michael van der Ham,
Richard Nicoll, Piers Atkinson, Bunney, Husam el Odeh in collaboration with Luke
Hersheson, Katie Hillier, Lulu Guinness, Tatty Devine and Terry de Havilland will
creatively interpret her signature bows and trademark polka dots. An extraordinary
collaboration with Meadham Kirchhoff will also be revealed at their Spring/Summer 2013
show.

The ‘Minnie Mouse Must Haves’ will be showcased to international buyers and media at
London Fashion Week. In addition, Disney will be working with influential bloggers and
beauty brands to further engage audiences with Minnie Mouse’s style appeal.

Following the ‘Inspired by Minnie Mouse’ showcase, each of the ‘Minnie Mouse Must
Haves’ will be available at an exclusive auction on the eBay for Charity programme,
offering fashion-followers and Disney fans around the world the opportunity to own a
unique one-off Minnie Mouse-inspired creation. Proceeds from the auction will be donated
by Disney to support the BFC/Bazaar Fashion Arts Foundation, a British Fashion Council
initiative to nurture relationships between the creative industries and maintain a
reputation for fashion innovation.

“Minnie Mouse and her unique style continue to inspire fans across the world. We’re
thrilled to collaborate with such visionaries to create these one-off designs. Surpassing
trends, Minnie Mouse’s iconic silhouette, signature bows and polka dots always remain in
style which is why she is as relevant today as the day she first appeared on the fashion
scene”, commented Marc Low, vice president of Fashion and Home for The Walt Disney Company
EMEA. “London Fashion Week is the perfect stage for Disney, one of the world’s largest
apparel brands, to put a spotlight on Minnie Mouse.”

The Minnie Mouse Must Have auction forms part of eBay’s Fashion campaign supporting
fashion design talent. eBay’s activities also include the recently announced partnership
with the British Fashion Council’s Fashion Forward initiative, championing emerging
British fashion designers.

Melanie Smallwood, head of eBay Fashion Brands says: “Since 2006 our eBay for Charity
programme has raised over GBP36 million for UK Charities. We’re delighted to be supporting
this auction during London Fashion Week in aid of the Fashion Arts Foundation.”

Notes to editors

About The Walt Disney Company UK and Ireland:

The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading
diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise with five business
segments: media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment, consumer products and
interactive media. Disney is a Dow 30 company and had annual revenues of around $40.9
billion in its last fiscal year (FY11).

The Walt Disney Company has operated in the UK and Ireland for more than 75 years and
currently employs over 3,000 people, and is dedicated to creating innovative,
entertainment experiences for children and families. Disney’s magic is experienced in
numerous ways including on a range of Disney branded channels, in Disney Stores, on stage
with The Lion King and in cinemas and retail outlets all across the UK and Ireland. In
2008, Disney announced its partnership with Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s
Charity focused on raising GBP10 million towards the hospital’s redevelopment appeal. The
Disney Appeal works across all of the Disney businesses to raise funds and provide unique
and memorable experiences for patients and their families.

About BFC/Bazaar Fashion Arts Foundation:

The BFC/Bazaar Fashion Arts Foundation aims to nurture collaborations and foster
relationships between fashion, film, music and art talent. Through this strategy the BFC
aims to highlight London’s position as a leading creative capital and re-affirm our
fashion industry’s reputation for innovation.

About eBay for Charity:

eBay for Charity helps charities of all sizes to raise funds by trading on the eBay
marketplace. It also gives over eBay.co.uk’s 17 million unique visitors per month a secure
and efficient way of donating to a charity of their choice when they buy or sell on the
site. Donations from eBay users are collected and regranted by MissionFish, a registered
charity No. 1110538.

About eBay Fashion:

        - There are over 40,000 online fashion businesses trading on eBay.co.uk
          whose primary business is Clothing, Shoes and Accessories.
        - In one month, 4 million shoppers looked for Clothing, Shoes and Accessories on
          eBay.co.uk - this has increased from around 2 million in March 2010.
        - eBay's UK fashion business grew by between 20-30% in 2011 YoY, outpacing the
          growth rate of ecommerce generally.
        - The most expensive item sold in the clothing, shoes and accessories category
          in the UK last year was a Hermes Birkin handbag for GBP4,800.
        - A piece of women's clothing is sold every second on eBay.co.uk.
        - A woman's handbag is sold every 8 second on eBay.co.uk

        For the full list of participating designers and further information please contact:

        Exposure
        Hugh Gallagher
        +44-207-907-7130 / hugh.gallagher@exposure.net

    Photo: 

http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120817/554776

SOURCE The Walt Disney Company UK & Ireland