All-out Celebrations as Mickey Turns 90

It has been 90 years since the iconic Mickey Mouse graced the screens with his debut in ‘Steamboat Willie’ on 18 November 1928. Since then, he has cemented himself in the hearts of adults and children bringing hope, laughter and optimism to millions. To commemorate this milestone, a series of worldwide celebrations have been lined up, with a host of activities happening across this year for Malaysian fans to express their adoration for the lovable pop-culture icon and fashion muse. One such activity is the Project Mickey, a nationwide fashion competition jointly organized by Disney and The One Academy. This challenge provided an avenue for rising fashion designers to create ready-to-wear pieces that reflect Mickey Mouse’s light-heartedness, fun and optimism with a uniquely Malaysian twist.

The 10 finalists of which seven are from ESMOD KL and three from Limkokwing University were given a cash allowance and a duration of a little over two months to complete their garments. The finalists from ESMOD Kuala Lumpur are Tan Win Shean, Sia Ya Wen, Shoong Nuo-Wen, Trevor Lorenzo, Wong Man Man, Saragua Sergelen and Cassandra Yap Jie Ying. From Limkokwing University, the finalists are Karen Kanisha a/p Anthony Raymond, Ngo Thuy Kha and Timothy Yii Chu Ong. These 10 contestants had beat out scores of other hopefuls to the final round of Project Mickey.

The Project Mickey Fashion Show Finale took place on 17 November 2018 at Centre Court, Pavilion KL, and saw 20 Mickey-inspired outfit designs by the 10 finalists paraded on the runway by models before an audience of VIP’s, media and Mickey-adoring crowd. Crowned as Grand Prize winner is Tan Win Shean from ESMOD KL, whose winning designs will be produced for retail and made available in stores nationwide by local brand GL Design as part of their ready-to-wear collection. He is also entitled to an internship placement at The Walt Disney Company. Clinching the 1st Runner-up and 2nd Runner-up titles respectively are Wong Man Man and Cassandra Yap, both who are also from ESMOD KL.

“ESMOD KL basically taught me everything. From start to finish, processes such as drafting, pattern-making, fabric-choosing and designing were all learnt at school,” said Tan Win Shean.

“The biggest challenge was finding the right colour of fabric. It was almost impossible to find yellow-coloured denim in KL, so I had to dye the fabric myself,” shared Wong Man Man.

“Because we’ve already learned many garment styles during our course of study, it was easy to adapt to what we wanted to design. We still managed to pull it off despite restrictions and time constraints, because it’s similar to what we manage at school,” spoke Cassandra Yap.

Also taking place at the same scene is the Mickey Figurine Exhibition, where mall-goers will be thrilled to find more than a thousand eye-catching Mickey Mouse figurines on display – a hundred 2-feet-sized and a thousand 6-inch-sized, designed and decorated by The One Academy, as well as PANDORA, local celebrities, designers, artists, mall tenants and members of the public. The display promises a sight for the eyes and plenty of Instagram-worthy pictures, featuring a magical rotating Christmas tree decorated by the mini figurines in multiple tiers, enchanting onlookers with endless amazement.

The collaboration aimed to create a memorable festive season experience for customers and visitors of Pavilion KL mall while celebrating the iconic Disney character’s 90th birthday. As part of an effort in recognizing and supporting local artists, 31 students, lecturers and staff members from The One Academy had partaken in the designing, painting and decorating of these Mickey figurines. The dazzling festivities will go on until 1 January 2019.

The One Academy is committed to providing the best art education programmes and continues to nurture its students passionately through its ‘Masters Train Masters’ coaching philosophy, which has been practised for the past 27 years, by providing diploma and degree courses namely Advertising & Graphic Design, Digital Animation, Digital Media Design, Film Visual Effects, Interior Architecture & Design, Illustration, Fine Arts and Paris Fashion Design & Pattern Making. For more information on The One Academy, visit www.toa.edu.my or call +603-5637 5510 or e-mail your enquiries to [email protected].