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These luxury fashion brands have teamed up with cartoon icons

Gucci collaborated with Doraemon to release a Chinese New Year edition for the year of the Ox.
Gucci collaborated with Doraemon to release a Chinese New Year edition for the year of the Ox.

When one mentions high fashion, one would usually associate it with brands like Louis Vuitton, and the signature prints these brands tend to have. However, recently, top fashion brands have been pushing out these unexpected collaborations with cartoon icons, turning their seemingly cold facades into something more approachable. Here are five of such unusual collaborations:

1. Loewe x My Neighbour Totoro

The latest collaboration is between Spanish luxury fashion house Loewe and Studio Ghibli’s My Neighbour Totoro. “Studio Ghibli was a natural choice for Loewe’s latest collaboration given their mutual love of artisanal techniques,” Loewe explained on their website. This collaboration interprets Studio Ghibli’s illustrations as “prints, leather marquetry and jacquard intarsia, giving the collection a timeless and mythic feel.”

“The message is one of dreamy serenity and hands-on creativity — of being at one with nature and with one’s own inner child,” said Loewe Creative Director Jonathan Anderson. “This is especially important right now and, I think, always will be.”

2. Gucci x Doraemon

Italian luxury fashion brand Gucci crossing over with the cat robot Doraemon is also one of the highly coveted recent collaborations. In line with Doraemon’s 50th anniversary last year and Gucci’s centenary this year, this collaboration is more than significant. Gucci has also unveiled a seasonal exclusive Doraemon disguised as an ox in celebration of the Chinese New Year, which welcomes the year of the ox this year.

3. Longchamp x Pokemon

The oldest collaboration of the five, which entered the market from last October, Longchamp teamed up with the mascot of the Pokemon brand — Pikachu. “This blend of French elegance and Japanese kawaii leaves nothing to chance,” Longchamp described on their website. “Pikachu brings a touch of fun to these bags.”

“We hadn’t explored entertainment and gaming before. It’s a very aspiring world, particularly with Pokemon and its iconic mascot, Pikachu. Our two worlds, real and virtual, blend perfectly in this collaboration,” explained the brand’s Artistic Director Sophie Delafontaine.

4. Coach x Mickey Mouse x Keith Haring

Slightly different from the others, Coach collaborated with both Disney’s Mickey Mouse and pop artist Keith Haring. The special collection celebrates “the iconic artist's playfully subversive illustrations of the one and only Mickey Mouse.” Coach said on their website, “Mickey Mouse is a recurring figure in Haring's art, when asked why, he said Mickey is ‘ultimately a symbol of America more than anything else.’”

5. Gucci x Donald Duck

Lastly, Gucci extends their collaboration with Disney, this time featuring Donald Duck — the Mickey Mouse collection was released last year. “First used in the men's Spring Summer 2017 fashion show, the charismatic persona of Donald Duck and his nephews resemble the Creative Director's passion for pop culture,” Gucci said on their website. “Imbued with a playful character, Donald Duck adds a whimsical note to signature shapes and designs.”

Although it is interesting to see luxury fashion brands collaborating with household cartoon icons, it does not change the fact that these brands are still high end and seemingly out of reach — as one of the Loewe x My Neighbour Totoro fans commented, “It’s cute but the price isn’t.”

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