Cover Astro Boy, like many cartoon characters, is a source of inspiration for fashion designers (Photo: Instagram / @sarahfuckingsnyder)
Astro Boy, like many cartoon characters, is a source of inspiration for fashion designers (Photo: Instagram / @sarahfuckingsnyder)
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Perhaps it’s the Y2K nostalgia, but characters from our collective childhoods—like Minnie Mouse and Barbapapa—are cropping up in collections by brands such as Loewe and Patou
On February 11, Sam Smith walked down the BRIT Award’s red carpet in a cartoonish inflatable suit that did not go unnoticed. Recently, fashion has been embracing childhood throwbacks with a newfound taste for vintage cartoons, sometimes dating back to the 1960s. This colourful trend is giving rise to a new, fun and retro-tinged wardrobe, going against the grain of certain trends that have gone viral in recent months.
So while some are focusing on “recession core”, or minimalist dressing, more optimistic fashion fans will no doubt appreciate the playful side of cartoonified clothes channelling a certain carefree vibe. It might even be enough to help us forget—if only for a moment—the various crises affecting people around the world.
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Astro Boy, fashion’s new icon
American art collective MSCHF made headlines recently by marketing oversized red boots, or Big Red Boots, evoking those worn by Japanese manga character “Astro Boy”.
This animated series, which screened in the 1960s, evidently revived many memories, as people rushed out to try to find these eccentrically designed shoes. As a result, they sold out in just a few minutes, despite costing US$350 [around HK$1,060]. Celebrities soon started stepping out wearing this eye-catching footwear, surfing on—and spreading—the hype.
Lil Wayne, Rich the Kid and Sarah Snyder are among the celebrities who have already adopted these quirky shoes.
The MSCHF boots are also proving a hit on social networks, with no less than 16 million views for the #astroboyboots hashtag, despite the boots going on sale just a few days ago, on February 16.
This speaks volumes about the unexpected craze for these nevertheless improbable and not especially stylish creations. In any case, the American collective scored a hit, raising its profile significantly following the release of its flagship product.
According to the global fashion search engine Stylight, search interest for the label increased by 1,021% on Google over the past week.
Minnie, Sailor Moon, Barbapapa
Other, more mainstream brands are also having a field day bringing cartoonified fashion to our wardrobes.
Back in 2022, Parisian brand Patou paid tribute to the Barbapapa family—from the children’s picture books—through a collection of clothes and accessories. Since then, the collaborations have been landing at high speed.
Loewe, for example, made a pair of pumps celebrating Minnie Mouse’s signature style (+1,000% clicks on Loewe’s cartoon core shoes on Stylight) and Balenciaga followed suit with some surprisingly designed shoes for its latest collaboration with Crocs (+90% clicks).
Meanwhile, Jimmy Choo has launched a whole footwear collection in the colours of Japanese manga series Sailor Moon, and Moschino brightened up Milan Fashion Week in 2022 with its spring/summer 2023 collection themed on pool parties and cartoons—a veritable ode to childhood, but above all, a breath of fresh air, fun and optimism that can only be a good thing.
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