First Look: Barneys Gets a Disney Makeover

By Erin Donnelly 08/29/12 at 11:00 AM

Photo: Women's Wear Daily

Daisy Duck dons Dolce & Gabbana while Goofy rocks Balmain.

Christmas is coming early, kids.

Barneys New York has given Women's Wear Daily a sneak peek of its playful collaboration with the Walt Disney Co. for the holiday season, and all we can do is quote Mickey: Oh, boy!

The "Electric Holiday" campaign will be unveiled to the public on November 14, with the retailer's Madison Avenue flagship being transformed into the "Most Magical Place on Earth" thanks to a three-dimensional electric light show and a short film that will be shown in the various window displays.

The moving art film boasts an original score from Oscar-winning composer Michael Giacchino, and will see Disney's most popular characters getting glam makeovers as play runway models.

Minnie Mouse—who's already scored her own London Fashion Week tribute—will rock a ruffled fuchsia and red Lanvin gown, while Daisy Duck will be decked out in Dolce & Gabbana.

Goofy will look anything but in skintight trousers from Balmain, while Mickey Mouse will hit the catwalk in Balenciaga, Princess Tiana in Proenza Schouler, Snow White in Nina Ricci, and (ooh!) Cruella De Vil in Rick Owens.

"What is really important in the film is getting all of the details of how that world works,” Barneys creative director Dennis Freedman says. “That was the real challenge and involved a whole education process. The animator and I sat next to each other and went over every detail of the clothes—how they’re made, what material, how they would move—to get them as accurate as we possibly could.”

Freedman also brought in a runway model to help animators get the catwalk strut right, as well inspire a slimmer, sleeker body type.

“When we got to the moment when all Disney characters walk on the runway, there was a discussion,” Freedman tells WWD. “The standard Minnie Mouse will not look so good in a Lanvin dress. There was a real moment of silence, because these characters don’t change. I said, ‘If we’re going to make this work, we have to have a 5-foot-11 Minnie,’ and they agreed. When you see Goofy, Minnie and Mickey, they are runway models.”

Meanwhile, 23 fashion industry figures, including WWD's Bridget Foley, are also taking part by appearing as illustrated Disney figures. Designers like Diane von Furstenberg, L'Wren Scott, Paul Smith, and Rag & Bone have created collectible gift items such as Mickey Mouse ears and Vinylmation figures for the Electric Holiday collection, with 25 percent of sales going to charity.

Um, is anyone else as excited as we are?