Kate Moross has recently been travelling in support of their work on the new Love & Mickey Mouse Collection – their collaboration with Disney and Uniqlo featuring Mickey and Minnie in their own style on t-shirts. They visited Disney Springs and New York, putting on live art performances at stores.
We stole a couple of minutes of time to ask how things are going.
So, how are things going?
Really great. I’m very busy this summer!
Where have you made store appearances so far?
I had a trip to Florida to paint Mickey Mouse in the Uniqlo store at Disney Springs, which was so cute. As it was on Disney property everyone was a Disnerd and I felt like I was really with my people. After that, I went to New York to paint at the flagship store on 5th Avenue.
Do you have any more planned?
This weekend I’m at Uniqlo Oxford Street, and then onto Singapore on Tuesday.
What happens during one of your store appearances?
I show up, get set up and paint all day till I’m done. I get to meet the visitors, chat with them, sign stuff and make new friends.
Who do you find coming along?
A huge mix of people – families, individuals, designers, followers. As I’m in the store for quite a long time, sometimes it’s just a passerby who is interested in watching. I think live painting has an ASMR or relaxing vibe to just sit and watch.
Does it feel slightly surreal working with Disney and their characters?
It’s very surreal. I’ve been a Disney enthusiast since I was little. I never imagined I’d get to render Mickey in my style. I was really speechless when this collaboration came together and how much fun it was to work on.
How did your fascination with Disney begin?
Before I can remember, but it intensified a few years ago when, on my first trip to Japan, we went to Tokyo Disney Sea, and since then we have been on about 9 visits to parks across the world.
Was it always Mickey for you?
Mickey, Goofy and Pluto.
Have you been given a relatively free hand in what you do with the characters?
I wouldn’t say it was a free hand, as Disney is, of course, very concerned with maintaining the integrity of all the characters. I was worried they may not approve my Scribble Mickey design, but it was cleared with very few changes required.
Was it at all daunting coming up with new ways of presenting Mickey and Minnie?
It was, but one evening I sat down at my computer and sketched out the Scribble Mickey design, and it just fell into place. It felt like me, but you could clearly see Mickey Mouse in there too.
One last question – who does your hair?
Mable Cable @ Open Barbers (@cablecolour)
