Old Navy Turns to Mickey & Minnie Mouse to Bring in Consumers

Old Navy’s new Mickey Mouse Tees

I’ve been surprised this year by the number of designers and retailers using Mickey & Minnie Mouse as a draw for fashion branded items.  Lulu Guinness did Minnie Mouse handbags.  Barneys updated the silhouette of Minnie Mouse for their window displays.  And now Old Navy enters the mouse merchandising.  Today Old Navy launched a new clothing line featuring one of Disney’s most iconic characters – Mickey Mouse.   The term “clothing line”  refers to a collection of T-shirts.  The  “Mickey Through the Decades” collection includes Mickey Mouse and his friends in rarely seen art on vintage-style tees for the whole family.  Some of the shirts show off Mickey & Minnie as they were in 1928, providing a rare look back at their original incarnation.

An Old Navy tank depicting Minnie & Mickey as they looked in 1928

If you’re a Disney lover, look for the “Mickey Through the Decades” collection online at OldNavy.com and at Old Navy stores. Women’s tees will be priced from $12.94, men’s tees from $14.94, kid’s tees from $12.94 and toddler tees from $14.94.  To entice customers  to visit their website, Old Navy is offering Disney digital freebies and a chance to win a custom Disney tour worth $10,000.

In the recession, Tee shirts with beloved cartoon characters can be a great recipe for retail success. Witness Uniqlo’s Snoopy T-shirts released earlier this year with Charles Schulz’s beloved beagle front and center.