Minnie and Mickey goes Mao

The iconic Vivienne Tam, a fashion designer based in New York, born in China and raised in Hong Kong, unveiled new outfits for Minnie and Mickey’s at the Hong Kong Disneyland this Chinese New Year as part of the park’s efforts to boost its appeal to Chinese tourists after a dismal second year.

Disney’s two iconic characters strutted their stuff down a red carpet — Mickey in a bright red Mao suit and Minnie in a cherry blossom red dress with a bouquet-like bottom.

Mao suits were named after late Chinese leader Mao Zedong, who frequently donned tight-collared outfits instead of Western-style dress shirt and tie. Nine other models also displayed red and black dresses featuring Mickey Mouse patterns.

“I’ve liked Mickey Mouse since I was very little. They (Disney characters) gave me many happy moments during my childhood,” Tam, a Hong Kong native, told reporters. She said the outfits will be available at her stores in March or April. Hong Kong Disneyland brought in Tam’s star power to help attract more tourists from neighboring mainland China — which has emerged as the park’s biggest market — amid disappointing results.

Apart from Mickey and Minnie’s new wardrobe, the park itself has been decorated with red firecrackers, red Chinese-language scrolls bearing good luck messages and orange tangerines, according to Chinese New Year custom. It will stage a dragon dance on Feb. 7, the first day of the Chinese New Year, and plans to add Chinese food items like fried turnip cake and coconut red bean pudding.

“Our mission is to be very connected with the local culture — with mainland China, Hong Kong,” Hong Kong Disneyland Managing Director Bill Ernest said.

Ernest said Disney was still in talks with the Hong Kong government about expanding the park. The park has been frequently criticized as being too small and lacking the high-profile rides of its sister parks in Tokyo, Paris and the United States.

Hong Kong Disneyland, a joint venture between the Hong Kong government and The Walt Disney Co. that opened in September 2005, has come under fire for its poor performance.

It drew 5.2 million visitors in its first year of operation — 400,000 short of its target — and only more than 4 million in its second year.

+ Tam’s clothing brand is named after her and is inspired by Chinese design and modern fashion. The theme of first collection was EAST WIND CODE. She has become one of the 21st century’s most unusual and successful contemporary designers. The key to her achievement is her ability to design with an eye for East meets West, an inspiration that comes from her current home, New York City, and her childhood home, Hong Kong. Bringing these cultural inspirations together in her designs, she is able to design clothing of traditional elements with a modern edge. Her collections are perceived with the idea that each person’s personality will bring out different aspects from within each design.

If you visit Vivienne Tam’s shop in Hong Kong, get ready for that big buck of cash and never leave the shop without a red Mao paper bag. I consider it as the most expensive store which figuratively a distinctly Asian flavor and very popular for the thin-crispy-pale-like-chalk women that makes the dresses looks even more beautiful.

Vivienne Tam Shop 209, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty tel. 852/2918 0238

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