January 23 was the day for the public to view Minnie Rocks the Dots, a Disney fashion event created in collaboration with Refinery29. The showcase opened at noon but a line had began to form hours before. Many of the guests were dressed in Minnie Mouse-inspired outfits.
As noon drew closer, staff would periodically walk through the line, thanking attendees for joining them. It was a sweet gesture, made even sweeter when they began to hand out mini donuts and a little piece of swag. We were given a bow-shaped sheet of instant tattoos for nails and body. It was a nice and unexpected bonus.
At last, we were allowed entry and greeted by curators as we entered. The gallery was separated into two rooms. The first room we saw was more spacious, mostly an empty room with pictures on the walls. What first comes into view is a wall providing guests more information about the event along with the brand’s Instagram account, @MinnieStyle, and the hashtag “#RockTheDots.” Just beyond that was a classy backdrop for guests to have their picture taken in front of.
The big headliner for the front room were the photos of various famous women wearing accessories and clothing related to Ms. Mouse. The ears (either in hat or headband form) were the most prominent of the styles shown.
The photos continue in the second room, with one big difference: these ones were submitted by fans.
Directly across from the photo wall was a giant black and white poster of Minnie. Visitors were offered colored markers to leave their signature or a small drawing on the print. It was already marked up quite a bit, presumably from the premier the night before.
One of the main attractions for the second room were the designer dresses. Big names from all over the world took part in the event. Most of the outfits were made with human forms in mind but Christian Siriano’s was created for Minnie herself. She wore it at the special Preview Night on January 22, which also happened to be National Polka Dot Day.
Scattered throughout the room were displays of Minnie-themed products. Some were recently released but the majority were not yet in stores.
Visitors could purchase goods at the pop-up shop also located in the back room. As you would expect, the merchandise was fashion-oriented and decorated with Minnie Mouse. The purchasing process involved filling out an order sheet, taking it to the register, and then paying for your items. It seemed to work smoothly even with a long line.
All of the shop’s “Los Angeles” merchandise was limited edition and exclusive to the show.
Minnie Rocks the Dots was a two-day event and has since ended. I hope Disney will continue to do public events like this one. I certainly enjoyed myself!
