Big iconic black and round ears, pink nose and big yellow shoes. An infallible character, wise and immortal, who has supported and nurtured entire generations with his clumsiness and empathy. We are talking about the iconic Mickey Mouse, or rather Mickey Mouse, who despite now crossing the age of ninety years, remains the young and fun Disney character, one of the most loved characters in history. is one of the
Well, if we look carefully, it is exactly the outline of his profile that appears on the new Vespa in collaboration with Disney, the Disney Mickey Mouse Edition Edition., black ears? Mirror. red shorts? On the front of the 125 cc. and yellow shoes? Well, it could just be the wheel and fenders. However, this is not the first appearance outside the world of illustration or cinema. Over the years, in fact, it has become a pop and transversal symbol.
In 1933 “The Adventures of Topolino” was published, a collection of stories translated and adapted by Cesare Pavese. In the 1980s, Keith Haring created a series of works depicting New York street culture and a distinctive pop form of urban graffiti. Shows of affection for Mickey erupted in 2018 on his ninetieth birthday.
this is an example of Mickey: True Original ShowAn interactive pop-up curated by designer Darren Romanelli and contributed by contemporary artists Kenny Scharf, Amanda Ross-Ho and Shinnik Smith To recap key elements of Mickey Mouse’s history, beginning with his debut in the cartoon Steamboat Willie. In 2019 British photographer Rankin dedicated a book of photographs to her and would describe him as “much more than a character – he is a symbol of optimism, hope and inspiration for people at any moment of life (…) He is ubiquitous in our lives and an ever-popular trend”.
An almost clownish character born from the pencil of Walt Disney in the post-war years and which has entered the imagination of the general public since 1928, also thanks to the advent of sound in cinemas. Initially designed with a raised snout and very slender limbs, it would change its appearance over the years: its contours would soften and its features would become more stylized because “we didn’t want it to have rat-like legs: so Should have been more humane”. With his big white gloves, baggy red underarm pants and white oval buttons, Mickey Mouse has become for many the ultimate symbol of a lost childhood.
New Vespa model in collaboration with Disney becomes part of the collection on display at the Piaggio Museum, a structure inaugurated in March 2000 and designed to preserve and enhance the historical heritage of the industrial complex of Pontedera, which took office in the early 1920s. Here it is possible to recount a piece of Italian history associated with sudden economic and industrial changes. There have been several partnerships over the years, such as the birth of the iconic Vespa 946 by Christian Dior, which predates the date of the first scooter launched on the Italian market; but also collaborated with Armani, Justin Bieber, Red and Sean Wotherspoon. Since its appearance in 1946, the Vespa has influenced the history of customs and communication in Italy, becoming a symbol of liberation. Not to forget that it was born as the ideal small motorcycle for women, easy to ride even with tight skirts and priced within everyone’s reach. Democratic yes, but stardom is bound to happen. Especially loved by Hollywood stars… Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck in the famous roman holidays (1953), turning him into the world’s most famous scooterist, he also co-starred in hundreds of subsequent films, including quadrophenia To American Graffiti.
These models and many more can be admired at the Piaggio Museum, Italy’s largest motorcycle museum. With its 350 pieces on display, it is the most complete space dedicated to two wheels and makes it possible to retrace the history of mobility and industrial and social development of the country. Between ships, trains, aeroplanes, cars, scooters and motorcycles, it offers a rich array of technological content and innovations that have written history. Along with pieces from pre-war railway and aeronautical production, there is also the rich Vespa collection, which boasts the presence of unforgettable pieces, including examples of the MP5 built between 1934 and 1944; the famous Vespa MP6 prototype, built by Corradino D’Ascanio in the autumn of 1945; But also more classic vehicles, such as the first 98 cc series of April ’46, the Vespa 125 of 1951, the Vespa U, which was made in only seven thousand units.