In 1928, when Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks conceived a mischievous mouse with two oversized circular ears, a corporate icon was born. ‘There are very few characters that people recognise in a second, wherever they are in the world,’ says Swedish designer Gustaf Westman, who today reveals the first three pieces from a new homeware collection with Disney. ‘For me, that is the highest level of design.’
What's in Gustaf Westman's Disney collection?
Westman’s 35-piece collection is based on Disney’s Mickey & Friends and spans gifts, apparel and home décor, as well as collectible, made-to-order furniture. The full collection will be unveiled at a free-to-attend pop-up in Paris, followed by events in Tokyo and New York, before launching globally online on 15 November. Further pieces will be revealed on Westman’s Instagram account throughout October.
There are very few characters that people recognise in a second, wherever they are in the world. For me, that is the highest level of design
Gustaf Westman
Today's reveal includes a Mickey tumbler with mouse ears (€110), a Mickey-shaped black ceramic cup and saucer (€68) and a bulbous black leather sofa that evokes Mickey's silhouette (€9,250). ‘Mickey & Friends are built from very simple shapes and colours, yet everyone understands them. That fascinates me as a designer,' Westman tells Wallpaper*.
The Mickey Mouse tumbler, based on Westman’s own Chunky Tumbler – a ceramic cup and straw set in a doughnut-shaped coaster – translates Mickey into an abstract arrangement of ears, red shorts with white buttons and a yellow coaster that evokes his trademark shoes.
'It's probably my favourite piece,' says Westman. 'It’s very simple and almost obvious in the best possible way.’
Meanwhile, the sofa gave Westman more freedom to play with proportion and form, drawing on his trademark postmodern aesthetic and Memphis influences.
There is an obvious synergy between the legendary American brand’s cartoon characters and Westman’s work. Since establishing his Stockholm studio in 2020, the architect-turned-designer has won a following for his unashamedly playful and highly marketable style – full of glossy colour and volume – and collaborated with brands including Ikea, Nike and beauty brand Ilia.
A lifelong Disney fan himself, Westman describes the collaboration – which included a research trip to Disneyland Paris to immerse himself in Mickey's world – as 'a dream'. 'There is also so much emotion attached to these characters,' he reflects. 'People have known them since childhood, so you are designing with something that already carries all of these memories, feelings and associations.'
The Paris pop-up runs from 30 October to 1 November 2026, followed by Tokyo from 6 to 8 November and New York from 13 to 15 November. Visitors will be able to explore the collection and shop selected pieces ahead of the global online launch. Some items will also be available to purchase at Disneyland Paris.
The campaign was photographed at Disneyland Paris with Westman styled by Harry Lambert, whose clients include Harry Styles and Emma Corrin.
The Disney x Gustaf Westman collection launches online on 15 November at gustafwestman.com and through Beams in Japan