Animated figures tend to stick with a strict uniform, never straying from a selected outfit despite the outlandish circumstances defining their creation. People across the globe immediately recognize Mickey Mouse’s gloves, Buzz Lightyear’s spacesuit and Mr. Incredible’s Edna Mode costume. Although not real, these characters and items embody emotional characteristics inseparable from the owner. John Lasseter, Pixar co-founder and former CCO of Disney Animation/Pixar is intimately connected to these figures and countless others across the Disney-Pixar universe. Similar to his creations, Lasseter dons an unmistakable uniform deeply embedded in his ethos – Hawaiian shirts. His floral regalia may not be as high tech as Buzz’s suit or indestructible like Edna Mode’s tailoring marvel, but it acts as Lasseter’s distinct trademark. Since his unrivaled success in the animation industry, he ensures a brightly-patterned shirt accompanies him in every facet of life. Lasseter comes equipped for every possible scenario including sporting events, holidays, red carpet premieres or upper-echelon award ceremonies. (The one for the Venice Film Festival is ungodly.) With over 1,000 options and an active rotation nearing 400 shirts, the man rivals any archive collector or celebrity clothing enthusiast. Yes, he keeps some in storage units. A 2011 YouTube video provides an extremely in depth look inside Lasseter’s obsession. As anyone would logically assume, the man’s massive walk-in closet is a sight itself. It’s not quite Kardashian level, but he wood-covered beast puts middle-aged executive to shame in terms of quantity and taste. Lasseter seems ecstatic while guiding viewers through the subject-specific compartments. His collection didn’t grow accidentally and he is acutely aware of every shirt in rotation and its role. For his birthday, he received a custom shirt adorned with personal motifs related to major life events from his wife. That’s a whole different level. Custom one-offs approach haute couture ideology. I appreciate that a grown man favors personalized florals over a traditional suit or tuxedo. Lasseter’s heightened love affair with rare, customized pieces began in 1999 surrounding Toy Story 2’s release. According to a Disney fandom blog, Lasseter worked with Reyn Spooner for the initial creation and the subsequent iterations for each Pixar film. The series spans across all Pixar and Disney-Pixar movies with unreal corresponding collaborations for the award-winning projects. Beyond the eye-catching patterns, Disney-Pixar and Reyn Spooner both maintain a symbiotic relationship that mixes cool and nerdy. The abrasive clothing can easily transform from silk iterations in Scarface to overweight fathers relaxing on a coastal vacation. Disney-Pixar maintains an incalculable fan base ranging from average moviegoer to overly obsessed, awkwardly-aged fanatic. Both companies do a certain thing extremely well and produce legendary products. The collaborative cross-pollination between two premier brands makes sense. Lasseter’s collection was displayed during the 2015 D23 expo, giving fans an unprecedented look at the collaborative efforts and an option to purchase related products. Disney freaks crave the shirts. I found countless blogs and forums discussing potential stockists and similar alternatives to Lasseter’s pieces. In accordance with other desirable memorabilia, the co-branded Reyn Spooner shirts fetch hundreds of dollars on eBay, and most have active bidders jockeying for the highest price. During Steve Jobs’ world-altering relationship with Pixar, he was wearing his iconic uniform – jeans, gray New Balances and a black Issey Miyake turtleneck. His pared-down outfit aligned seamlessly blended with Apple’s sleek, simplistic products and branding. Although slightly more erratic than Jobs’ choices, Lasseter’s Hawaiian shirts match his bright, playful, bold creations perfectly.
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AuthorMax Theriot Archives
November 2019
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