Characters like the Geico Gecko, Mr. Clean, and Tony the Tiger have become household names even outside of the respective companies they represent, and mascots have a place in more than just commercials and artwork on food packaging. Luxury houses are utilizing mascots—physical and digital—to further tell their story and serve as brand ambassadors as the fashion world evolves.
Brands’ logos and signature prints alone have usually sufficed as identifying markers and points of community, but top labels have also introduced signature characters. Fendi debuted its monster in the Fall/Winter 2013 show, an evolving character that continues to appear in its original form as a fur bag charm and as a more toned-down image of glowing yellow or black eyes.
Lifesize Fendi monsters even traveled the globe in 2016 to attend events at Fendi stores and perform on the runway. Karl Lagerfeld, the late creative director of the fashion house, even appeared as a fluffy Karlito bag charm for several seasons. Not to mention, Lagerfeld’s namesake label often features a cartoon version of the designer on everything from leather jackets to enamel belt buckles.