Predicting the upcoming fashion trends for the year is no mean feat, but one thing is certain – expect to see numerous companies and fashion houses incorporating prints or motifs featuring Mickey Mouse from Walt Disney's "Steamboat Willie" in their collections.
This isn't due to new collaborations with Disney but stems from the fact that the 1928 short animated movie directed by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks, after 95 years, has entered the public domain, together with another short film by Disney, "Plane Crazy" (silent version), losing US copyright protection on January 1, 2024.
When "Steamboat Willie" premiered at the Colony Theatre in New York City in November 1928, it was groundbreaking for its time. The black and white animated film introduced "synchronized sound," where movements and actions on the screen corresponded with music and sound effects. A 17-piece orchestra, complete with sound-effects performers, provided the musical accompaniment.
The 7-minute long film featured a simple plot: Mickey Mouse, resembling more a mischievous rat than the iconic character we know today, works as a troublemaking deckhand on a steamship. During the journey, Mickey performs a series of antics, including using a crane to bring Minnie Mouse on board and turning various objects (and animals…) into musical instruments.
In its early days, Mickey Mouse who at the time was portrayed with thin legs, a long pointy nose, and mischievous eyes, faced criticism from parents who found him less than an ideal role model for children. In response, Fred Moore, a Disney animator, refined Mickey's image, shortening his nose and rounding his ears, making him look more friendly. This transformation also marked a shift in Mickey's behavior, as he became more polite and eventually evolved into a beloved and positive role model for children.
Mickey Mouse wasn't Walt Disney's initial character creation. In the early '20s, Walt and his brother Roy established a small animation studio in Hollywood, producing a series of animal cartoons. Among these characters was Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, but a distributor claimed ownership of Oswald. Fearing the same fate for their new star, Disney promptly registered Mickey Mouse with the U.S. Patent Office.
Safeguarding intellectual property rights has always been a top priority for Disney. In the past, their legal team even prevented schools from producing musicals inspired by Disney's films, such as "The Lion King", as organizers failed to seek permission.
Throughout the decades the company made concerted efforts to retain ownership of "Steamboat Willie", and always managed to: when the copyright was set to expire in 1984, Disney advocated for changes to U.S. copyright laws, extending protection to the "life of the author plus 50 years," safeguarding "Steamboat Willie" until 2003.
In 1998, Disney, along with other companies like Universal, lobbied for another extension, resulting in the "life of the author plus 70 years" or 95 years after publication, whichever came first. This effort led to the enactment of the 1998 Copyright Extension Act, also known informally as the "Mickey Mouse Protection Act". On New Year's Day 2024, this extension finally reached its expiration.
Most countries will give the animated film the protection given to it by the country where it was created, so the animated film has entered the public domain. This means that, from a legal standpoint, we are free to use the 1928 animated film, and Mickey and Minnie Mouse in their early incarnations as seen in "Steamboat Willie", for various purposes.
However, it's crucial to note that some jurisdictions extend protection to works for 70 years after the death of the last remaining author or creator and Ub Iwerks, the co-creator of "Steamboat Willie", passed away in 1971. Therefore, it's advisable to check your country's copyright laws. 
Besides, there is an essential caveat: Disney will continue to market the movie and its characters and the versions of the characters that emerged after the 1928 animated film are obviously still protected and subject to Disney's copyright. So the iconic Mickey Mouse as we currently know him, remains under copyright.
In a recent official statement, Disney emphasized, "More modern versions of Mickey will remain unaffected by the expiration of the Steamboat Willie copyright, and Mickey will continue to play a leading role as a global ambassador for the Walt Disney Company in our storytelling, theme park attractions, and merchandise." The statement concludes with a firm commitment: "We will, of course, continue to protect our rights in the more modern versions of Mickey Mouse and other works that remain subject to copyright."
Now that "Steamboat Willie" has entered the public domain, the opportunity to create a series of related T-shirts, garments, and accessories is open to anyone interested. However, it's worth noting that many people and companies are likely to explore this creative avenue, leading to a potential saturation of the market.
numerous companies and creative minds have eagerly awaited this moment, and evidence of this anticipation is already visible on the Internet. Parodies and other content, including dubstep remixes of "Steamboat Willie"'s whistle, have started emerging. If you have video gaming and horror enthusiasts within your family (or if you are a video game or horror fan yourself), you may have already seen trailers for upcoming projects calling to mind Disney's film. For instance, a 2025 shoot-'em-up game titled "Mouse" by Fumi, features a "Steamboat Willie"-inspired rat character resembling the original Mickey as a menacing gangster.
There's also a teaser for a B movie horror named "Mickey's Mouse Trap", showcasing a maniac in a Mickey Mouse mask, a group of young people, an arcade, and a projector screening "Steamboat Willie" (but will it manage to reach the perfection that young fans of the horror genre inspired by popular games or characters expect after "Five Nights at Freddy's"?).
If you're a fashion student, rather than opting for prints, try reusing "Steamboat Willie" in a more creative way, so consider exploring alternative ways and further graphic options that may attract also Disney's attention in a positive way and even win you an official collaboration (dream big, why not?).
There are actually further intellectual property-related news connected in some ways with Disney: exclusive rights to Winnie-the-Pooh, held since 1961, expired in 2022. This led to unique reinterpretations of the character, such as the bear becoming the protagonist in the slasher movie "Blood and Honey" (with a follow-up expected this year…), but it's essential to note that Disney has trademarked the depiction of the bear Pooh wearing a red shirt, making it off-limits for unauthorized use. Winnie-the-Pooh's friend Tigger has also expired as the book in which the character first appeared ("The House at Pooh Corner") entered public domain this year (again this is valid for that specific representation of the character and not for Disney's version of Tigger).
Another option for fashion creatives is leaving behind "Steamboat Willie" and Disney and do a more extensive copyright research to spot additional works that have become accessible after January 1, 2024.
When it comes to visual inspiration, numerous artists have entered the public domain. This includes painter, sculptor, ceramicist and furniture designer Lucien Lévy-Dhurmer, along with painters Raoul Dufy, Francis Picabia, Rudolf Bauer and Albert Gleizes, but also writer and director Jean Epstein; while fans of children's books and illustrations can now enjoy using for free Wanda Gág's "Millions of Cats" (1928), considered the first American picture book.
There's also an iconic film that has fallen into public domain in the US, "The Passion of Joan of Arc" (1928), directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer, featuring Renée Jeanne "Maria" Falconetti and with costumes by artist Valentine Hugo.
However, the creative journey doesn't have to be limited to mundane merchandise adorned with prints or other iconic yet overused images (such as Jackie the Lion, the MGM mascot – Hollywood film studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer had several lions for its logo; the one with Jackie entered public domain this year View this photo).
You may indeed also opt for a literary inspiration and use quotes from books that have now expired – but always remember to check out laws and regulations in your own country. While most works enter the public domain 50 or 70 years after a creator's demise, individual author-specific regulations must be considered.
It's crucial to recognize that quoting an author may have implications across borders as well: for instance, W. E. B. Du Bois's "Dark Princess" is now in public domain in the US but not in Europe (yet adhering to the law of the country of creation may offer a solution when using such works in Europe…)
Notable works that have entered the public domain in the US this year include J. M. Barrie's "Peter Pan: or the Boy Who Would Not Grow Up," André Breton's "Nadja," D. H. Lawrence's "Lady Chatterley's Lover," and Virginia Woolf’s "Orlando", but, be careful, Breton is not in public domain in Europe.
E-commerce platforms such as Etsy, Amazon, AliExpress, and eBay (not to mention Disney's official site) already offer T-shirts, gadgets and characters inspired by "Steamboat Willie."
You can bet that ultra fast fashion retailers or trendsetting figures (Demna Gvasalia at Balenciaga, maybe?) will swiftly jump aboard Mickey's steamboat, exploiting the opportunity of featuring in their collections (without having to pay a licence for using it) a popular global icon.
But, rather than hopping on Mickey's steamboat together with all the others and make the umpteenth T-shirt, be more clever and use this piece of news to learn how to navigate the treacherous waters of copyright law, opting for a lesser-known work that has entered the public domain in a more strategic manner.
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