Disney Princess Model Shifting Into Excessive-Finish Luxurious Fashion Products

For any child, getting a doll original after a Disney princess is a ceremony of passage.

Whether it’s Moana or Cinderella, Snow White or Elsa, the leisure big has lengthy leveraged its mental property for shopper product dominance, with toys and merchandise geared towards youngsters and households being its pedigree.

Now, The Hollywood Reporter has discovered that the corporate is planning to take that ethos and produce it upscale: Disney needs to carve out a bigger piece of the high-end market, getting into new classes and crafting luxurious and fashion-forward variations of a few of its Princess staples.

“The Disney Princess brand has become one of our most powerful global franchises, and we’re accelerating its evolution,” Paul Gitter, government VP of worldwide model commercialization for Disney Consumer Products, tells THR. “We’re intentionally expanding globally and moving Princess into lifestyle‑driven categories — beauty, fashion, fine jewelry, home décor — that drive financial returns and extend these stories far beyond the screen, meeting fans in culturally relevant spaces.”

For a style of what to anticipate, contemplate the most recent addition to the product line: A partnership between Disney, Mattel and the avant-garde couture home Viktor&Rolf to create a brand new Cinderella doll that’s most positively not geared towards youngsters.

The doll will launch throughout Paris Fashion Week, with solely a restricted variety of items accessible.

“This project was really special because it was an opportunity to merge three creative forces — Disney’s storytelling legacy, Mattel’s masterful craftsmanship, and Viktor&Rolf’s fashion imagination,” says Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren, founders of Viktor&Rolf. “The result is a collectible that not only celebrates a beloved character, but also it invites entirely new audiences into the world of Disney, including fashion enthusiasts and modern collectors who appreciate cultural expression through design.”

“Collaborations like Viktor&Rolf signal a new design‑led direction for the Disney Princess brand — one that attracts new audiences, fuels premium growth, and builds momentum long after a film leaves theaters,” provides Gitter. “This strategy isn’t just expanding categories; it’s redefining what a modern franchise can be. And it’s just the beginning — part of a deliberate approach Disney has built to ensure our characters grow with the culture through meaningful creative partnerships.”

The firm is difficult at work figuring out licensees that may develop the attain of the Disney Princess model, whereas staying true to Disney’s personal model and the characters it homes.

“Our strategy starts with asking how a specific Disney property — be it an individual character like Disney’s Cinderella, or a broader theme — can authentically translate into a product or experience,” says Gitter. “For Disney Princess, this means balancing iconic character-driven design with storytelling elements that resonate across generations. Collaborations like the Viktor&Rolf x Disney Collector Cinderella doll allow us to reimagine a classic character in a fresh light, while staying true to the values and emotional touchpoints that make her so beloved. We work closely with licensees to ensure that character integrity and story come first, no matter the category.”

Indeed, whereas a doll geared extra towards collectors slightly than youngsters is just not precisely a completely new thought, it’s a good instance the place Disney plans to shift its Princess model, supplementing its core product traces with new choices which might be decidedly upscale, from the Bath & Body Works Disney Princess Collection (or the brand new Disney Villains assortment), to a brand new Disney and Pandora Princess assortment that includes lab-grown diamonds. And suffice it to say, jewellery, high-end trend, house decor and collectibles carry higher margins than conventional toys and attire.

“Our expansion into premium categories — luxury fashion, fine jewelry, and beauty — complements our toy business and reflects how today’s fans want to express their connection to these stories,” says Gitter. “These categories allow us to reach new audiences, drive financial returns, and ensure the Princess brand stays both culturally impactful and commercially strong, well beyond theatrical windows. The market potential is substantial, as we continue to engage fans of all ages — from young girls and collectors to nostalgic adults — across every tier of retail.”

And the corporate has additionally been increasing in an space it is aware of effectively: Experiential leisure. While households have been assembly princesses at Disneyland, Walt Disney World and at Disney parks and cruise ships for many years, it has additionally been exploring methods to convey these characters to life in different methods.

In London, the corporate has the Disney Princess Afternoon Tea — hosted on the Park Corner Brasserie contained in the London Hilton on Park Lane, with character-themed dishes and interactive parts that make them really feel like a part of the royal story; and in 2024, Disneyland Paris hosted the runway throughout Fashion Week for French label Coperni.

Disney says that Moana shall be a focus, with the live-action adaptation of the movie set for launch later this yr, because it explores different venues to develop the Princess model.

“Product has become a powerful entry point into the Disney ecosystem — not just an extension of it,” says Gitter. “We have products at every level of retail — from value to luxury. And, while Disney’s retail portfolio spans more than 100 categories in 180 countries, there is always opportunity to build deeper connections in emerging and lifestyle-driven spaces, especially areas like luxury fashion, premium experiential, home décor, collectibles, digital content and more across the globe. Our evolving strategy is about meeting fans where trends are taking shape, and that sometimes means piloting new retail collaborations in sectors where our brand’s storytelling power can drive meaningful engagement and growth.”

There isn’t any different studio with the expertise of adapting its movie IP in additional locations than Disney. From theme parks to merchandise, stay theater to cruise ship pubs, Disney is a grasp at taking household franchises and making them really cross-generational (look no additional than Stitch from Lilo & Stitch, who was arguably the corporate’s largest star final yr).

But the corporate has no plans to desert its youngsters and household roots. Instead, the growth of Disney Princess upmarket is supposed to observe the youngsters as they develop up, and to convey a few of the magic and trend that’s inherent within the princess tales to classes extra related to adults.

“Disney Princess is a multi-generational brand by design. Our portfolio is deliberately structured to serve different audiences, from toys and everyday essentials for families and kids to premium collaborations and collectibles for adult fans and collectors,” Gitter says. “We see a ‘halo effect’ from this structured approach. Premium partnerships drive excitement and relevance across the brand, while core toy and mass-market lines continue to thrive. No matter the category or price point, every product is created to be authentic, inclusive, and true to the enduring values of the Princess brand, offering meaningful connections for new fans and nostalgic ones alike.”