how a fictional cartoon rabbit became a bona fide icon

Miffy is having a bit of a moment across the globe. The adorable little bunny was first created in 1955 by Dutch artist Dick Bruna and was originally intended for children in picture books, which has long remained her primary demographic. She also found fame on the silver screen with Miffy: Colours, Numbers and Shapes in 1984 and Miffy and Friends in 1996, where she was accompanied by a bear, pig and dog (who sadly did not reach the same level of fame as their bunny co-star). She even starred in her own feature film in 2013, which was aptly titled Miffy the Movie and followed the rabbit’s adventure completing a treasure hunt in the zoo.

Miffy has captured the hearts of people both young and old, but the bunny has since found herself an audience that seems to adore her more than others before – Gen Z. From the luxe and pricey collabs with Mulberry, Tommy Hilfiger and Le Creuset to collections with Peter Alexander, Uniqlo and Converse, this little bunny seems to be everywhere these days!

Gen Z celebrities and influencers like Iris Law and Tara Chandra have been sporting Miffy on their outfits, and #miffy on TikTok has amassed over 450 million views and is becoming one of the definitive #coolgirl icons of #2023. Hello Kitty has had a long reign as the ambassador of cuteness for a couple of years now, but it’s safe to say that Miffy is well and truly coming for her 2D crown.

As a Miffy aficionado myself, I’m pretty curious about her recent resurgence and what her spot in rising trends is emblematic of in our society. In recent months, there’s been a bit of a cultural shift towards things from women’s childhoods that have been growing popular in the mainstream. We see this with the mega-successful Barbie movie to the live-action remake of The Little Mermaid, and other popular franchises and iconography of girlhood have been wholeheartedly brought back into the zeitgeist – and I believe that this represents a deeper reclamation of ‘girly’ aesthetics that were once overlooked and mocked in our society. Internal misogyny ran rampant throughout the 2000s and made numerous women to disavow their once beloved girlhoods but, thankfully, the tide has finally turned.

Miffy is also a very popular little bunny within the East Asian diaspora, with Japan leading the way with countless Miffy inspired shops, cafes and snacks since she represents the key elements found in the country’s kawaii fixation. This can be seen in other popular franchises in the country such as Sonny Angels, Snoopy, Domo and the many other cutesy characters found on Sanrio’s ensemble line. 2023 also just so happens to be the year of the rabbit in the Chinese Zodiac, which might help to explain her rising popularity across the world. This year is Miffy’s year!

From a design perspective, Miffy can be seen as both minimalist and maximalist. She possesses a timeless design of simple lines, which is why she has found a permanent spot in the minimalist apartments of all generations. Maximalists also find themselves indulging in Miffy accessories; scattering her image all over their outfits and houses. I happen to fall into this category, with eight Miffy teddies scattered across my collection and countless other things in my home.

It is ultimately irrelevant if you grew up as Miffy lover yourself or if you are a newer fan – she is for all people at any given time. Miffy is an embodiment of childhood joy and the collective reclaiming of girlhood, and she’s also just a nice little friend to have by your side as you go through the many anxieties of adult life.

Miffy may just be a rabbit, and her original creator may have died many years ago, but she’s been with us for a long time and I highly doubt she’s going to be leaving our sides anytime soon. Hop onboard the trend if you haven’t already, since it’s just a matter of time until she captures your heart, too.