This year marks the 60th birthday of the adorable female rabbit, Miffy. Created in 1955 by Dutch artist Dick Bruna, Miffy is not only a toy popular among adults, but a cartoon character that many kids have grown up with.
"Dick Bruna created 30 books about Miffy, and these stories tell the children family values and all," said Michael Hendriks, a former banker who is now designing Miffy toys.
According to Michael, everyone in the Netherlands loves Miffy. "We grew up with Miffy - the adults who grow up with Miffy will also introduce it to their children. The Miffy story and the Miffy toys will never really be out of fashion," he said.
All around the world, the Miffy series has been translated into 50 languages, and has notched up more than 85 million in sales. The cartoon character has also resulted in two separate television series and a feature-length film released in 2012, Miffy the Movie.
A new TV series, Miffy's Adventures Big and Small, will be aired in the UK on Sony's Tiny Pop from October 2015. The series is produced in London by Blue-Zoo Productions.
Apart from being popular as a cartoon figure in the Netherlands and the UK, Miffy is known by many asian fans as a lovely toy. In China, for example, the T-mall platform for designers will provide a section for Miffy, and Miffy on Chinese clothes will be sold in October.
Next year, Miffy will take a flight to the space together with Hong Kong singer G.E.M. "It will be a Miffy toy in a space suit, and the size of it will depend on the weight allowance," said Michael.
The Miffy exhibition is on display at the 751 art district in Beijing till October 7. Visitors can buy Miffy products there, including bags, suitcases, and the newest designs of Miffy toys.
