National homelessness charity Crisis has partnered with Mr. Men Little Miss to bring to life the experiences of people facing homelessness by launching two new characters – Mr. and Little Miss Invisible – to help shine a light on the reality of being without a safe home.
The new characters – which have been developed in collaboration with people with lived experience of homelessness and based on their insight of feeling excluded from society – will be launched as part of a limited edition range of t-shirts with fashion retailer UNIQLO.
Additional products will be available online at Crisis and Mr. Men Little Miss stores featuring familiar characters including Mr. Happy, Little Miss Chatterbox and Mr. Tickle.
The three-year collaboration will help support Crisis by building awareness of the issue and how to tackle it among parents and children, all the while raising vital funds to support the charity’s work to end homelessness for good.
With research by Crisis showing that two thirds of people sleeping rough feel invisible, while over 150,000 children are trapped out of sight in temporary accommodation in England, the need to tackle homelessness has never been more important.
The exclusive range of t-shirts will be available to purchase from UNIQLO’s Westfield White City store. Customers will also be able to take advantage of the in-store embroidery and Utme printing services to customise UNIQLO products, which will include an additional home-inspired keyhole range designed by artist Rory McQueen and featuring favourite Mr. Men Little Miss characters.
The collection will launch on 10 October to mark World Homelessness Day, with £3 from every sale going to Crisis to help further their mission to end homelessness.
Additional products – including tote bags, mugs, hoodies and wall prints – will also be available online at shopfromcrisis.org.uk and mrmen.com.
“We are delighted that Mr. and Little Miss Invisible will be joining familiar characters as part of our new partnership,” commented Kim Collins, head of ecommerce at Crisis. “These new characters bring to life what we hear daily through our services – that people facing homelessness often feel unseen and isolated from wider society. This must change.
“By sparking a conversation and challenging the stigma around homelessness, we know we can change the narrative and ultimately end homelessness across Britain. That’s why we’re incredibly grateful to be introducing these characters with Mr. Men Little Miss, and with every purchase made through UNIQLO and our online store, shoppers will be raising vital funds to help people rebuild their lives away from homelessness for good.”
Silvia Figini, chief operating officer at Sanrio (EMEA, India and Oceania) and Mr. Men (Worldwide), continued: “Mr. Men Little Miss are incredibly proud to partner with Crisis, and introduce Mr. and Little Miss Invisible. The characters were created to shine a light on the often-unseen struggles faced by those experiencing homelessness.
“By leveraging the strength and popularity of the Mr. Men Little Miss brand, we hope to raise awareness and inspire meaningful action. Through this collaboration, Mr. and Little Miss Invisible will serve as a powerful reminder that no one should be invisible in our society, and together, we can make a difference.”
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