NASSAU, Bahamas, June 12, 2024 – Prime Minister Philip E. Davis congratulated Bahamian designer Theodore Sealy on his “historic accomplishment” in the narrative that accompanied he shared on his Facebook page today that was accompanied by the following narrative:
“Theo Sealy, your incredible journey and hard work have made us all incredibly proud! Over 25 years, you’ve built a legacy that now wonderfully represents The Bahamas in every stitch of Disney’s new character wardrobes. As the first black designer to achieve this, it’s inspiring to see one of our own reach such great heights. Congratulations, Theo, on this historic accomplishment!”
Meanwhile, in an article written by Senior Business Reporter Chester Robards published on June 3, 2024, The Nassau Guardian reported that with “an extensive 25-year portfolio, Theodore Sealy became the first black, male celebrity designer to create a wardrobe not only for Mickey and Minnie Mouse, but also for six other iconic Disney characters, who will don the Bahamas-themed designs at Disney Cruise Line’s (DCL) Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point cruise port on Eleuthera.”
Noting that Sealy encouraged other creative Bahamians to “put in the work”, The Guardian quoted him as saying, “Nothing just drops in your lap. This is 25-26 years of work. If I didn’t have the portfolio, they would not have expanded my contract. Remember, the contract was only supposed to be uniforms.
“Had I not put in the work, if I had not had 25 years of portfolio, of experience, and the business acumen of working with clients over those last 25 years, I don’t think that this opportunity would have materialized for me.
“My name has been able to walk into rooms at Disney’s executive offices where I’ve never even walked into. I walk onto Disney properties and they know me before I know them. And that’s the purpose of having a portfolio that speaks volumes.”
Sealy said his success with Disney is not only a step in the right direction for The Bahamas and Bahamians, but also for the Caribbean.
In a historic collaboration with one of the world’s biggest brands, he was able to infuse Junkanoo, straw, and even Eleuthera’s pineapples into the cast’s vacation looks.
Minnie’s signature purse has been transformed into a straw bag with that pineapple motif.
“So when you look at the straw industry, you’ll see a lot of straw details, from the shoes to the hats to Minnie’s purse, a nod to the straw work industry.” said Sealy.
“On Minnie’s purse is a raffia pineapple, which is a nod to Eleuthera and the golden pineapples of Eleuthera. We have the raffia palms. It’s just really for me, I wanted it to be my own take on what culture is from a design perspective, through the eyes of fashion design on these iconic figures.
“This is history, not only just for The Bahamas, but as a black man, as a black designer, never in the history of Disney have they allowed a celebrity designer to design for all eight of the Disney cast members.”
Not only was Sealy contracted to create a wardrobe for Disney’s cast of characters, but he was also contracted to create a line of vacation clothing for men and women that will be for sale at the private cruise port’s store.
While Sealy could not get into the specifics of his contracts with Disney, he said the experience with Disney has been beautiful, rich and rewarding.
“I can say that a team has allowed me as a business person to thrive in my own regard,” he said. “They’ve allowed Theodore Elliot to speak with the voice of my brand, while incorporating the magic of Disney. So, it’s been a beautiful experience.”
