**This conversations about Peanuts Fashion is in partnership with The Peanuts. I am a Peanuts Brand Ambassador for 2017. All opinions are my own.** #PeanutsAmbassador AD 

Peanuts Fashion is a big deal! See the 2017 schedule!

I could not be MORE proud to be back as a Peanuts Ambassador for 2017! Over the last few years I have been able to provide valuable information to my Peanuts loving readers and I am so grateful to continue. We will start 2017 off with a bang, too, as the opportunity to chat with Jill Schultz, the daughter of Peanuts creator, Charles Schultz, talked Snoopy and Belle in Fashion with a group of bloggers. I had to miss the actual call due to conflicting work responsibilities but I was eager to read the transcript to share the details with you! So, get the 2017 Exhibit Schedule and keep reading more so you can see The Peanuts in their Fashion Exhibit as well!

Below are parts of the conversation with Jill Schulz, the daughter of Peanuts creator Charles Schulz and Melissa Menta, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications for Peanuts Worldwide LLC, and the producer of the Snoopy and Belle In Fashion Exhibit.

Melissa, can you tell us about the exhibits and how they came to be?

Which Peanuts Fashion would be your favorite?

Melissa: Sure!  We’re really proud of this exhibit.  It’s a reimagination of an exhibit that first premiered in 1984.  A woman who was in charge of spearheading Peanuts merchandise in Japan went to Charles Schulz, or Sparky as he was called, and asked if she could do this exhibit.  He said “yes” and she pulled off this amazing feat of getting all the major designers in the world to design outfits for Snoopy and his sister Belle. 

The original exhibit was called “Snoopy in Fashion.”  They were plush dolls dressed by famous designers like Chanel, Betsey Johnson and everyone you could possibly imagine.  Those dolls have been travelling the world ever since.

In 2014 we decided to reimagine the exhibit and got all new designers plus some from the original exhibit.  Since then, we’ve been showing the exhibit around the world, and adding new designers.  There were 25 designers in 2014, but the current exhibit on display at the Beverly Center in Los Angeles has close to 50 sets of dolls representing almost 50 designers.  The new dolls in LA come from designers like Rachel Zoe and Academy Award winner Colleen Atwood.

I’m actually standing at the exhibit right now and it’s absolutely beautiful, so I hope whoever is local can come see it.

Jill, What would Sparky think of this?

Jill:  I know he would love it.  My Dad never liked to travel.  He always said, “I’ll go anywhere as long as I can be home by noon.”  So it was a great feat when he traveled to Paris to see the original exhibit at the Louvre in 1984.  It was a testament to his interest and respect to what these designers were doing with their talents in relationship to his characters.  There were many other times when he was going to be traveling overseas and would change his mind within 24 hours of leaving and not go.  But the 1984 trip was one he looked forward to.  He always had a great respect for all people, their art, and entertainment.

Jill Schultz proudly talks about the Peanuts Fashion exhibit!

There’s an interesting story behind Colleen Atwood’s design, could you share that?

Melissa:  Colleen is an Academy Award winning costume designer who did Alice in Wonderland.  Her doll looks exactly like Johnny Depp’s Mad Hatter from that film.  The cloth used on Snoopy is from Depp’s original costume.  For Belle, Colleen created a dress reminiscent of Memoirs of a Geisha.

Jill, do you have a favorite?

Jill:  There are so many great ones and I like them all for different reasons.  Out of the memories of the 80s, living in LA and wearing Betsey Johnson all the time, I gravitate towards her designs more.  So I would say Betsey Johnson just out of loyalty, but they’re all so great.  It’s hard to have a particular favorite.

Melissa:  Jill makes a really good point about Betsey.  She was part of the exhibit in 1984 and 2014, and when Twentieth Century Fox was preparing for the premiere of the Peanuts film, they asked me who would be good to create a look for Lucy that they could animate for the red carpet.  Like Jill, I said “Betsey Johnson.”  It was a no-brainer.  She’s a special friend to Peanuts.

Peanuts Fashion pieces are designed by world class designers

What happens to the dolls after the exhibit is over?

Melissa:  The 1984 dolls are housed in Japan and Italy.  The 2014 dolls don’t have a home yet because they’re traveling so much.  After the US tour, we’ll be taking the exhibit abroad again.  All the 2014 designers have their own set of dolls as well. 

Check out the website for more information and let me know if you make it to the exhibit!!