From 2005 to 2011, Skelanimals rode an ever growing wave of popularity through first, their book, then their novelty items, then their fabric. The adored manifestation of creative brainchild Mitchell Bernal, one of the keys to Skelanimals popularity was their unique mixture of cuteness and edge. Skelanimals are light-hearted, cute and cuddly, never ghoulish or horrifying; irreverent but not offensive. As a result, the characters have been embraced by people of all ages, nationalities, and personalities to this day.
But what inspired the idea for Skelanimals to begin with?
Skelanimals first came to life as the subject of a self-published children’s book by Mitchell Bernal, an accomplished animation artist. To help his young son cope with the death of a family pet, Mitchell came up with the novel idea of portraying the afterlife in a humorous way, creating a collection of animals who met odd and untimely ends as a result of their own silly behavior. The book’s humorous poems about each animal really brought the characters to life and formed the starting point for the development of Skelanimals as a broader lifestyle brand. From there, these contagious characters became the rave that left their imprint on not only young minds, but the fabric that adorns them.
” I love Skelanimals. I met Mitchell at Comic-con in 2005 where he debuted
this brand with keychains and a book. I’ve been a fan of Skelanimals ever since. “
~Sue
Check out our collection of Skelanimal prints at jandofabrics.
