Many of previously LEGO® Disney sets released, focus on moments from films in play-focused builds. But next month the theme will introduce a new concept inspired by outfits worn by some of Disney’s iconic characters. Costumes worn by certain Disney characters become just as synonymous with those characters as their sidekicks and songs. This particular set also celebrates another staple of Disney’s animated classics – the villains. The ‘big bads’ from 101 Dalmatians and Sleeping Beauty, lend their threads which have become buildable dresses. Here’s a closer look at the upcoming LEGO Disney ‘Maleficent’s and Cruella De Vil’s Dresses’ set.
Product Details
Set Name: Maleficent’s & Cruella De Vil’s Dresses | Set Number: 43262 | Pieces: 524 | Theme: Disney
Number of Bags: Bags x 6 | Instructions: Paper booklet + Builder App | Stickers: N/A | Characters: Maleficent & Cruella De Vil
RRP: £59.99/$69.99/69.99€/109.99AUD/89.99CAD
Availability: LEGO Stores & LEGO Online from March 1st
When you sit down to watch a Disney film, you can expect to enjoy several things. An exciting story, with toe-tapping songs, brave heroes and iconic villains. The bad guys have become so integral to the Disney formula, that they will soon be celebrated in a new themed-land coming to Walt Disney World. This isn’t the first time the Villains have inspired a LEGO set but it is the first time their outfits have. The set is a mixture of the new buildable mini-dolls, introduced alongside the Wicked and Wednesday themes, along with the buildable props or characters used for a variety of themes. So this isn’t a playset but it also doesn’t feel as ornate as some of the 18+ display models.
The set features three buildable items, two different dresses and a display platform which doubles as a storage case. Plus two mini-dolls and two animal figures. The stand is built from mostly dark elements, in keeping with the evil tones of the set. You’ll notice there’s a portrait of both characters attached to either side of the stand. These are printed elements and feature the two characters plus the year the film they appear in was released. Those printed tiles decorate two hidden drawers, these can be slid open and used to store the set’s mini-dolls.
The top of the stand includes a turntable plate, which can be used to connect the dress and rotated for a better view of them. I did find that this plate would easily come away when removing the dresses. But it’s easily popped off and reconnected. You can also customise the top of the stand by rearranging the purple 1×1 tiles into different patterns. But you don’t get any extra than those used in the instructions.
Although the set suggests it’s based on the animated versions of the Disney characters, Cruella’s dress closely resembles the outfit worn by Emma Stone in the live-action prequel. It’s not an exact recreation but certainly closer to what Cruella wears compared to her outfit in the animated film. The top half of the dress is two tones to match De Vil’s favourite colour pairing. The bottom half of the dress comprises 8 fins, each featuring Dalmatian-print tiles. These connect to the new 2×2 circular bar frame. It’s a similar way in which the dresses are built on the Glinda, Elphaba and Wednesday buildable figures. But that new frame element allows the fins to sit at a slightly better angle. The dress is built on a dress stand so it can be displayed as it is or on the display platform.
Maleficent’s dress is far more intricate than Cruella’s. It also takes a little more liberties with the source material. Maleficent’s style in both animation and live-action is a black gown. The brick-built version uses that as a basis but jazzes it up with a purple panel on the top section and flashes of pink and fluorescent green tiles. These add some extra, vibrant detail but don’t distract too much from the evilness of Maleficent’s style. The bottom half of the gown is built in a similar way to Cruella’s but where the two outfits differ the most is the top section of the dress. This uses a pair of black dragon wings and tentacle elements to make the gown more flamboyant.
Along with the dresses and the display stand the set also features two mini-dolls. Both characters have been featured in the Disney-themed LEGO Minifigures series. This is the first time Cruella De Vil has been featured as a mini-doll. The character uses the same hairpiece as her minifigure counterpart. I must say the character looks ever so slightly better as a mini-doll. Her fur coat is great and the mini-doll head suits the character’s animated appearance better. Cruella is joined by a Dalmatian puppy who uses the Friends-style animal figure.
A Maleficent mini-doll has appeared in a couple of previously released sets. The first was released in 2018. This latest version blends aspects of past ones to offer the best version yet. She’s wearing a material cape and her iconic headwear. But I would say she seems far too happy-looking. But similar to Cruella, the mini-doll is a great vessel for the character. Maleficent is joined by her raven companion Diablo. This also uses a Friends-style animal figure.
It’s an interesting new sort of set for the Disney theme. Disney fans are passionate about expressing their love for the brand; this is the sort of set to do that. It joins another set featuring Sleeping Beauty’s dress but I can see it being used for other Disney characters, which would make a nice collection of sets. Mini-dolls often get overlooked by their minifigure counterparts but for these particular characters, the unique style of the mini-doll works better. The set will be available from March 1st, alongside the other new LEGO Disney sets.
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The LEGO Group provided this set to BricksFanz.com for review purposes. The thoughts expressed in this review are those of BricksFanz.com and do not reflect those of the LEGO Group or Disney. Providing the set for free does not guarantee a favourable opinion of it.
