Another LEGO Ideas set inspired by a fan concept has been revealed in its final form – 21372 La Catrina, which takes inspiration from Mexico’s Day of the Dead celebrations.
21372 La Catrina is the new Day of the Dead LEGO set that will allow fans to build a beautiful display model to mark the occasion. It will launch on August 1, is made up of 1,212 pieces and is priced at £109.99 / $139.99 / €119.99.
José Miguel Medina Pérez created the original concept and shared it on the LEGO Ideas platform. Other users voted for it, until it reached the 10,000 threshold and the LEGO Group decided that the creation would be offered as an official set.
The professional designers have now adapted the concept model and delivered a final release set that depicts an elegantly clothed skeleton figure. It aims to convey both beauty and mortality. The hat and dress feature brick-built marigolds and printed sugar skull decorations.
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21372 La Catrina also builds a display base decorated with marigolds and a monarch butterfly.
La Catrina is a skeletal character that is a symbol for Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebrations in Mexico. She’s a skeleton wearing a traditional Mexican dress, which is based on the portrayal by artist Diego Rivera, representing the idea that death is an equal and a cyclical part of life.
“At first, I tried placing pieces with simple SNOT (studs not on top) techniques, but the result looked too blocky,” José said of his original design process. “In the end, I used small ball joint pieces, which let me place the pieces in a more compact way. This helped me cover the inside of the model and, at the same time, create an effect similar to fabric folds.”
“There were tons of discussion over the dress type, style, and colours,” LEGO Model Designer Jim Clayton said of the design process for the final model.
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