Winter Olympic mascots become the unexpected trend taking over Milan

Fans of the Milan Cortina Olympic mascots, the charming stoat siblings Milo and Tina, are facing a near-impossible task: finding a plush toy of their beloved characters in the host cities. Less than a week into the Winter Games, many official Olympic stores in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo have already sold out of the popular merchandise.

The scarcity has led to humorous desperation among visitors. "I think the only way to get them is to actually win a medal," joked Julia Peeler, 38, from South Carolina, who was in central Milan where Tina and Milo characters were posing for photos with fans.

Peeler is on a mission to secure the plushies for her niece, having already purchased mascot pins which she refuses to wear on her lanyard to avoid them being swapped in the popular Olympic pin trade.

Tina, representing the Olympic Winter Games, is the lighter-coloured stoat, while her younger brother Milo, the face of the Paralympic Winter Games, is short for Milano. According to the Olympics website, Milo was born without one paw but has learned to use his tail, turning his difference into a strength. Stoats are small mustelids, akin to weasels or otters.

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While the mascots adorn a range of merchandise from coffee mugs to T-shirts, the plush toys remain the most coveted items. Priced between 18 and 58 euros, they have vanished from major official stores in Milan, including the largest at the iconic Duomo Cathedral, and Cortina. By Tuesday night, they also appeared to be sold out online. The only guaranteed way to acquire one seems to be by earning a medal, as winning athletes are gifted the plush toys on the podium.

Broadcast system engineer Jennifer Suarez was one of the lucky few, managing to secure a tiny Tina at the media centre in Milan on Tuesday. A collector of mascot toys since the 2010 Vancouver Games, Suarez had been diligently inquiring about restocks. "We were lucky we were just in time," she said, clutching her prize. "They are gone right now."

The mascots’ appeal is undeniable. Friends Michelle Chen, 29, and Brenda Zhang, 28, from San Francisco, were among dozens of fans taking photos with the characters at a central Milan fan zone.

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"They’re just so lovable and they’re always super excited at the Games, they are cheering on the crowd," Chen enthused. "We just are so excited to meet them." Zhang added, "They’re just so cute, and stoats are such a unique animal to be the Olympic mascot."

For some, the mascots carry a deeper significance. Annie-Laurie Atkins, Peeler's friend, expressed her admiration for Milo’s role as the Paralympics mascot. "The Paralympics are really special to me," she said. "I have a lot of friends that are disabled and so having a character that also represents that is just incredible."