For those who love fashion, Barbie is more than just a toy. The doll has shaped creative minds for the longest time – in terms of helping young kids to see clothes as more than something you wear.
In the Barbie world, what you put on defines you – whether you want to be someone who just enjoys dressing up or a successful scientist.
Yes, Sarah Gilbert, the professor who co-created the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, recently had a Barbie created in her image.
That said, the doll can indeed help lay the foundation for creativity in fashion.
“Barbie is THE fashion icon. If it wasn’t for Barbie, I wouldn’t be designing clothes now,” commented Kittie.
“She’s given me such inspiration for how to dress up my dolls – and even gave me the idea to draw my designs and cut my room’s curtains to start making my first Barbie doll dress!”
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According to Min, the doll is truly a fashion icon for kids. It has shaped their imagination from a young age.
“Barbie is their first runway model, their muse, and source of creativity, and inspiration,” Min notes.
Aleesya Inara, Nina, Khayrah, Alayna, Olivia and Umaa Meenaa were given a mentorship by Kittie and Min, who taught them to better find their personal style, as well as the ins and outs of fashion design.
The six kids were said to have impressed with their technical know-how and unwavering focus for the task at hand.
Their designs range from a PPE-inspired gown to dresses celebrating fun things like unicorns and butterflies. Each child was given a customised designer kit, and the process culminated with an online fashion showcase.
A runway icon
Barbie has undergone a fashion evolution over the years. Since launched in 1959, it has had several changes. An expanded range of dolls were later introduced to up the diversity factor.
While Barbie has always been associated with fashion, it was only in 1985 that Mattel made it official. The company partnered luxury fashion house Oscar De La Renta to release four specially designed Barbie outfits.
Since then, other designers have also worked with Barbie. The 2000s saw names like Vera Wang, Diane Von Furstenberg, Calvin Klein, Michael Kors, Tommy Hilfiger, Badgley Mischka and Alexander Wang reimagine Barbie’s most iconic looks.
In 2018, Barbie got the Yves Saint Laurent treatment. Three looks were introduced, most notably the late French couturier’s famous 1965 Mondrian dress.
While there is no collaboration with a Malaysian designer yet to create an actual outfit for the doll that is commercially available, we have seen numerous people in the industry (unofficially) making their own Barbie dresses.
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Barbie has influenced the local fashion industry in other ways as well. In 2018, Duck Scarves created limited-edition, Barbie-sized versions of its designs for young ones to style their dolls their way.
Barbie has also worked with with Love, Bonito in a project to inspire young girls and women to pursue their limitless potential and contribute to the Room To Read Girl’s Education Programme.
Perhaps some day we’ll be able to see a full Barbie outfit designed by our fashion legends like Datuk Seri Bernard Chandran or Datuk Rizalman Ibrahim. It will be a dream come true for fashionistas here in Malaysia.
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