Iconic doll evolves
It has been a long time coming, but Mattel has released its newest line of Barbie dolls, Fashionista.
It includes a wide range of body types, skin tones, eye colours and hairstyles, complete with a new variety of accessories and up-to-date clothing. This change supposedly embodies the diversity of 21st-century women and encourages the idea of positive body image for younger generations.
Since the first release of Barbie Millicent Roberts in 1959, the iconic doll has handled controversies about giving young women an unrealistic body image to strive for, considering the doll features exaggerated body proportions that are unattainable. But 2016 is the year manufacturer, Mattel launches, “products that feature more empowering and imaginative roles”, according to their website. With four body types (original, petite, tall and curvy), seven skin tones, 22 eye colors and 24 hairstyles, the previous, stereotypical, blonde bombshell now encourages diversity and acceptance of a realistic body with the #YouCanBeAnthing hashtag. The variety attempts to offer a better representation of the modern world inhabited by young women.
Additionally, Barbie’s most recent advert displays young girls commenting on how important it is for Barbie to look different, how the variety reminds them of people they know and how anything is possible. TIME magazine also picked up on the change in a story based upon Barbie’s new shape and the reflection of American beauty. But according to that article, the change in shape follows a steady decline in sales since 2012, which calls into question the real reason behind the rebrand of the doll.
