Barbie Tribute Collection Vera Wang doll is released!

Teased in Instagram and eagerly anticipated by collectors, the Barbie Tribute Collection Vera Wang doll is released by Mattel. I think it is great that, not only do we get a doll that actually looks like the designer it is honouring, we get one that is not another blonde caucasian iteration of the usual Barbie iterations. Plus, Vera Wang is a great designer, with a long history, much respected in her profession and beyond. She has a long history with Mattel, with various dolls wearing her bridal gowns released through the years and becoming highly sought after collectibles.

The doll is designed by Carlyle Nuyera and is a Signature Collection Barbie, now available on the Mattel Creations website for $40.00 - 5 dolls per user allowed.

I simply love this doll. She is beautifully made, with the very particular style and look of Ms. Wang, without any concession to Mattel usual tropes (maybe save some plastic accessories). The price point is great for a doll like this and I would very much like to add her to my collection. Hope she appears on European shops, real or digital, really soon! Can we get more dolls like this please Mattel?

The description on the Mattel Signature website says:

The Barbie Tribute Collection celebrates visionaries whose incredible contributions have helped shape and impact culture. Inspired by a look from her 2017 ready-to-wear collection, Vera Wang Barbie Doll wears a monochromatic ensemble featuring a black romper under a chiffon dress with attached puff sleeves, a front slit, and the word LOVE featured at the hem. A peplum belt with a zipper detail, black socks, and platform heels with sculpted buckle details complete her look.

Release date: 5/5/2022

Designer: Carlyle Nuera

Label: Black

Facial Sculpt: Vera Wang

Body Type: Articulated Original

Mattel Creations Exclusive. Limit 5 per person. Color and decorations may vary.

SKU#: GXL12

The story of the project from the MC website:

She's an iconic designer and businesswoman who grew her brand from a small bridal boutique into a fashion and lifestyle empire. She's earned numerous awards for her powerful contributions to the fashion industry – including the Legion of Honor from France – a testament to her enduring creativity and the lasting imprint she's made on fashion and culture. She's Vera Wang, the latest powerhouse to join the Barbie Tribute Collection, and as a Mattel Creations Exclusive!

The Barbie Tribute Collection celebrates visionaries whose incredible contributions have helped shape and impact our culture. Lucille Ball was our first honouree, and now we're adding Wang, the entrepreneur and globally renowned fashion designer. And her influence extends far beyond fashion according to Barbie Signature Lead Designer Carlyle Nuera, who headed up the team that brought this doll to Mattel Creations today.

"As an Asian-American designer myself, Vera having a fashion and business empire that has spanned decades is inspirational," Carlyle says. "She’s a global household name, which I feel is so important for representation, for Asian-Americans who want to pursue a career in the arts or design. Or who need to convince their nervous parents that this is actually a viable career path!"

So when the opportunity arrived to create a doll in Wang's likeness, Carlyle jumped at the chance. "We’ve done Barbie dolls wearing Vera Wang’s designs in the past: an evening gown in 1998, and bridal gowns in 1997, 2008, and 2011," he recalls. "This is the first time we’re doing a Barbie doll of Vera herself, and decades later. It’s full circle! I think that in itself shows the scope of Vera’s career and staying power as a fashion designer."

Wang's career as one of the most prominent and iconic designers of bridal wear began with the opening of her flagship salon in New York City in 1990. But her influence was never destined to stop there. In 2000, she launched her first ready-to-wear collection, and that's where the Vera Wang Barbie Doll gets its fashion inspiration. Drawing on a look from her 2017 runway show, our doll wears a monochromatic ensemble featuring a black romper under a chiffon dress with attached puff sleeves, a front slit, and the word "LOVE" featured at the hem. "Vera added the word ‘LOVE’ in a Gothic script to the hem of the dress, which I think reflects the positivity Vera herself always expresses on social media," Carlyle explains.

Recreating the couture outfit did come with its challenges, but our team rose to the occasion with creative solutions. Carlyle shed a bit a bit of light on one in particular: "Because the outfit is made of three separate pieces – the shorts romper, chiffon dress, and peplum belt – the patternmakers had to engineer each piece to lay correctly under each piece so it wouldn’t look bulky."

That peplum belt with the zipper detail, along with the black socks and platform heels with sculpted buckle details, complete the presentation. "I added some black nail polish to finish the look. It's all the same as the runway look, down to the socks worn with the buckle heels," Carlyle says. The doll is also sculpted to Vera Wang's likeness and features her signature long, straight hair.

Model: Fei Fei Sun

Photo: Yannis Vlamos / Indigital.tv

If you like to remove your dolls from the doll box, you'll have endless posing possibilities with the Vera Wang Barbie Doll, which was created with the Articulated Original doll body and comes with a doll stand. If you prefer her in the box, you'll still have a beautiful addition to your doll display, thanks to Packaging Designer Sarah Pata. And if you're collecting all the dolls in the Tribute Collection, Sarah has some fun news for you.

"We knew we needed a package design that felt cohesive but could also be 'adaptable' for any future dolls," Sarah says. "Knowing this, we decided to use a consistent package shape for all the dolls in the line, to help unify the collection. This also allowed us the flexibility to modify the package color and artwork to better match each new doll."

Our Barbie Tribute Collection Vera Wang Barbie Doll is available now in the online shop, and remember, she's a Mattel Creations exclusive! This Black Label doll sells for $40, and the limit of 5 dolls per person lets you shop for yourself and for gift-giving opportunities, too. So click or tap on over the Barbie Signature shop and pick up yours today.

All photos and information (except the runway one) are courtesy of Mattel Creations.

Barbie collaboration with Balmain: no dolls, plenty of NFT brouhaha

The latest designer collaboration for Barbie, and the first for 2022, is with Balmain. But it is not like previous efforts, where one usually could get a doll dressed by the collaborating fashion brand or that plus some real human clothes to suit. This time Mattel and Balmain decided to move their collaboration to a new level. It seems that the constant race on today’s social media fuelled digital landscape to come up with the most outrageous, jaw-dropping and previously unthinkable partnership has no end in sight. Balmain of course is a storied French haute couture house that has ventured into ready-to wear and, for the last ten years, enjoys a renaissance helmed by the genius Olivier Rousteing. Barbie is the prominent fashion doll, the very definition of the term, so it almost a given that fashion designers and brands are eager to collaborate with it.

This time, in a shocking (at least for fashion doll collectors) move, there is no doll involved: what we (ehm, those of us that can afford it) get instead is a 50-piece Barbie-inspired collection of real people clothing. Three of these are cgi modeled by miniature racially diverse doll avatars and become NFTs to be auctioned online. Each NFT auctioned will come with the doll-sized clothing it depicts, which is another way for NFts to show authentication - it also makes the auction a bit more attractive for traditional collectors. Notice how they have digitally altered the dolls used for the photos to make them look like dollified humans - or are they humans made to look like Barbies?

If you have no idea of that NFTs are, you can read this article here, which is very enlightening in a non-technical way and has lots of relative links for even more explanations and details. The majority of reactions I have seen from fashion doll collectors online so fat amounts to a collective NO to the notion of NFTs entering the fashion doll world and lots of pearl clutching. I am not attracted to NFTs but the reactions and exasperation seems to be a bit hyperbolic (which is not unusual for the fashion doll world indeed). Collectors seem to think that everything Mattel does with Barbie should have them in mind first and foremost.

Well, I am sorry to break the news to many, but this will never happen. Brands, especially multi-million dollar empires like Mattel, always look for ways to make more money, and if they can be unique and creative, its even more attractive to them. When collaborating with a major fashion brand, that comes from an industry also looking for new ways to become more commercial and move in the digital landscape of our era, it is only natural that they would release NFTs - Marvel has done it already.

I understand the disappointment of not getting an Olivier Rousteing Balmain collectible Barbie, but one may come in the future - there was talk about continuing the collaboration between the two brands at the conclusion of the live presentation held by Mattel, Balmain and Mint NFT on the 11th of January. By the way the three corporate honchos talked, it seemed that they worked well together (it took two years for this to come to fruition) and that the response is overwhelmingly positive (and no, despite what you think, their world does not revolve around the very small fashion doll collecting community).

Olivier was not part of the presentation but they showed a video clip of him answering questions about the collaboration and being very enthusiastic and happy about it. he even got an OOAK mini Olivier done from Mattel. which he posted on his instagram account days before the collaboration became known. He said:

“Having Barbie in my Balmain army, making a collection inspired by her where there are no boy clothes or girl clothes, is my small revenge,” said Olivier Rousteing, the creative director of Balmain. “I think Barbie represents a joyful dream world. There’s nothing wrong with a dream. But let’s push the dream and not dream of the 1950s or 1960s, but 2022. For me, it’s a lot more than just a commercial project. It’s very emotional.”

He also said that he got derided when he was playing with Barbie as a kid, a very familiar feeling to most male fashion doll collectors, and that was one of the reasons he was interested in taking the collaboration with Mattel beyond dressing the doll.

Richard Dickson, the president and chief operating officer of Mattel, said:

“When you combine the seriousness of high fashion with the fun of toys, it’s very powerful”

and it is actually true. It is one of the reasons fashion brands collaborate, not only with Barbie, but with other toy brands as well, or even sell limited editions of their own toys. It is one more branded/logo thing to display/brag about. Or maybe even feel sentimental about. “People are looking for optimism and joy, especially now when life is very heavy,” Dickson said. “Toys are that by definition.” That applies to fashion as well.

Talking about fashion, what about the clothes? The pricing for the Barbie x Balmain collection ranges from $295 for a T-shirt to $42,494 for a gown, definitely more expensive than usual Barbie prices, but also less than classic Balmain, where a basic logo t-shirt retails for $495. This is not H&M stuff. There are giant puffer bags logoed with Balmain Paris in curving Barbie script under the 1970s Balmain logo and clear plastic shoppers that remind me of Barbie doll boxes. There are pink silk satin suits with wrap jackets and striped pyjama sets, sequinned mini dresses and a strapless mermaid gown. Overalls, sweatshirts and sharp-shouldered bouclé jackets with gold buttons complete the collection.

And what about the digital art? The auction started yesterday and will end on January 14. If you had registered for the online presentation, limited to the first 5,000 was a simple NFT video of the invitation for the event. And of course you can see the NFT videos and even download them. The prices have reached somewhere around $1600 for each at the time of writing. Let’s check them out. And yes. I’d love to have the dolls as collectibles, properly released. Maybe some other time. I include the blurb for each NFT from their website.

NFT1

“This stylish avatar is wearing a striped sweater dress with a shoulder cut out and carrying a pink maxi pillow bag featuring Balmain’s signature monogram and Balmain x Barbie logo”

Below you can see the actual doll clothes made by Balmain and Barbie - we must mention here that the talented Linda Kyaw and her team supervised the project for Mattel. It is a knit dress with a leather and chain belt that matches the handle of the puffer bag that comes with it. Pink mules complete the look. I love it, even though my favourite dress from the collection is the one with the Balmain logo as a print (which Olivier had already done in other colours for his main collection).

NFT2

“Barbie avatar makes a huge statement in a short voluminous dress with maxi bow detail in a pink silk satin. (if needed: the background of the NFT features a white lacquered Balmain signature monogram with a Balmain x Barbie logo frame) Fashions and accessories on the Barbie avatar are from the Balmain x Barbie collection; NFT comes with bespoke set of Barbie size Balmain pieces.”

This one is a more couture style dress, with the puffed sleeves and bow front. It does bring to mind a certain pink dress that Zac Posen did for Iman a while ago. Event though it should not have translated in doll size, it actually looks great, like a peony blossom. Feathered mules, a gorgeous bag, disc earrings and a necklace complete the look.

NFT3

“Ken avatar looks chic in a white cotton t-shirt with pink trim topped with a double-breasted blazer and a long peak collared coat paired with loose pleated trousers- all in pink back satin crepe. A Balmain ball cap finished the stylish look. (if needed: the background of the NFT features a white lacquered Balmain signature monogram with a Balmain x Barbie logo frame) Fashions and accessories on the Ken avatar are from the Balmain x Barbie collection; NFT comes with bespoke set of Barbie size Balmain pieces.”

This piece looks amazing, the doll clothes are very well made and the tailoring is so sharp. Tailored jackets never look so well made in doll size. Gorgeous. The pieces comprising it are an overcoat, a jacket, a t-shirt, pants, a cap, a pair of disc earrings and a pair of sneakers. Can we also have a Ken with this handsome face? No plastic hair please.

This collaboration is not and never was about fashion doll collectors. It was conceived and made to be a major fashion and tech event to show that both companies have their hearts and minds firmly set in the now and the future, and it succeeds. And it is of course always about the money, no matter how many sugary words you hear and read in the presentations. The collection will go live on the Balmain website on January 13 and some of the items will be available from other online retailers as well.

May the 4th be with you - with brand new Barbie Star Wars dolls!

Less than a year after the first three Barbie Star Wars dolls were revealed by Mattel and, appropriately, on May the 4th (May the force be with you is a popular Star Wars universe greeting for those not on the know), four new dolls are available for preorder from Barbie Signature. Rey, C-3PO, a Storm Trooper and Chewbacca are the latest beauties to be added to the Leia, Darth Vader and R2D2 ones already out there. As before, they are again fashion interpretations of the Star Wars characters, not faithful representations of them. And again they succeed in that, with brilliant iterations of iconic looks and beautiful dolls. The price is again $100.00 each, with Chewbacca reaching $150.00 as it’s platinum label edition and Barbie Signature online exclusive - the rest of them are Gold label. Unfortunately all have the Model Muse body, which means no articulation. I think the Star Wars Barbie dolls are a missed opportunity regarding articulation. They are shipping from June 1st till the 15th, with limitations due to the global pandemic affecting shipments.

Star Wars™ Rey x Barbie® Doll

Ages: Adult Collector

Offered price of the product is $100.00

PRE-ORDER - AVAILABLE TO SHIP ON JUNE 1, 2020

• PRODUCT FEATURES

  The Star Wars™ x Barbie® collection, inspired by the films’ original concept art, re-imagines iconic Star Wars characters through a distinctive Barbie™ high-fashion filter. As she was drawn into a galaxy-wide conflict between the First Order and the Resistance, the mysterious power of The Force set Rey™ on the path to discovering her destiny in a time when the Jedi Order was virtually extinct. This collectible Star Wars x Barbie® doll takes design inspiration from Rey’s legendary look to capture her adventurous spirit in a runway-ready silhouette. Star Wars Rey x Barbie® doll wears a crystal pleated chiffon gown with a crossover neckline and draped hood, inspired by Rey’s gauzy crosspiece. A slit reveals ombre boot-leggings in gold and copper hues, and accessories with a hammered gold look complete her heroic ensemble. Star Wars Rey x Barbie® doll makes the perfect addition to any collection and a great gift for Star Wars and Barbie® fans. Includes a Star Wars doll stand and Certificate of Authenticity. Doll cannot stand alone. Colors and decorations may vary.

• Label: Gold

• Designer: Robert Best

• Release Date: 5/4/2020

• Included with doll: Earring, dress, belt,2 arm band, boots w/ softgoods, doll stand

• Eyelashes: Painted

• Fashion: Crystal pleated chiffon gown, ombre boot-leggings, accessories

• Fashion Sewn On?: No

• Body Type: ModelMuse

• Doll Stand: Yes

• Facial sculpt: Millie collector size

• Package Dimensions (H/D/W): 13" x 2" x 8"

• Limit 2 per person

• © & ™ Lucasfilm Ltd.

SKU #: GLY28

A beautiful interpretation of Rey - if she had to go to the Met Gala! Incidentally, that would be today, if it weren’t for the pandemic. Apart from the missing articulation, the rest looks lovely. The Grecian goddess style fits her, the hair is intriguing enough and the ombré boots are her avant guard element. I hope the jewellery looks this good up close and not too plastic. Yes, I’d get her if I could. Maybe someday.

Star Wars™ C-3PO x Barbie® Doll

Ages: Adult Collector

Offered price of the product is $100.00

PRE-ORDER - AVAILABLE TO SHIP ON JUNE 15, 2020

• PRODUCT FEATURES

  The Star Wars™ x Barbie® collection, inspired by the films’ original concept art, re-imagines iconic Star Wars characters through a distinctive Barbie™ high-fashion filter. Programmed for etiquette and protocol and built by the heroic Jedi Anakin Skywalker, C-3PO™ was involved in some of the galaxy’s most defining moments and thrilling battles. This collectible Star Wars x Barbie® doll takes design inspiration from C-3PO’s legendary look to capture his golden armor in a runway-ready silhouette. Star Wars C-3PO x Barbie® doll shines in a head-to-toe liquid gold look with accents of sheer organza and golden sequins. Polished details include a golden collar, bangles, C-3PO-inspired glasses and a brilliant cincture echoing the droid’s primary power coupler outlet. Star Wars C-3PO x Barbie® doll makes the perfect addition to any collection and a great gift for Star Wars and Barbie® fans. Includes a Star Wars doll stand and Certificate of Authenticity. Doll cannot stand alone. Colors and decorations may vary.

• Label: Gold

• Designer: Robert Best

• Release Date: 5/4/2020

• Included with doll: dress, boots w/ softgoods, hair piece, necklace,arm cuffs,hand covers, belt and chain, sunglasses, doll stand

• Eyelashes: Painted

• Fashion: Dress with sheer organza accents and golden sequins, glasses

• Fashion Sewn On?: No

• Body Type: ModelMuse

• Doll Stand: Yes

• Facial sculpt: Mbili

• Package Dimensions (H/D/W): 17" x 5" x 10"

• Limit 2 per person

• © & ™ Lucasfilm Ltd.

SKU #: GLY30

C-3PO as a fashion Doll is easily the best of the bunch - and better than the three previous SW dolls too! Not only she has a beautifully rendered outfit but the doll herself is magnificent. Look at that face! Want, want, want!

Star Wars™ Stormtrooper x Barbie® Doll

Ages: Adult Collector

Offered price of the product is $100.00

PRE-ORDER - AVAILABLE TO SHIP ON JUNE 1, 2020

• PRODUCT FEATURES

  The Star Wars™ x Barbie® collection, inspired by the films’ original concept art, re-imagines iconic Star Wars characters through a distinctive Barbie™ high-fashion filter. Stormtroopers’ imposing white armor, blaster rifles and great skill make them a force to be reckoned with, and their fanatic loyalty to the Empire renders them steadfast -- and lethal -- in their fight for the Imperial cause. This collectible Star Wars x Barbie® doll takes design inspiration from the troops’ legendary look to capture their plastoid armor in a runway-ready silhouette. Star Wars Stormtrooper x Barbie® doll is striking in head-to-toe white over a black bodysuit with a shiny patent-leather look. A platinum bob, dark glasses, cuffs, a utility belt and boots with a knee protector plate detail complete the battle armor-inspired look. Star Wars Stormtrooper x Barbie® doll makes the perfect addition to any collection and a great gift for Star Wars and Barbie® fans. Includes a Star Wars doll stand and Certificate of Authenticity. Doll cannot stand alone. Colors and decorations may vary.

• Label: Gold

• Designer: Robert Best

• Release Date: 5/4/2020

• Included with doll: Sunglasses, back plate, hand covers & arm bands, bodice, chocker, belt, boots, doll stand, leggings, skirt, bodysuit, blouse, jacket

• Eyelashes: Painted

• Fashion: Plastoid armor in head-to-toe white over a black patent leather-inspired bodysuit

• Fashion Sewn On?: No

• Body Type: ModelMuse

• Doll Stand: Yes

• Facial sculpt: Karl

• Package Dimensions (H/D/W): 18" x 5" x 10"

• Limit 2 per person

• © & ™ Lucasfilm Ltd.

SKU #: GLY29

The Storm Trooper is like a white version of the Darth Vader Barbie, sans cape. Or like Debbie Harry doing a cameo in New Hope! The eye makeup design veers on ancient Egyptian territory. Perfect.

Star Wars™ Chewbacca x Barbie® Doll

Ages: Adult Collector

Offered price of the product is $150.00

PRE-ORDER - AVAILABLE TO SHIP ON JUNE 5, 2020

• PRODUCT FEATURES

  The Star Wars™ x Barbie® collection, inspired by the films’ original concept art, re-imagines iconic Star Wars characters through a distinctive Barbie™ high-fashion filter. During his long life, Chewbacca™ has been many things: Wookiee warrior, ace smuggler and rebel hero. This collectible Star Wars x Barbie® doll takes design inspiration from Chewie’s legendary look, bringing a glamorous edge to signature costume elements in a runway-ready silhouette. Star Wars Chewbacca x Barbie® doll wears a lavish faux fur coat over a strapless dress with a fur skirt and bodice of vinyl and sheer organza. Chic details include a furry headband and knee-high boots, as well as cuff bracelets and a handbag inspired by Chewbacca’s signature bandolier and satchel. Star Wars Chewbacca x Barbie® doll makes the perfect addition to any collection and a great gift for Star Wars and Barbie® fans. Includes a Star Wars doll stand and Certificate of Authenticity. Doll cannot stand alone. Colors and decorations may vary.

• Label: Platinum

• Designer: Robert Best

• Release Date: 5/4/2020

• Included with doll: Head piece, dress, jacket, purse, boot cuffs, boots, bodice,arm cuffs, doll stand

• Eyelashes: Painted

• Fashion: Faux fur coat, strapless dress, fur skirt, boots

• Fashion Sewn On?: No

• Body Type: ModelMuse

• Doll Stand: Yes

• Facial sculpt: Lea/Kayla

• Package Dimensions (H/D/W): 17" x 5" x 10"

• Limit 2 per person

• SKU #: GMM96

This is the Barbie.com exclusive doll - you can only preorder her from Mattel. I’m never crazy about fur, even fake fur, and this is no exception. The fact that she looks like Kim Kardashian dressed up as Chewbacca certainly does not help. The fur detail on the box doesn’t justify the extra 50 bucks. Pass.

Happy 61st birthday Barbie!

It’s the 61st birthday for the famous fashion doll, Barbie, or Barbara Millicent Roberts, as is her full name. To honour the anniversary, let’s check out some collector Barbies that were unveiled these past few days.

First up is the Japanese Barbie Convention 2020 doll. The convention was cancelled due to coronavirus, but the doll will be sent to those that were to attend. Designed by Carlyle Nuera, she is a vision in red. The concept for convention Barbies this year is Chromatic Couture and Japan got the red one. The sculpt is madam LaVinia and she’s dressed in a faux leather bralette, satin palazzo pants and a red tulle bodysuit. Her hair and make up are all red too. This is my favourite of the two convention dolls.

The second doll is the Paris Fashion Doll Festival 2020 exclusive Barbie, unveiled this past weekend in Paris. She’s in total blue, part of the Chromatic Couture concept. Again designed by Carlyle Nuera, she has the Mari face sculpt and is dressed in a high-low bubble hem gown with puff sleeves made of two-tone metallic blue taffeta, with a powder tulle blue overlay and clear blue jewellery & shoes. Her make up and hair are all in shades of blue.

And finally, sketches of some of the last BFMC dolls were revealed in the past days. This collection is on its last year and Rober Best is trying to end it in the best possible way. The first one is Best To A Tea. She’s wearing a Chanel style suit. We have seen lots of them on Silkstone dolls and they are all lovely, so I guess this one will be too.

There will be a giftset released too, named The Best Look - a play on the designer’s name perhaps? The sketches look gorgeous, even though the outfits look a lot like past releases. A redhead in grey or black will look smashing. Wondering if she will be in the latest, articulated Silkstone body or the original one. I know most BFMC collectors would prefer the latter.

KITH collaborates with Barbie and offers customers a chance to style their official doll!

KITH is a retail store in New York, founded by designer Ronnie Fieg In 2010. They make and sell sportswear, establish sneaker collaborations and also sell a number of renowned street wear brands. They now announce a collaboration with Barbie, working together to create a special experience for their customers: they will have the chance to create the official Kith x Barbie doll!

Starting this Saturday 9/21 KITH will be hosting styling appointments where customers will get to select one of the four dolls they have created with Mattel designer Carlyle Nuera and then style them in a look from over 100 different Kith Women apparel pieces. One of these submissions will then be selected to be produced as the official Kith x Barbie doll. Accordimg to their Instagram account though, all appointment slots have officially been filled. They do mention that walk-ins are welcome but cannot guarantee access. Follow them for further updates. I love both the doll’s and the outfits, at least what what we can see in the official photos. I envy the people who will get to style a doll and submit it for a chance to win.

So how come they decided to work with Barbie?. “For sixty years, Barbie has been an international pop-culture phenomenon offering girls around the globe a chance to play, tell stories, and, most importantly, to dream. Kith echoes this mindset by presenting an immersive world for its customers by engaging them through a unique retail environment that fosters creativity,” says Kith-founder Ronnie Fieg. This shared philosophy is what started this partnership—and it will remain a key element in the collaboration between Kith and Barbie.

The Kith Women x Barbie collaboration kicks off with a Barbie takeover of Kith’s flagship store in New York.  Several activations are planned including: 

STYLING CONTEST: September 21st - September 29th

Kith will host Barbie styling sessions at its Soho location on the second floor – known as the Arsham/Fieg Gallery. By appointment only, participants can choose from four dolls that represent the diversity and the dynamism of the Kith Woman. Entrants will be able to dress, style and outfit on-site with 100 custom doll-sized apparel and accessories pieces from the Kith Women line. 

Participants will then submit a photo of their uniquely styled Barbie to be evaluated by a cross-section of the fashion industry’s most notable tastemakers. The panel of judges will include Dianne Garcia, Jackie Kim – director of Kith Women, Maeve Reilly, Ade Samuel and Kith founder Ronnie Fieg. Judges will select the top six looks, which will be put to a public vote via @KithWomen social platform. The submission that receives the most public votes will then become the official limited-edition Kith x Barbie doll, to be released in late 2020 and available from Kith stores worldwide.

RETROSPECTIVE: September 21st to October 2nd 

A complementary retrospective exhibition that celebrates Barbie’s 60-year history will be on view at Kith’s Soho store from September 21st to October 2nd. The original Barbie created in 1959, featuring her iconic black and white chevron swimsuit, will be on display, alongside surrounding ephemera and milestone moments. The in-store museum-inspired vignette layout will be a testament to the doll’s empowering legacy and status as a pop-culture icon.

LIMITED EDITION COMMEMORATIVE APPAREL

Kith will also be designing and distributing limited edition Kith x Barbie 60th Anniversary t-shirt, available only to the first 200 attendees.

All photos courtesy of KITH and Mattel