Go Barbie It’s Your Birthday!
Toronto - America’s favorite plastic style icon turns 50 this year, showing nary a wrinkle. The orignal 11.5-inch fashion doll, Barbie still holds a great market share. According to manufacturer Mattel 90 percent of girls between 3 and 10 years old own at least one Barbie doll.
Tough economic times and competition from other fashion dolls have the makers of Barbie striving to retain her relevance in 2009. One of the things that Barbie has going for her is the adult collector market, and also an international market interested in the classic doll.
On Valentines day Mattel hosted a Barbie fashion show, wit real models showing Barbie’s classic dresses and outfits through the years. Barbie has worn fashions from the world’s hottest designers over the years, so the show was a great amalgamation with everything from the original classic black and white bathing suit of the first Barbie, to over the top ensembles from 25 designers including Vera Wang, Badgley Mischka, Tommy Hilfilger and Calvin Klein.
Bob Mackie’s outfit dressed Barbie as an Egyptian goddess all in gold. Kenneth Cole included Ken in on the action, wearing a T-shirt reading “Everybody needs a Ken.” Although problematic to many feminists, who have protested Barbie’s improbable body share and permanent high heels, Barbie has survived the controversy. She’s been an astronaut, president, comes in multitudes of ethnic versions, and can play any role a child imagines.
Even though Barbie has officially hit middle age, she remains hip. She even has her own blog and a Facebook page.