We don’t have delusions of grandeur, we promise.
But in addition to Armani and Balmain appearing to take notice of Jan’s Huffington Post blog, about using older models in their advertising, it appears Mattel, the giant US toy corporation which manufactures Barbie is also paying attention to SoSensational and Jan’s article on the Huff “Little Girls Dressing Like Hookers? Blame Barbie.”
Last week they launched new versions of Barbie that includes three new body shapes — curvy, tall and petite. From March, when the new dolls hit the shelves in US stores (and UK shelves in summer) Barbie will also be more diverse, as she will be available in seven skin tones, as well as 24 hairstyles and 22 eye colours – yes, 22. How is that even possible?
On the subject of influencing Mattel, we are joking! We know that Barbie, launched in 1959, has been coming under intermittent fire from feminists for more than 50 years. Our voice was just a recent addition to the clamour.
But in the battle for realistic body-image for our daughters and granddaughters, it is really good news that Barbie, the highest selling doll on the planet, now has a fractionally less unrealistic body shape and reflects with slightly more accuracy the diverse ethnicity of America and Britain as well as the rest of the world where little girls play with this impossibly thin, blonde doll..
While we applaud Mattel’s move, we must point out two things: the first is that the announcement of new body shapes has garnered Barbie almost unprecedented press coverage, as Mattel must have known it would thus making us wonder if it was a cynical marketing ploy? Second, the body shapes are still a long way from reality. But we have to remember that Barbie is a toy and providing she isn’t viewed by impressionable little girls as a paradigm of feminine beauty, we really should let it go. And Curvy and Petite Barbies are definitely an improvement on eating-disorder Barbie…
As Jan pointed out in the Huffington Post, with its focus on the skimpy, revealing and provocative, Barbie’s “clothes” also failed to set an example in style and fashion that we would want our daughters or granddaughters to imitate. From the photos we have seen, with her outfits in denim, gingham, print and stripes, new Barbie is a little less “hooker” and a little more hip fashionista.
So, what do you think about the new Barbie or the old Barbie for that matter? Do let us know.
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