Mixed race Barbie hits the United Kingdom! Love her or hate her, Barbie is constantly reinventing herself. And the latest collection of dolls to hit Selfridges will have some jumping for joy and others wringing their hands in despair.
Reflecting the times and making 50-year-old Barbie culturally relevant, the dolls strive to show little girls that not only can Barbie take on any career and be anyone she wants to be but also she relates to all cultures and races worldwide.
The newBarbies feature four mixed-race dolls with authentic looks - from their facial expressions down to the clothes they wear, and were designed by Stacey McBride-Irby who said she looked to role models such as Tyra Banks and Beyonce for inspiration.
McBride-Irby recently told Made For Mums: 'I think personality is the key point of design and I really incorporated this in my dolls. I wanted to create a story behind the dolls so I brought them from Malibu to Chicago. Each of the dolls has its own distinct personality. Jayla is a girly girl who loves science and cheerleading, whereas Kara has a passion for art and journalism. They have fuller noses, textured dark hair and darker skin tones, plus they are fashionable and cool, just like the fairer skinned Barbie’s.'
What was even more interesting was Stacey's answer to the question: If Barbie was to be portrayed in a Hollywood blockbuster film – who would you want to play her? Her answer: 'Definitely Beyonce. She is a good representation of what Barbie is all about.' Wonder how Beyonce feels about that?
Unfortunately all of the dolls have straight hair and still have that Barbie look about them but then if you're going to buy Barbie dolls you have to expect that. The dolls also have a boyfriend called Darren, who has a little brother Junior to keep him company.