Barbie collaborates with Kartell to release doll-size versions of their most popular chairs!

I love doll sized furniture, especially when they are designer chairs. And now we have a new collaboration that results in some iconic chairs being released in Barbie size pink coloured versions! Kartell, the famous acrylic furniture brand, has collaborated with Mattel, making a set of five of their most popular chair designs in 1/6 scale. The set will be available from Mattel Creations on the 16th of April 2024, 9.00 am PT. The price is $60.00 for the set.

Mattel Creations partnered with Kartell, the Milan-based design company known for transforming furniture into art, to recreate five of their iconic designs for Barbie. These bold and elevated doll-sized interpretations also delve into the future of plastics, using innovative materials to produce unique seating pieces. They’re the perfect chairs for your Barbie collection.

• Barbie™ x Kartell 5-Piece Doll-Sized Chair Set

• Includes doll-sized Louis Ghost, Masters, A.I., Venice, and Ero|S| chairs

• Color: Barbie doll’s own unique shade of pink, PANTONE 219 C

• Chairs: Linked to 69% ISCC-Certified Bio-Based Plastic (mass balance approach)

• Packaging components: 100% FSC recycled paper

• Material insert: 20% wood pulp/80% bamboo pulp, 100% recycled, and recyclable

• Package dimensions: 25.50” x 4.75” x 8.50” (64.77 x 12.07 x 21.59 cm)

• Includes Certificate of Authenticity

• Colors and decorations may vary. Purchase limits subject to change at the sole discretion of Mattel.

©2024 Mattel

® Kartell

SKU#: HWY48

The five chair designs are: the famous Louis Ghost, Masters, A.I., Venice, and Ero|S| chairs, all designed by the world renowned designer Philippe Starck for Kartell. They all come in pink coloured plastic, with Louis Ghost and Ero|S| being transparent. They are made with Kartell materials (bio based plastic) and the packaging is from recycled materials, something that (unfortunately) is not the norm for Mattel. I love the box and the way they are nestled inside it. What a magnificent set, not only for doll collectors but also for design lovers! And the price is great, as usually miniature chairs are quite expensive when coming from furniture companies.

Barbie celebrated her 65th birthday this year but it's not the anniversary dolls that make me interested!

Barbara Millicent Roberts celebrated her 65th birthday this year - and of course there were the corresponding collector’s anniversary dolls to mark the occasion (along with a slew of play-line releases) but it was not any of them that caught my eye. Instead, I loved a new release exclusive to Mattel Creations, available for sale on the 21st of March 2024 on their website: Barbie Styled by Design Doll 1.

BARBIE STYLED BY DESIGN DOLL 1

SKU: HRM31

Label: Gold

Collection: Barbie Styled by Design

Designer: Suim Noh

Release Date: 2024

For our first entry in the Styled by Design series, we put the spotlight on designer Suim Noh to create a fabulous new Barbie doll. Inspired by fashion illustrations from the 1970s, Suim captured the decade’s exaggerated style with a bright pink satin dress featuring an oversized bow. Accessorized with black gloves, stiletto over-the-knee boots, and rhinestone accessories, this doll reflects Suim’s vision of elegance, extravagance, and nostalgia.

• Barbie® Styled by Design™ Doll 1 

• Designer: Suim Noh 

• Label: Black 

• Face Sculpt: Claudette 

• Body Type: Model Muse 

• Includes Certificate of Authenticity 

• Launches March 22, 2024 9:00 am PT

• Limit 2 per user

• Doll cannot stand alone. Doll stand included. Colors and decorations may vary. Purchase limits subject to change at the sole discretion of Mattel. 

©2024 Mattel 

SKU#: HRM31

What a gorgeous Barbie doll - and without the usual sweet smile that they have (65th anniversary dolls included). The sculpt is Claudette, which is usually, if not only, found on collector limited editions, and it is one of my very favourites, because of the high fashion look it has. Her face paint looks good, if you ignore the black crease line in her eyes that shows the dreaded pixels (I mean… they could have avoided that, right?). Her hairstyle is too simple for such a doll, but I am guessing it helps keep the cost down. Would have preferred her being in the pivotal body.

I love her dress and the colour combination - very French. Also notice that she has metallic jewellery and her boots are made of fabric and not plastic! All these should be self evident in collector dolls but with Mattel there is no guarantee. Too bad she is such a limited edition and will disappear in a blink of the eyes. I’d love to have her and it looks like she’s the first in a series, so I’m excited to see what comes next. She looks great in her box too.

Claudia Schiffer Barbie finally gets a commercial release - is the doll meeting expectations?

Back in 2017, for her 30th career anniversary and the release of her book, Mattel made an OOAK Barbie in the likeness of Claudia Schiffer, the famous supermodel from Germany. That doll recreated one of Claudia Schiffer’s iconic looks from a 1994 Ellen Von Unwerth photo shoot for Vogue Italia, wearing a metallic Versace dress. Three years later, to celebrate the model’s 50th birthday, Mattel presented two more OOAK Claudia Barbies: one wearing a Versace 1994 Atelier blue gown, and another dressed in a Balmain design similar to one worn by Schiffer in the label’s spring 2016 campaign.

Credit: The Mega Agency

Credit: The Mega Agency

Now, Mattel decided to release a commercial Barbie Claudie, recreating the cerulean pleated floor-length gown by Versace, combined with a faille taffeta bustier inspired by the signature Versace corset bodice. Per Mattel “The doll makes a bold statement, pairing Schiffer’s strength and femininity with Versace’s luxurious glamour”.

Supermodel Claudia Schiffer Barbie® Doll in Versace

Designer: Carlyle Nuera

Label: Platinum

Face Sculpt: Claudia Schiffer likeness

Body Type: Pivotal

Includes Certificate of Authenticity

Doll cannot stand alone. Doll stand included. Colours and decorations may vary. Purchase limits subject to change at the sole discretion of Mattel.

SKU#: HCB94

The Story: Claudia Schiffer chose what Barbie would wear for a doll in her honour. This is one of her all-time favourite gowns, celebrating an iconic ‘90s fashion moment. "Recreating the gown in Barbie scale was a fun challenge,” says designer Carlyle Nuera. “I studied any photo I could find and watched videos of the runway show over and over.” Strappy heels, blonde curls, and soft makeup complete the look. This doll is inspired by the 2020 design made in honour of Schiffer's 50th birthday.

Am I the only one that thinks they did a hatchet job on the new doll? The face paint does not replicate the model faithfully, even though the doll sculpt is the same used in the OOAK dolls. Of course one cannot expect a commercial doll to have the same standards as a one off doll, but still I believe for the price, ($85 in the US, at least $170 in Europe) they could have done better. The hair is also not styled very well. The gown is weird - why would anyone gather a pleated fabric at the waist, when the original design is not like this? Probably to create volume at the bottom of the dress, since the pleats are straight and not like the original. The sewing of the corset is also not that good. And those plastic shoes? For such a limited release, it is awful. There seems to be a discrepancy regarding the quantity of dolls produced: the US certificates give 5,000, the EU ones 1,000. It may refer to the specific markets but they could have just written 6,000.

All doll photos courtesy of Mattel. Claudia Schiffer photos by Ellen Von Unwerth unless otherwise stated.

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.