Today is March 9th, also known as National Barbie Day.
The words “Barbie” and “doll” are often used interchangeably, with one representative of, or in conjunction with the other. This reflects just how ingrained Mattel’s Barbie is in popular culture since the launch of the first doll in 1959.
Iconic moments in pop culture
Barbie has been cemented in popular culture for some time. A key moment of this in the UK was when, despite its controversy, the band Aqua released ‘Barbie Girl’ (1997).
The song is written from the perspective of Barbie living her life, and although well-loved, it overlooks the deeper themes and critiques surrounding Barbie.
It is difficult to move past surface level. After all, the main appeal of a Barbie doll is her lush blond hair, pouty pink lips, wide blue eyes and slim figure.
But ironically, this aesthetic is exactly what lures academics into exploring the lore of Barbie and dissecting every aspect of her being.
How Barbie remains relevant today
Mattel has proved that they can adapt to the modern day, with their multiple reinventions of the product through time. They have championed inclusivity through reinventing Barbie to represent less traditional feminine ideals, as many claim her to be.
As a character, Barbie transcends the boundaries of fashion and she has had over 200 careers, many in non-traditional roles for women.
Barbie has enjoyed roles as a game developer, food truck operator, surgeon, astrophysicist, and in the military.
In 2019, Mattel continued to strive to be progressive and catered for the disabled community as they introduced a doll who uses a wheelchair and a doll with a prosthetic leg.
Resurgence of Barbiemania in 2023
The story of Barbie as a company and as a doll lends itself to the idea that cementing a brand into pop culture expands not just towards being trendy, but to creating something of lasting value.
Perhaps Mattel recognise their social responsibility as harbingers of trends, and consequently, influencers of culture.
In the second half of 2023, Greta Gerwig’s film Barbie, inspired by the doll, will be released in theatres.
While little is known about the film, it proves that Barbie continues to be seen as relevant. Hopefully, the film explores more complex themes about the doll and her impact.
In comparison to other toy franchises, specifically, dolls, Barbie has exhibited longevity. This could be due to Barbie’s ability to adapt and respond to the needs of consumers.
Brands such as Zara, Pretty Little Thing, River Island, New Look, Boohoo and BoohooMAN continue to launch Barbie clothing collections. This suggests that consumers will still proudly wear the Barbie logo and associate with the brand and doll.
It seems that even in 2023, Barbie as a brand and cultural phenomenon is here to stay.
Words by Marinel Dizon
Support The Indiependent
We’re trying to raise £200 a month to help cover our operational costs. This includes our ‘Writer of the Month’ awards, where we recognise the amazing work produced by our contributor team. If you’ve enjoyed reading our site, we’d really appreciate it if you could donate to The Indiependent. Whether you can give £1 or £10, you’d be making a huge difference to our small team.