Barbie Made News in 2024

During 2024, Barbie made news due to the brand's recognition of some inspiring women as well as holiday customs and colors. This post serves as a recap and a celebration.

But first, some HERstory. Mattel's Barbie has become one of the world's most popular dolls. Introduced in 1959, the Barbie doll owes its success to adapting to the ever-changing markets of various cultures and countries by launching Barbie dolls of shapes, colors, and sizes, and customization to the inhabitants of certain regions. Because Barbie has often been criticized for representing an unattainable beauty ideal for girls and women, the doll has evolved both in style and shape over the years.

The Barbie brand also honors pioneering women from throughout history. According to Mattel, "Barbie recognizes all female role models. The Inspiring Women Series pays tribute to the incredible heroines of their time; courageous women who took risks, changed rules, and paved the way for generations of girls to dream bigger than ever before."

Here are some interesting facts about Barbie. Her full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts. Since her inception, she has had 200 different careers. Around the world, a Barbie doll is sold every three seconds, and March 9th is celebrated annually as National Barbie Day.

And during 2024, to celebrate the 65th birthday of Barbie, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts partnered with Mattel and launched the limited-edition Barbie Collection featuring four doughnuts: the Barbie Pink Doughnut, the Barbie Berries 'n Kreme Doughnut, the Malibu Dream Party Doughnut, and the Barbie Sweet 65th Doughnut.

According to Dave Skena, Global Chief Brand Officer for Krispy Kreme, "We're excited to celebrate the Barbie brand's 65th birthday with a collaboration that's full of fun and flavor. We're bringing Barbie's iconic fashions to life through delicious doughnuts that are sure to thrill Barbie and Krispy Kreme fans alike."

According to Meredith Norrie, Mattel's Vice President of Global Licensing and Consumer Products, "Barbie and Krispy Kreme are two brands that immediately spark joy and elicit sweet memories. As we continue to celebrate Barbie's 65th anniversary this year, Krispy Kreme is the perfect partner to join us, inviting fans across generations to enjoy the perfect blend of flavor and style with nods to Barbie sprinkled into every bite."

BARBIE'S CAREER OF THE YEAR COLLECTION

In January, most likely inspired by the "Barbie" blockbuster film that appealed to movie fans of all ages during the summer of 2023, Mattel announced that its annual "Career of the Year" collection would feature a slate of film-related occupations including a film director, a studio executive, a cinematographer, and a movie star.

While Barbie has worked in more than 250 professions, the annual "Career of the Year" dolls highlight positions in which women are under-represented. According to Mattel, the dolls "inspire imaginations with endless possibilities."

LUNAR NEW YEAR BARBIE

In February, Mattel unveiled its 2024 Lunar New Year Barbie doll: "Barbie is enchanting in a traditional xifu costume, inspired by the beauty of Peking Opera, a cultural treasure of China and often performed to celebrate Lunar New Year and other Chinese holidays. Her elegant robe in lucky red with a colorful peony print symbolizes good fortune. Her dramatic water sleeves are used to create beautiful hand motions and expressions on stage. The look is completed with an ornate headdress with peony accents and cyan blue shoes with pink poms."

INSPIRING WOMEN SERIES HONORED KRISTI YAMAGUCHI

In May, Mattel's Barbie "Inspiring Women Series" - that pays tribute to courageous women who took risks, changed rules, and paved the way for generations of girls to dream bigger than ever before - celebrated Asian Pacific American Heritage Month by paying homage to trailblazing figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi, a two-time World Champion and Olympic gold medalist from the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France - and the first Asian-American woman to win a gold medal in figure skating. The doll sparkles in a black leotard with gold accents, a reproduction of the costume she wore for her gold medal performance. Following her Olympic career, she became an author and advocate, serving as the founder of nonprofit Always Dream, which is aimed at increasing children's literacy.

BLIND BARBIE

In August, Mattel unveiled its first blind Barbie doll, and alongside the blind Barbie, Mattel also released a Black Barbie with Down syndrome to further diversify its line and "allow even more children to find a doll that represents them and inspire all children to tell more stories through play." According to company press release, "We recognize that Barbie is much more than just a doll; she represents self-expression and can create a sense of belonging. We proudly introduce a new blind Barbie doll and Black doll with Down syndrome to our Barbie Fashionistas line, reinforcing our commitment to creating products that represent global belonging and inclusivity in the doll aisle."

"Mattel partnered with the American Foundation for the Blind, a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a world of endless possibilities for individuals with blindness and low vision, to ensure that details of the blind Barbie, including face sculpt, fashion, accessories, packaging experience, and e-commerce communication, accurately depict individuals with blindness or low vision."

"In 2023, Mattel introduced the first-ever Barbie doll with Down syndrome, which won the Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative of the Year award presented by the Toy Association. This year, Barbie once again partnered with the National Down Syndrome Society to introduce its next doll with Down syndrome to the Barbie Fashionistas 2024 lineup."

DIWALI BARBIE

In October, Mattel unveiled a new Diwali Barbie doll. According to Mattel, "In a continued commitment to promoting celebrations of heritage, Barbie is unveiling its first ever Barbie Diwali doll collaboration with globally recognized Indian fashion designer Anita Dongre. Blending tradition with Barbie's place in global fashion, the Barbie Diwali doll celebrates India's cultural richness with a worldwide audience. The limited-edition Barbie doll wears a Moonlight Bloom set with a choli top, floral Koti vest and lehenga skirt adorned with dahlias, jasmine and Indian lotus — symbols of strength and beauty. The outfit has been accessorized with gold bangles and shimmering earrings to complete the look and reflect the radiant lights of the festival."

DIA DE LOS MUERTOS DOLLS

Also in October, Mattel launched a special edition Día de Muertos Barbie doll created by Mexican fashion designer Kris Goyri. According to ABC7, "This doll is a tribute to the Mexican celebration in honor of deceased loved ones. This special edition Day of the Dead doll wears a pure white dress inspired by indigenous Oaxaca styles and adorned with papier-mâché cempasúchil flowers (marigolds) that symbolize the path to the afterlife. Goyri emphasizes the importance of connecting with pre-Hispanic roots and traditional crafts, such as those seen in the sash at the waist, representing a typical weaving of Mexican artisans. Goyri hand-designed the makeup, ensuring it captured the essence of the "Catrina," a dapper skull or skeleton character associated with Día de Muertos, and created the hairstyle to achieve authentic Mexican accents. This collaboration not only honors a much-loved tradition but also reflects Barbie's effort to celebrate cultural diversity. This limited-edition doll shows the importance of representation in the toy industry and the need to understand different cultures."

In addition, Mattel launched its 2024 Día de Muertos Collection designed by Javier Maebe. According to Mattel, "The Barbie doll looks luminous wearing a long, black ruffled gown with intricate, colorful detailing and embroidered sugar skulls. Her orange headband highlights her updo and evokes the festival's iconic marigold flowers. Calavera face paint and bright pink accessories complete her festive look. While sold separately, both Barbie and Ken dolls wear complimentary patterns."

BARBIE TRIBUTE COLLECTION HONORED RITA MORENO

In November, The Barbie Tribute Collection - that celebrates visionaries whose incredible contributions have helped shape and impact culture - introduced its Rita Moreno Barbie doll. According to Mattel, "This collectible Barbie doll honors award-winning actress, singer, dancer, and activist Rita Moreno. She is a rare recipient and the first Latina and Puerto-Rican to win the coveted EGOT – America’s most prestigious awards in television, music, film, and theater. The Mattel Rita Moreno doll wears an elegant black and gold boatneck gown reminiscent of her iconic outfit that she's worn twice on the red carpet, once in 1962 and again in 2018. Opera length gloves and classic heels complete her elegant ensemble."

However, during November, Mattel went into crisis mode once shoppers noticed that the packaging for its WICKED dolls included a website for pornography rather than the movie's correct website. Mattel said in a statement, "We were made aware of a misprint on the packaging of the Mattel Wicked collection dolls, primarily sold in the U.S., which intended to direct consumers to the official WickedMovie.com landing page. We deeply regret this unfortunate error and are taking immediate action to remedy this. The listed website is not appropriate for children. For consumers who have bought the dolls, discard the product packaging or obscure the link." However, some consumers are trying to make Mattel's loss their gain: Multiple sellers have listed the toys on eBay for as much as $500 (rather than the $40 regular price), some advertising "RARE URL ERROR MISPRINT."

What inspirational women would you like to see transformed into a Barbie doll? Tune in next January to see who Mattel recognizes with this unique honor during 2025.

Image Credit: Mattel and Krispy Kreme.