In recent years, we’ve seen the world move from boldly proclaiming a “hot girl summer” to peacefully asserting a “soft girl era.” Now, Issa Rae’s star role in the upcoming live-action Barbie movie makes us wonder: Is 2023 destined to be the summer of Black Barbie?
Barbie’s marketing team is working overtime in preparation for the long-awaited blockbuster’s release on July 21st.reportedly secured 100+ brands With partnerships ranging from Amazon’s virtual aisles to in-person installations and collections at Gap, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale’s and more, Barbie is the world of toys as Mattel reminds everyone that it’s “Barbie’s World.” It expanded far beyond the aisle. But how inclusive and attainable is this fantasy world?
appeal
Since its launch in 1959, Barbie has had an indelible impact on society. Ray credits the Christie doll, her childhood companion to Barbie and one of Mattel’s first black dolls, as an inspiration for her role in the film. In addition to influencing beauty standards (for better or worse), Barbie’s influence has also recurred in pop girlfriend culture, with black women seeing that influence more recently through artists like Nicki and Minaj. It’s appearing. Since the start of Minaj’s career, Minaj’s brand has been heavily influenced by Barbie and Barbiecore. Minaj, who calls herself “Harajuku Barbie,” has become known for her clever rapping and bright pink wig, while the rapper’s loyal fan base is known as “Barbs,” short for “Barbies.” Now it looks like this.
“It’s definitely a move at this point.” Minaj told MTV In 2010, she explained the origin of her fanbase’s nickname. “People really relate to me through that. And when we say ‘Barbie,’ I definitely don’t think they’re thinking of a little plastic doll with blonde hair anymore. That’s the thing. It’s just how we define ourselves.”
trends and metaphors
In Barbie’s dream world, Barbie can rest whenever she wants, travel, wear what she wants, and ultimately do whatever she wants without judgment. Unfortunately, life outside of “Barbie’s world” is not as fun and carefree as Barbie seems to discover in the movie. As Ray herself acknowledges, this is especially true for black women.
“The strong black woman metaphor doesn’t serve any of us very well because it’s become an expectation,” Ray says. ebony The July cover star told the magazine. “Even if you express weakness, people say, ‘No, you’re strong.’ I get it; you’ll get through this.’ So what if you can’t?” Is it okay? Is it okay if I don’t get over this?”
As many of us have experienced, historically Black women have not been afforded the luxury of rest and self-care. Many black women, always characterized as strong and hard-hitting, minimize their emotions while working just as hard (and often harder) to achieve half the distance of white women. I have been subconsciously trained to suppress it.
However, black women have recently been encouraged to reclaim the power of their vulnerability through the “soft life” trend. Celebrating a more relaxed, calm and self-care oriented lifestyle, this trend was started by Nigerian influencers who prioritize mental and emotional well-being, self-love, and creating space for rest and rejuvenation. The emphasis is on
pink and cute?
Long before Warner Bros. announced the film and its numerous fashion collaborations. The fashion world has tapped into the “Barbie Core.” As society moves away from a quiet and peaceful atmosphere, “Millennial Pink””, vibrant shades of hot pink and fuchsia have re-entered the mainstream. The most memorable thing is Valentino Fall/Winter 2022-2023 Collection.
In the world of fashion, the soft-life trend intertwines seamlessly with the rise of hot pink, creating a vibrant alliance that paints the world in fierce and unapologetic hues of self-expression.From the red carpet to the runway, hot pink 2022 trend colors, It shows no signs of slowing down heading into summer 2023.
As expected, the trend was also seen on the pink carpet at the Barbie premiere in Los Angeles, with stars rocking various shades of hot pink, Barbie’s signature color. Despite the self-proclaimed contempt for colorRay, who plays President Barbie in the film, also embraced the trend, wearing a custom hot pink Mark Bower dress styled by Uli Bice.Classic high ponytail and “Barbie doll face” makeup courtesy of Felicia Leatherwood Joanna SimkinRay looked like a life-sized Barbie doll.
From exclusivity to inclusivity
Perhaps it’s the melanized complexion that makes Barbie’s pink pop the best, but black beauty wasn’t always coveted or even included in the fantasy world of Barbie. Initially, Barbie was an exaggerated model of a skinny blonde white woman who had it all. Although the doll’s hair color may vary from time to time, for decades the classic Barbie doll was a symbol of beauty standards that most women, especially black women, could not relate to and live up to. It symbolized.
Over the past 55 years, the brand has increasingly diversified Barbie’s world, incorporating a variety of careers, skin tones, body types, and disabilities into its catalog. Currently, the brand represents her over 35 different skin tones, 97 hairstyles, and 9 body types, and is also committed to showcasing her diverse life experiences.
aaccessible orspiritual?
Despite the brand’s slogan, “You can be anything,” we all know that outside of Barbieland, you can’t always be. I can afford it all. The soft life/Barbie era sounds nice, it’s a life of luxury, and Barbie’s world seems more filled with bliss than paper money—but “life in plastic” is expensive.
Case in point, in addition to selling tons of Barbie pink merchandise to promote the movie, the brand also teamed up with Airbnb to create a real-life version of Barbie’s Malibu Dream House. The mansion, which faces a sea of pink, features several amenities, including an outdoor disco dance floor and a Barbie-inspired interior, which coincidentally was designed by a black woman. Victoria Adesanmi.
However, while fans can book an overnight Barbie experience through Airbnb, research result To live in Barbie’s nearly $10 million dream home, you’ll need to earn at least $2 million a year. Black women usually Annual average of $36,303 Compared to the average annual salary for white men in the United States of $57,005, Barbie’s dream home will remain a dream for most people, at least until the racial and gender pay gap closes. right.
So?
As with any trend, especially in the age of social media, it’s easy to get caught up in the high pressures of conformity. As more and more lifestyle influencers introduce their version of soft living through Barbie’s dream homes and high-rise apartments with suspiciously similar neutral color palettes, it’s hard to stay put. It’s normal to feel like you shouldn’t.
But just as Margot Robbie’s Barbie is trying to escape the monotony of Barbie World, black women continue to do the same in real life. You can rent her one of Mattel’s most powerful efforts with Barbie doll here. dream gap project. According to the brand, research shows that as early as the age of five, girls begin to develop self-limiting beliefs that affect their self-esteem and confidence to pursue their dreams. This phenomenon, known as the Dream Her Gap, inspired the brand to launch a global initiative to provide young girls with the resources and support to continue believing in themselves and dreaming big. .
While this gap has been proven to particularly impact young black girls;, adult Black women can also benefit from that reminder. As Barbie mania continues to paint the world pink, let her nostalgia rekindle the wonders of her childhood. Whether you call it the era of Barbie or the era of soft life, this trend could be an opportunity for black women to dream bigger.
Haniya Philozeen is a multimedia storyteller and lifestyle reporter covering all things culture. With her passion for digital media, she works harder than ever to find new ways to tell and share her story.
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