A major makeover for Barbie: the blonde bombshell is transformed into models its creators say are more relevant to the 21st century.
ADVERTISEMENTBarbie is undergoing a major makeover. No longer the “blonde, bimbo girl” Aqua sang about in their 1997 hit, the Mattel doll is now available in seven skin tones, 22 eye colours and 24 hair styles.
The revamp sees “curvy, tall and petite” body types added to the collection.
Critics have been arguing for years that Barbie promotes an unrealistic body image for girls.
Barbie fan Adriana agreed:
“For many, many years they only had one kind of doll and she’s very skinny and tall and too skinny, really, and women don’t look like that, so it makes sense.”
Hannah Barton added:
“I think it’s good because it shows what is actually happening in the real world and it helps people feel better about themselves.”
Mattel says the radical change, which comes 56 years after Barbie was introduced onto the market, aims to better represent the range of people playing with the doll.