LONDON — Numerous fashion collections, a blockbuster film and now an exhibition — Barbie-mania is neverending.
The Design Museum will host the history of Barbie on July 5 to mark the Mattel doll’s 65th anniversary.
The museum has partnered with the toy manufacturer to dive into the design evolution of Barbie’s fashions, houses, furniture and vehicles, drawing on items from Mattel’s archives in California.
“Barbie is one of the most recognizable brands on the planet and as we’ve seen recently, her story evolves with each new generation,” said Tim Marlow, director and chief executive officer of the Design Museum.
“We look forward next year to displaying a whole range of eye-catching objects, some familiar but many never seen before, to showcase the evolution of design across the decades of Barbie’s world,” he added.
Greta Gerwig’s summer film “Barbie,” starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, has hit the $1 billion mark at the box office and the doll industry is estimated to generate $14 billion by 2027 as a result of the film, according to a report by Euromonitor.
“Mattel’s growth is also driven by ‘kidults’ who are buying childhood toys like Barbie,” said Wee Teck, head of toys and games at Euromonitor International. “The company has moved into video games and digital content. The transition into an entertainment company has helped Mattel generate additional revenues from digital content and drive sales for its physical toys.”
Barbiecore has gone over and beyond as brands such as Gap, Zara, Superga and Fossil have introduced looks in tune with the trend.