Get Ready For Lots of Barbie-Inspired Clothing This Fall
Every few months, there seems to be a wave of Barbie-related headines, both in the fashion and entertainment spaces. Hey, a 55-year-old woman’s gotta stay in the news somehow, right? The latest: Mattel is set to launch a wave of Barbie-inspired clothing and accessories this fall in collaboration with three different retailers.
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According to WWD, Lord & Taylor, Forever 21 and hip L.A.-based brand Wildfox will all be releasing Barbie collections, each taking separate inspiration from the plastic icon’s wardrobe throughout the decades.
Wildfox—known for its colorful, vintage-inspired clothing—will hit an ’80s beat, aiming to recreate actual outfits Malibu Barbie wore during that time, such as retro high-waist bikinis and pastel round sunglasses. Prices will range between $37.50 and $183.
Forever 21 will focus on the ’90s, with fun graphic prints and Barbie-inspired lettering starting (and a $3.90 starting price point), while Lord & Taylor will feature sleepwear that evokes the more conservative ’50s and ’60s, and that’ll cost between $32 and $46.
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So, why all the sudden interest in the doll? For starters, Mattel needs new ways to establish Barbie as a fashion icon to today’s consumer—let’s face it, we’re not buying toys the way we used to or paying attention to commercials—and hitting three retailers that appeal to three different types of women in different age groups makes sense.
Whether Forever 21’s tween, Wildfox’s hipster 20-something consumer, and Lord and Taylor’s middle-aged shopper will be willing to shell out for Barbie-themed clothing remains to be seen, but there’s no denying that the doll’s influence will be felt come fall.
Forever 21’s Barbie collection is set to launch September 5, Lord & Taylor’s on September 15, and Wildfox will debuts Barbie line just in time for Resort, on November 15,
