All buttoned up for meetings in a crisp, well-fitted suit and a of pumps; sipping coffee in style and ready for a Sunday brunch with besties; pairing the perfect crop tops with pencil skirts for a fun evening and attending the coolest music fests — Barbie does it all!
More than 50 years after her debut, Barbie is appealing to a new generation of girls — thanks to her meticulously curated Instagram account (@barbiestyle) that boasts of more than 752K followers.
Barbie’s VP of design Kim Culmone, director of design Robert Best and photographer Zlatan Zukanovic are the trio responsible for the fashionable account, which they plan, prep and shoot. Natalia Shergill, fashion stylist, who grew up adoring Barbie dolls says, “Her wardrobe as shown in the account has one-of-a-kind accessories and dresses to die for. Apart from giving fashion tips, her account is a perfect guide for your make-up kit essentials and helps you in accessorising correctly and making a fashion statement.”
She adds, “The reason why it attracts so much attention is because the content on her account is so relatable and revolves around the life of a teenager. For instance, in one of her posts, just like any other youngster she is so overwhelmed by her colourful dress that she can’t resist taking a selfie. In one of her fitspos, she is seen doing a workout in sexy gymwear where she seemingly looks fitter than Taylor Swift! In another post, one can see her in a fix that most girls face — which heels to wear? There are several posts that make you feel that life in her plastic world is indeed fantastic.”
On the other hand for fashion stylist Neha Panda, Barbie with her envious figure and élan is a perfect model to showcase the latest haute trends. She says, “Stylists and fashion designers are mostly on a lookout for a certain element of plasticity in their models. What better than having this plastic fashionista (Barbie) adding her own touch to the most happening fashion trends across the real world. She is no less than a perfect model in the real world with the right swag and aesthetic appeal.”
She further adds, “I never knew she also had a shoe fetish and I realised it only after I saw a post giving a glimpse of her sexiest shoes. I almost felt — ‘why does this doll have better shoes than me?’ If given a chance to style Barbie for a day, I would like to give her a modern desi fusion avatar. I would like to colour her hair black. I will make her wear a pretty skirt teamed with a crop top. A bindi and loads of silver jewellery would adorn my Barbie.”
For flying captain Swati Mehra, Barbie is an epitome of beauty with brains. “She has been my idol and when she joined LinkedIn last year, I was thrilled. According to her page, her latest venture is ‘Dream Incubator,’ where she acts as a consultant, helping girls around the world to play out our imagination. I remember how much I adored my Pilot Barbie as she gave me the inspiration to take up flying as a career option.”
Besides opening up new career arenas, travel entrepreneur Vishakha Talreja feels Barbie’s account a means for getting inspired to globetrot. “She attends the most happening fashion and music shows and visits the finest art museums. From attending the happening Coachella festival and going out for desert camping to attending the New York or Milan Fashion week — she surely is an avid traveller, which is what makes me follow her keenly,” quips Vishakha.
For her, the smartly managed Instagram account is a marketing strategy to revamp the overall image of the brand ‘Barbie’. “If one closely examines her social accounts, it appears as a way of taking Barbie out from the kid’s cupboard and making her appeal to a wider clientele — new age working women who like to party, gossip and look fashionable. Flaunting your love for this diva is no longer considered juvenile. Barbie’s account gives an insight into her doll/real world and where all she hangs out, who all she meets and whom she meets and she comes across as someone very groovy. It is a nice thing that they have come up with this account. Young girls will get to see many more shades of her than one can think of,” she concludes.
