They’ll all be called Barbie, but it’s the curvy one-with meat on her thighs and a protruding tummy and behind-that marks the most startling change to the most infamous body in the world.
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Mattel Inc.is adding three body types to its Barbie line, including a “curvy” model, after years of criticism that the doll presents an unrealistic body image.
The new lineup includes a curvy Barbie, a tall Barbie and a petite Barbie.
“The millennial mom is a small part of our consumer base, but we recognize she’s the future”, Evelyn Mazzocco, head of Barbie brand tells TIME.
Barbie will also have 7 new skin tones, representing a range of ethnicities and races.
Barbie’s waif-like appearance in many ways spurred the quest to find a doll that doesn’t perpetuate unattainable beauty standards for young girls. “But changes at a huge corporation take time”.
Barbie, besides being a toy, has become a cultural lightning rod for depictions of women, and a derisive synonym for “fake”, something which has pained Mattel’s marketing department for years.
She also points out that introducing these new body types is a “massive risk for Mattel”.
“Barbie reflects the world girls see around them”, Mattel COO Richard Dickson explained.
The first batch of new dolls will be delivered in February.
Still, we have to ask: why couldn’t Barbie just be “average-sized” to begin with?
Like every girl who has ever played with the most popular toy in history, I yank her clothes off and try to put on a new dress.
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Barbie debuted the new Barbies as its “Fashionistas” line.
