Skip to main content

Marketers, Listen Up: Here Are The Best Barbie Brand Collaborations So Far

by Ineke Lavers

Content created ahead of the SAG-AFTRA Strikes, we stand with the American actors' union and the Writers Guild of America who are fighting Hollywood labour disputes.

Pink is, yet again, the new black this summer as the world is seemingly transported to Barbie World ahead of the highly anticipated release of the Barbie movie on July 21st.


Barbie’s marketing team has been working hard developing a multitude of creative collaborations with a range of different brands to welcome the new blockbuster. 


From the more conventional collaborations with fashion and beauty brands to surprising alliances with the gaming industry and fast food chains, Barbie is launching a nostalgia-fuelled campaign to rethink femininity.



Here are some of the most exciting collaborations from this summer:


NYX


With a limited edition release, makeup giant NYX has launched their Barbie collection complete with ‘bright barbie land colours’ and the perfect mix of kitsch and Y2k nostalgia. 


The collection features a range of lip creams and glosses, as well as mini palettes within the barbie colour scheme — think pinks, glitters and the token pop of sky blue in ‘Ken-ergy’.


This exciting makeup collection ensures fans of Barbie can have a go at recreating some of her signature looks and maybe even introduce some more vibrant tones into their everyday makeup look.


Fossil


‘Pink everything, please’, is the tagline of this next Barbie collaboration. 


Accessories giant, Fossil have jumped headfirst into some of Barbie’s quintessential iconography with a range of watches, jewelry and handbags. 


No half-measures were taken in this collaborative collection with hot pink leather and chunky charms combining for loud statement pieces whilst still echoing Barbie’s timeless style. 


A special mention needs to be had for the inclusion of the classic black and white chevron pattern used across multiple watches in straps and toprings; a nod to the classic swimsuit pattern of the early 1950s Mattel doll.


ALDO


As soon as the Barbie trailer dropped, the one shot that no one could stop talking about was Barbie stepping out of her iconic stilettos. 


Nothing screams Barbie quite as much as a cracking pair of pink heels, which ALDO have capitalized on using a limited edition line of Barbie-inspired shoes and shoulder bags.


From sexy sling-backs, to mules and classic stilettos in a range of pink tones and translucent plastic finishes, the collection captures the playful, camp aesthetics and materials of your Y2K Barbie-doll. As of July 16th, this popular collection is almost completely sold out.


BÉIS Luggage


Never lose your luggage again with BÉIS’ barbie-coded travel collection. The lifestyle brand founded by Pretty Little Liars’ Shay Mitchell has found its niche in quality hard-shell luggage collections, albeit usually in more muted shades. BÉIS’ collaboration with the Barbie movie shows the generally gray, black or beige suitcases dipped into Barbie’s iconic hot pink tones with a glossy finish.


With a collection of carry-on and check-in rollers, as well as smaller cosmetic cases and weekend bags, BÉIS have nailed Barbie-core down to the details with pastel floral linings in a nod to Barbie’s retro roots.



Xbox


Perhaps one of the most ‘out of the box’ collaborations to come out of the Barbie promotional season, Xbox has reimagined its classic gaming console in true Barbie fashion.


Featuring a new Xbox Series S console and wireless controller, the company calls their latest custom hardware one of their most playful designs of recent years with its iconic hot pink finish and 90s Barbie logo. 


The fun doesn’t end there as Xbox have gone further and designed their very own Barbie dream-house for the console to sit inside, alongside a plethora of controller faces evoking Barbie and Ken’s signature outfits.


Although one of the more hyped and intersectional collaborations on the Barbie roster, Xbox have announced that the unique design is limited and will only be given out as sponsored competition prizes this summer and will not be available to purchase.


Impala Skate


One of the very first images to come from the set of Greta Gerwig's latest venture featured a brightly dressed Barbie and Ken (Ryan Gosling and Margot Robbie) going for a skate in Venice Beach, California. These now iconic pics are the reference for this next unique collaboration with Impala Skates.


With their distinct, highlighter-yellow mixed with baby pink, these inline skates and accompanying protective sets are distinctly eye-catching and add an unmistakable Barbie flavor to any skating session.


 Airbnb


In another clever and interactive collaboration, Barbie and Airbnb have partnered to transport you into your very own Barbie-world with a stay at Barbie’s Malibu DreamHouse. Recently redecorated with Kens ‘Kenergy’ in mind, the house still screams Barbie-core with hot pinks, pastels and a distinctly ‘toy-like’ and pop-art aesthetic.


The booking page goes live on July 17th with two sets of lucky visitors being able to stay in Barbie’s DreamHouse for a complimentary night between July 21st and 23rd.


Pacsun


Leaning into the Malibu Barbie era, Pacsun, amongst many other clothing retailers, has released a collection of t-shirts, swimwear and denim with an emphatic 90s sporty beach aesthetic. With pale pinks, purples, blues and whites, Pacsun’s Barbie collection stands out in its more toned-down approach to Barbie’s closet. 


The iconic Barbie logo splashes over a multitude of charming crop tops and muted denim, well-suited to the more casual fan who still wants to dip a toe into the playful and girly style of the Malibu Barbie.


Edited by Emily Duff


Comments

Post a Comment

Most Popular

‘Make Tattooing Safe Again’: Sheffield Based Tattoo Artist Exposed for Indecent Behaviour

 by Emily Fletcher TW: SA, Animal Abuse, Transphobia Photo Credit: @ meiko_akiz uki Recently, an  Instagram account  has been created to provide a  ‘space to safely give a voice to those who want to speak out about the behaviour of one, Sheffield based tattoo artist’. A  total of 40+ posts have been made by the above social media account regarding  one of Sheffield's most popular tattoo artists .  Thankfully, all posts are prefaced with a Content Warning prior to sharing screenshots of the messages that have been sent anonymously to the page. The majority of Content Warnings refer to sexual behaviour, abuse, and sexual assault. It is clear that there is a reoccurring theme within each submission, as many clients appear to have had the same experiences with the tattoo artist. Women, mostly, are being made to feel uncomfortable while being tattooed. One of the most vulnerable positions anyone can be in, tattoo artists should make their clients feel comfortable and safe during the pro
Post a Comment
Read more

Eurydice’s Last Words

by Kate Bradley I do not want to return To sit in the stalls, Of an empty black box Strewn with petals Leave the ghost light on, Let it shine like a call home, But I will not come back To turn it off alone. I learn this as we walk Our ever so solemn path Our thudding funeral march, You think we’re going back. As I trace my old steps, I fear of the day When the symphony swells, And I land my gaze On you, yet you will be Enraptured by the sound, If you did twist To turn around, You would not see me. So I am not sorry, I speak out into the empty air And I am not sorry. “Turn Around.” You do, you look You think  I fall But I run on, Arms wide open To fall in love With it all “Perhaps she was the one who said, ‘Turn around.” On the X45 bus, back from the Tyneside Cinema, I wrote a poem entitled “Eurydice’s Final Words”, after having seen “Portrait of a Lady on Fire”.  That poem was terrible, so I wrote a new one, as my response to the beautifully poignant film.  In one scene, Héloïse, an 18
Post a Comment
Read more

Single Review: ‘Tell Me’ - Jay Moussa-Mann

by Ilana Hawdon The feeling of pure betrayal and heartbreak is perfectly captured in Jay Moussa-Mann’s latest single, ‘Tell Me’. Jay Moussa-Mann is the folk dream we have been waiting for. A favourite on BBC Introducing, Radio 6 and BBC Radio Tees, Jay ’s sound is easy on the ears but delightfully addictive. With a background in writing and film, she began her solo musical venture when she released her debut album, ‘Little Deaths’ in late-2019, and since then, Moussa-Mann has defined herself as an artist with unbelievable range and promise.    ‘Tell Me’ is completely timeless; with notes of Carole King and Joni Mitchell, Moussa-Mann creates a folk-inspired track which is simultaneously heart wrenching and strangely empowering. Beginning as a simple guitar tune, ‘Tell Me’ builds with layers of luscious strings and twinkling piano, tied together with Jay ’s vocal line which is equal parts melancholic and divine. The song feels unwaveringly intimate; the lyrics ask, ‘what was I worth?’
Post a Comment
Read more