Barbie: A Blast From The Past
- Girl Up McMaster
- Jan 30, 2023
- 4 min read
Updated: Mar 8, 2023
Barbie is Back. Greta Gerwig’s highly anticipated “Barbie” film hits select Canadian theaters on July 21st, 2023. The star-studded cast features Issa Rae, Ryan Gosling, Simu Liu, and Margot Robbie. The film’s first trailer left audiences in awe as a gargantuan-sized Margot Robbie, adorned with the original Barbie zebra-styled bathing suit, cheerfully stood tall amongst three girls. The dazzling trailer racked up over six million views within its first five days of premiere. The trailer’s Space Odyssey homage perfectly resonates with the “out of this world”, extraordinary, and other worldly caricature known as Barbie. Embellished with identical, melodic undertones andcinematography drenched in dramatic orange hues, the trailer bears striking resemblanceto Stanley Kubrick’s award-winning film. Little is known about the movie’s plot so far,but the secrecy is only enhancing audiences’ suspense everywhere. Barbie is a world wide symbol, she is a blast from the past, and with this film, she is coming back. But the question is: Did Barbie ever leave?
To deconstruct this question, one must address the most significant aspect of Barbie’s existence, her creation. Her mainstay and relevance within pop culture is no mere accident, it is years of strategic adaptations and renovations all dedicated to the titular character since 1959. From the beginning of her creation, Barbie was marketed toward young girls. She was a departure from the baby doll as she allowed younger girls to envision themselves as future adults with more purpose outside of the traditional motherhood. Through her initial release with Mattel, Barbie was an amalgamation of theupper echelons of celebrity pop culture. The 1950s was a decade filled with lavishfemale stars such as Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, and ElizabethTaylor. These celebrities radiated a rare aura of style and grace that Barbie wouldundoubtedly replicate. Barbie was a product of her time and a best seller across thousandsof American Toy shelves. Her glamorous personality and classy look were traits withinthe franchise that solidified Barbie’s name for decades.
Barbie may have been the symbol of a girls’ dream, but this dream was far-fetched for numerous women living in America. Albeit Barbie did represent many young women in America, there was obvious exclusivity within Barbie’s image. Millions of American women did not look like Barbie. The image and brand of Barbie lacked a diverse representation of women across America. However, with time, her character developed to represent the diverse population of women residing across the globe. This development allowed her to remain as an inspirational figure for young girls worldwide.
One of the most important aspects of Barbie’s character is her reinvention. Within the first few years after Barbie’s release, Mattel produced the Ken doll to accompany Barbie as her partner. Subsequent releases included Barbie with numerous occupations such as a registered nurse, flight attendant, or nightclub singer. During the sixties, these careers were seen as traditional options for women’s advancement in the workforce. She was always second-hand to either “Doctor” Ken or “Pilot” Ken; this decision was met with controversy for Mattel as the character’s stagnancy did not reflect the ever changing world for women. As a result, in the consequent decades, the Barbie image would take onvaried occupations such as computer scientist, astronaut, and president. These careers would allow young girls across the world to expand their horizons and envision themselves in powerful positions alongside Barbie.
In 1969, Mattel introduced “Christie” as their first African American doll, Barbie’s best friend. Additionally, in 1980 “Teresa” was the first Hispanic doll introduced within the franchise. In 1994, “Dolls of the World” was featured in the Barbie collection, displaying dolls from Kenya, China, Morocco, and many more. In 2017, Mattel released their first Barbie doll to wear a hijab, based on the Olympic fencer, Ibtihaj Muhammed. As 2020 rolled around, Mattel released the Fashionista collection of Barbie dolls with Vitiligo, disabilities, and various skin tones. These were not the only changes and reconstructions of the Barbie doll, and they definitely will not be the last. Through these adaptations, various consumers can view themselves within the character ensuring stable sales. The ever-changing nature of the symbolic character signals the development and ever changing nature of American media consumption. As the design changes, the symbolic nature of Barbie stays the same. She symbolizes a girl's dream where women are nuanced, aspirational, and courageous.
Greta Gerwig’s Barbie is not the first time Barbie is heading to the big screen. Currently, there are over 40 Barbie films spanning from 1987 to 2022. On Youtube, one can see Barbie doll unboxing videos gaining millions of views in only a few days. In 2022, “Barbie-core” left a strong mark within the world of fashion as influencers embraced pink hues with vivacity while strutting on the runway or red carpet. The resurgence of Barbie is not surprising, she never really left her former level of popularity. She will remain a fixture within pop culture for years to come because she symbolizes great aspects of femininity, innovation, and inspiration. Barbie’s influence and legacy is undeniable in the world of pop culture.
Written by Ezinne Ifeanacho
Edited by Zoey Styres
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