Barbie introducing new colors and body shapes

Following pressure to make Barbie into more of a role model, to make her body better reflect those of actual female bodies, the company has given its iconic doll a makeover.

But with Barbie’s overall sales dropping 14 per cent worldwide in the third quarter, the doll franchise marked its eighth consecutive period of a more than 10 per cent decline.

Barbie’s figure has come under fire for years, with critics arguing it set an unrealistic body image for girls. The release of this new line of Barbie dolls will be the first time Mattel goes beyond the skinny frame we’re all used to seeing on Barbie.

“I think today, frankly more so than any other time, Barbie is truly representing what girls see”, said Richard Dickson, who is Mattel’s president and chief operating officer and the executive in charge of Barbie’s reinvention.

Mattel recently revealed that they are adding three new shapes and sizes to their standard Barbie collection: tall, petite, and curvy.

The dolls are part of Barbie’s “Fashionista” line and were made in response to dwindling sales.

The new designs also feature a variety of skin tones, eye colours and hair styles. Last year Mattel introduced 23 new dolls with different skin tones, hairstyles, outfits and flat feet, rather than the perpetually pointy ones meant to fit into sky-high heels. But not since the first doll launched in 1959 has Barbie offered a significant change in body types. “The variety in body type, skin tones and style allows girls to find a doll that speaks to them”.

“Barbie has traditionally been very thin and blonde and a few dark hair ones”, said Gina Fensterer, a mother to two young girls.

An Instagram user wrote: “As a little girl I ALWAYS wanted to look like Barbie, my parents showered me with love and told me I was handsome but my beauty didn’t reflect my beloved Barbie’s”.