The years of anticipation for the new "Barbie" movie has sparked widespread enthusiasm for the 64-year-old doll. From Barbie-themed parties to Barbie-styled clothing, to visits to Barbie’s life-sized Malibu DreamHouse, Barbie is everywhere.
Barbicore — and the "Barbie" movie itself — has put related items in short supply, like Barbie’s signature hot pink paint color.
"We hosted a Barbie boat cruise out of the Boston Harbor on June 30, and we had over 600 Barbie fans come to celebrate the release of the new movie," said Julie Russell, CEO of Fangirl Fantasy, which hosts events themed around fan-favorite artists and other phenomena. "[There were] long time Barbie fans [at the event]. ... And this event in this movie is just giving them an excuse to bring out their fan excitement."
More than 60 years ago, Barbie’s creator, Ruth Handler, was inspired to design a 3D-version of a paper doll. It was an immediate bestseller in the 1950s and remains one of the best-selling toys in the world.
"Oh, I had many Barbie dolls. ... My sister and I played with them for many years," said Emily Tamkin, who wrote "A Cultural History of Barbie" for Smithsonian Magazine.
Handler, who co-founded the Mattel Toy Company with her husband, rejected criticisms of Barbie’s idealized body type.
"I totally understand and hear all of those critiques," Tamkin said. "But... Ruth Handler said Barbie has always represented that girls and women have choices. ... We had our Barbies go to college. We had our Barbies take part in feminist protests. ... When I talk about the pull [that] this doll has and how powerful it is to have this plaything that you could project onto, I speak from personal experience."
Now a new live-action movie, simply titled "Barbie," has whipped up enthusiasm from adults about all things Barbie. Barbie is an aspect of American culture that has became a global phenomenum.
"I was born and raised in Japan, and when I was a little, I didn't have any Barbie dolls," said Azusa Sakamoto, a renowned Barbie collector.
"[Now], I don't even know much about other doll brands or anything, but I just love Barbie as a brand. So when I first met her, she was already like a huge American pop-culture icon to me," Sakamoto said. "She always just gave me, like, some positive vibes... just telling me how to have fun being a girl."
GUESTS
Julie Russell, founder and CEO of Fangirl Fantasy, an event-planning company based in Greater Boston
Emily Tamkin, journalist and author of the Smithsonian Magazine article, “A Cultural History of Barbie”
Azusa Sakamoto, a renowned Barbie collector and founder of Azusa Barbie
