The iconic Barbie doll has received a Desi makeover, marking a significant cultural collaboration that celebrates the Hindu festival of Diwali.
Mattel has launched its first-ever Diwali Barbie doll in partnership with esteemed Indian couturier Anita Dongre, to the delight of fans in South Africa and around the world.
The doll has just been launched, and is available at Toys R US. It will be available at Toys R Us in South Africa by the end of the month.
The Barbie Diwali doll is dressed in a Moonlight Bloom set with a traditional choli top, floral Koti vest and lehenga skirt adorned with dahlias, jasmine and Indian lotus— elements that Mattel describes as symbols of strength and beauty.
The back of the box, provides a description of the attire, the celebration of Diwali and the collaboration with Dongre.
Speaking to the Sunday Tribune, Dongre said when Mattel approached her to design the Barbie for Diwali, "it was truly very exciting".
"It has been an incredibly special project for us to represent Indian fashion on a fashion icon like Barbie," she said.
She said in her design for Barbie she wanted to showcase the fashion-forward modern Indian woman of today.
"The design is a skirt set, a contemporary take on the traditional lehenga, paired with a Rajasthan-inspired koti jacket and chandbali earrings. It was my first time designing for a doll, so it was a fun process with a lot of learning to design at such a small scale.
Dongre said Barbie wasn't available in India when she was growing up, but she always looked to her as a confident, empowered, fashion icon.
"It's the first Diwali designer Barbie doll. I hope it inspires kids around the world to embrace their culture and wear India with pride," said Dongre.
Barbie South Africa said they were thrilled to partner with Dongre, an esteemed Indian couturier who has built a global fashion empire, with a mission to empower rural women artisans and sustain the exquisite craftsmanship of the country.
"Her work, including this look for Barbie, beautifully blends modern aesthetics with traditional craftsmanship. Through her renowned fashion label, Dongre serves as an advocate for female empowerment and representation. Her brand has spearheaded initiatives for training tribal women in garment-making and partnered with government agencies and NGOs to provide steady employment opportunities to skilled rural artisan women," said Barbie SA in a statement.
They said they worked with Dongre to design a doll that was an accurate reflection of traditional fashion worn during Diwali.
"This marks the first time in both India and internationally that Barbie has collaborated with a renowned Indian designer to honour a culturally significant festival like Diwali. Through this launch, Barbie continues to serve as a global icon that reflects every young girl," said Barbie SA.
Barbie remains committed to showcasing a multi-dimensional view of beauty and fashion and promoting celebrations of heritage and honouring India’s cultural richness, Barbie SA stated.
Catherine Jacoby, Toys R Us marketing manager said they have received many requests for the doll.
"We are stocking the doll and it will be available for pre-order next week online only at (www.toysrus.co.za).
We're expected to receive stock by the end of the month and our top performing collector stores will be stocking the item, however the stock arrival date in store is still to be confirmed," said Jacoby.
A limited number of these signature dolls are available at retailers nationwide from this month. The recommended selling price of the doll is R1169.99.
