TORONTO— Fans looking for a Barbie from the past are in luck this month, as Mattel’s Totally Hair Barbie doll celebrates its 30th anniversary with the launch Wednesday of a ’90s-flavored fashion and accessories collection created by the Canadian brand. of Cakeworthy unisex streetwear.
Debuting in 1992 and recognized as the best-selling Barbie doll of all time, the original doll was marketed as the longest-haired Barbie and came with an accompanying styling gel. Thanks to that unique packaging, 10 million Totally Hair Barbie dolls were sold within three years of the product’s launch in stores.
Sarah Russo/Courtesy of Cakeworthy
The Cakeworthy-designed 15-piece offering includes a custom denim jacket featuring Barbie Totally Hair, as well as a Barbie bag inspired by iconic Barbie packaging from that era.
Cakeworthy’s own staples in the collection, including the AOP T-shirt, jean jacket and flannels, were also created using various shades of pink, purple and neon that were signatures of the Barbie Totally Hair color palette.
“The Barbie x Cakeworthy collaboration has been in the works for almost a year, but it has been a dream collaboration for us from the beginning,” said Cakeworthy CEO Brandon Shedden, who started his Hamilton, Ontario-based company. in 2014 selling screens. Printed T-shirts on Etsy. Since then, the designer has collaborated with some of the world’s leading licensors to create bold and colorful special edition collections inspired by the pop culture of the past.
Sarah Russo/Courtesy of Cakeworthy
That reputation resonated with Barbie VIPs, according to Jennifer Gileno, director of licensing for Mattel Canada.
“Our goal was to capture a fun, playful, nostalgic period that was all about big hair and big dreams,” Gileno told WWD. “Barbie has always been a reflection of the times and has set fashion trends. Cakeworthy’s overall passion and love for Barbie, and her ability to translate this into a collection of clothing and accessories, takes fans back to the ’90s in the funniest way possible.”
This company also produced the first “unisex” Barbie collection for the Canadian market, according to Gileno.
“We are very proud to be able to partner and offer all Barbie fans, no matter how they identify, a way to express themselves through fashion,” said Gileno, who hints that there will be more Barbie projects in the future.
However, for now, fans can purchase this collection for between $6.95 and $109.95 on Cakeworthy’s e-commerce site, cakeworthy.com. Prices on the website are in US dollars.
The collection is also available at Cakeworthy’s flagship store in Hamilton, Ontario.
Beyond inclusion, however, an equally compelling factor according to Shedden is offering consumers a welcome chance to reminisce about their youth.
“Fashion has a different way of bringing back memories and allowing us to express ourselves in different ways,” said Shedden. “Nostalgia just makes you feel good, and feeling good about what you wear is the ultimate goal, isn’t it?”