Above, the Barbie Debut doll, a "silkstone" doll designed by Robert Best to accompany the vintage reproduction of the very, very first Barbie doll - if you did your homework, in 1959. The Barbie on the left is "African American". YEA RIGHT. She's Mulloto, hispanic at best. According to Barbiecollector.com, "This is the first time the #1 Ponytail Doll has been reproduced as an African American! ... It felt like one of those moments that was such a good fit and a natural evolution. To pay tribute to the past while pointing out a difference in where we are today." - Robert Best says, in extremely poor english. He goes on, in equally deplorable sentences (if you can call them that) ... DONT PRETEND YOU ARE PROGRESSIVE BARBIE, YOU ARE NOT FOOLING ANYONE.
Compare the Barbie Debut re-interpretation by Robert Best (left) on the left to Mattell's vintage reproduction (center) the original 1959 Barbie doll. "There are certain things you have to keep to be recognisable...being inspired by the black and white bathing suit, a very graphic image that people recognise, but adding sparkle to it, lace trim, and making it in a diffferent fabric. It's these little details like that I think collectors will appreciate." - Robert Best for Barbiecollector.com .
Rachel Roy's Design for the Barbie 50th Anniversary Runway Show at New York Fashion Week
1 comment:
fyi- robert best? no relation. phew
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