it's no surprise that finally, an ... eccentric Barbie doll has been born.
with the development of a new tween generation - you know, the ones that text, play on their iPads and tumblr post non-stop, in addition to incessantly watching those horrible MTV shows like Skins, Teen Mom, Teen Wolf? I don't even know anymore...but kids today are different than those of the '90s and prior. their interests are different, trend-based. and this is where Barbie steps up her game, tattoos and all.
wow. she's more bad ass than me.
Tokidoki always puts out the most vibrant, off-the-wall fashion accessories & toys which make the brand a perfect partnership for Mattel/Barbie, in my opinion. though this doll comes off a bit Jerseylicious meets Courtney Love circa 1990whatever, the fact of the matter is that kids these days aren't dressing a far cry from this. I'm almost positive you can find a similar outfit (minus the glitter platforms) worn by Disney channel actors.
the tattoos and pink hair make this Barbie a product of her time. the fact that children are idolizing Nicki Minaj nowadays (hello, Sophia Grace!) who contributes greatly to our culture shift in style, fashion & music, I don't understand the assaults poor tokidoki Barbie is getting.
ultimately, this is a collector's and limited edition doll, so most of these are probably in the hands of people over the age of 18, who could give 2 shits about her punk style. plus if you're going to name Barbie's cactus-dog pet "Bastardino," even more of a reason to release this as a doll for adults.
due to so much controversy with parents whining about the possibilities of their precious daughters wanting to get tatted up after playing with tokidoki Barbie, Mattel was forced to issue a statement which follows:
“Barbie has been dressed by more than 70 fashion designers over the years. From Versace to Vera Wang, Tarina Tarantino to Christian Louboutin, Barbie has sported an endless array of styles. Many of Barbie’s most pop-culture couture outfits have been designed for the adult doll collector.”
knowing myself years ago as a pre-teen, if I were growing up today no doubt this doll would 100% be on my xmas wish list. but in hindsight, if you're a parent, would you really spend $50 on a collector's edition doll just so your bratty tyke can play with it? (I've had experience with my prized Spice Girls dolls being abused by little cousins...I learned my lesson)
child/teen actors that take rides on the crazy train should be more of a concern to parents rather than a plastic toy doll. I'm no psychologist, but I can bet the actions of real life people that your kids love & watch everyday on tv & film have a greater impact on ruining their future in comparison to a pink-haired Barbie doll.
see more tokidoki Barbie greatness here
