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Barbie has elevated its bond to Day of the Dead from a source of inspiration to a staple of their catalog that fans look forward to every year. For Día de Muertos 2022, the company has released three limited-edition dolls, a first for Mattel. The dolls draw from the bright colors of this celebration, as well as traditional Mexican garments, to evoke the magic of this centuries-old commemoration of those who have passed.
One of the Day of the Dead Barbie dolls was created in collaboration with Mexican fashion designer Benito Santos. Clad with a black outfit embroidered with red and white details, as well as a mermaid hem, Santos' Barbie outfit is a wink to female Mariachi singers and the getup worn in charrería, an equestrian sport practiced in Mexico.
When asked about the meaning of designing a Barbie, Santos emotionally told Mexican newspaper Milenio that as a 45-year-old man who only dreamed of playing with dolls as a little boy, today he can heal that through having the dream of dressing what he calls “the most important doll in the world” come true—and doing so with an outfit that represents Mexico.
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One of the most important aspects of the Día de Muertos Barbie dolls is that Mexican and Mexican-American creatives are part of the process behind each design. The other two dolls were overseen by Barbie designer Javier Meabe, who has worked on previous iterations of the Day of the Dead Barbie.
“Every year when I sit down to design the new Día De Muertos dolls, there’s a flood of emotions; I’m honored and excited to represent this holiday that is so close to my own heart. I understand how important this holiday is and am grateful for the opportunity to continue celebrating these traditions with Barbie respectfully,” Meabe told Hola! Magazine. “I love celebrating the Día de Muertos traditions with my loved ones each year and honoring my family and friends that are no longer with us.”
The other two dolls are Barbie and Ken dolls. The former wears a purple ruffled dress with a colorful patterned skirt, a bone belt, and a magnificent headband with roses and cempasúchil flowers, usually found in ofrendas and tombs this time of year. The latter sports a bright blue shirt under a vest with golden details and embroidered skulls, flowers, roses, and bones.
While Santos' doll has currently sold out, the other two are still available on Mattel's online store.
For Día de Muertos 2022, Mattel has released three limited-edition Barbie dolls, a first for Mattel.
One of the Day of the Dead Barbie dolls was created in collaboration with Mexican fashion designer Benito Santos.
The other two dolls were overseen by Mexican-American Barbie designer Javier Meabe, who has worked on previous iterations of the Day of the Dead Barbie.
Barbie: Website|Instagram
h/t: [NPR]
All images via Mattel.
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