Mattel has introduced that Barbie is partnering with the Black in Style Council (BIFC), an organisation aiming to extend illustration and safe the development of Black people within the vogue and sweetness trade, to focus on and have fun three rising Black feminine designers who’ve damaged obstacles for girls in vogue.
Barbie and BIFC have engaged Blake Newby, digital content material creator, TV persona, and podcast host, to create a collection of interviews with the designers, sharing their profession journeys and recommendation for the following technology excited by pursuing design.
Barbie has partnered with the Black in Style Council (BIFC) to have fun and assist rising Black feminine designers.
By means of interviews, workshops, and the ENVSN competition, they intention to interrupt obstacles and encourage younger Black women to pursue vogue design.
Barbie can be commemorating the forty fifth anniversary of the primary Black Barbie doll, designed by Kitty Black Perkins.
Barbie can be celebrating Black Historical past month and a number of generations of Black feminine designers, previous, current, and future – from the designer behind the first-ever Black Barbie doll to rising designers making a reputation for themselves, to younger women contemplating a future profession in vogue design.
Figuring out that Black designers make up solely 7.3 per cent of the style trade, regardless of the neighborhood’s vital affect on vogue, Barbie is dedicated to encouraging extra younger Black women to think about a profession in vogue design via partnerships that assist break down obstacles, unlock alternative, and encourage the following technology.
By means of these conversations, every designer recognized a barrier to entry to changing into a clothier. To assist handle these obstacles for the following technology, Barbie and BIFC are creating customized programming geared towards children, teenagers, and younger designers on the 2025 ENVSN competition. The ENVSN competition brings collectively hundreds of attendees annually aged 12-27 for a two-day occasion with inspiring panels that includes trade trailblazers, hands-on workshops, and interactive experiences, Barbie stated in a press launch.
“As a brand that has proudly served as numerous fashion designers’ very first muse, Barbie is honored to continue to empower the next generation of fashion designers in partnership with Black in Fashion Council,” stated Krista Berger, senior vp of Barbie and international head of Dolls, Mattel. “Through this collaboration, we’re not just celebrating creativity– we’re actively creating pathways for girls to pursue their fashion design dreams.”
“The Black in Fashion Council is proud to team up with Barbie in support of their mission to inspire limitless possibilities for girls. We founded BIFC with a vision of an equal workforce across the fashion and beauty industry – knowing there are countless obstacles designers face during their careers – especially at the start,” stated Sandrine Charles, co-founder, BIFC. “By using the Barbie brand’s global platform to celebrate Nia Thomas, Fumi Egbon, and Larissa Muehleder’s stories, while also providing resources to overcome the direct barriers they encountered, we hope to empower aspiring young designers and lessen those potential barriers for the next generation.”
“It has been so rewarding to witness our organization, Black in Fashion Council, drive long-lasting change in the fashion industry. Now we can add Barbie to our list of partners who share our commitment to breaking down barriers and creating more opportunities for future generations of black designers,” stated Lindsay Peoples, co-founder, BIFC. “Having exposure to role models and resources is extremely important to help hone young talent. We’re thrilled to partner with Barbie to celebrate the incredible careers of Nia Thomas, Fumi Egbon, and Larissa Muehleder – amplifying the barriers they faced through curated workshops at ENVSN to provide opportunities for kids and adults alike to feel inspired and empowered to pursue their own dreams in fashion.”
In 2025, Barbie can be celebrating the forty fifth anniversary of the primary Black Barbie doll, designed by trailblazer Kitty Black Perkins. Earlier than the long-lasting Black Barbie debuted in 1980, characters like Christie paved the way in which for variety within the Barbie line. To commemorate the anniversary, Kitty Black Perkins labored with Barbie to create a celebratory doll.
“My tenure at Mattel has been the reward of a lifetime,” stated Kitty Black Perkins, former chief designer of Style Dolls, Mattel. “Throughout my 28-year career there, I was steadfast in my dedication to advancing representation within the toy aisle, ensuring every young child had the chance to see themselves in Barbie. We have made significant strides since the first Black Barbie doll in 1980, and I’m proud to say Barbie continues to represent the broadest range of stories, careers, and backgrounds of dolls on the market. I was honored to partner with Barbie to design the 45th anniversary Black Barbie, which continues to serve as a reminder to young girls that they have the power to shape the world around them.”
