NEW YORK — Mattel has launched a new line of black Barbie dolls with fuller lips, a wider nose and more pronounced cheekbonesa far cry from Christie, Barbie’s black friend who debuted in the 1960s and was essentially a white doll painted brown.
The “So in Style” line, which hit mass retailers last month, features Best Friends Forever Grace, Kara and Trichelle, each with her own style and interests and a little sister she mentors: Courtney, Janessa and Kianna. The dolls reflect varying skin tones — light brown, chocolate and caramel — and Trichelle and Kianna, shown at left, have curlier hair.
Barbie designer Stacey McBride-Irby, who is black and has a 6-year-old daughter, said she wanted to create a line of dolls for young black girls that looked like them and were inspirational and career-minded. For example, Kara is interested in math and music.
But some black women say the dolls with long straight hair are not “black enough” and do not address the beauty issues that many black girls struggle with. For some African-Americans, long, straight hair is often considered more beautiful than short, kinky hair.
The Associated Press
