BARBIE’S WORLD: A COSTUME DESIGNER’S DREAM COME TRUE

Barbie film’s predominant trailer. (Video Courtesy of YouTube·Warner Bros. Footage)

Should you requested a few of at the moment’s trend designers what impressed them to pursue a profession in trend, odds are that they might inform you it was their Barbie doll. UoF’s founder, Francesca Sterlacci, is certainly one in all them. Many younger women (and boys) typically began out taking part in with child dolls (or, when you grew up within the Fifties a Patty Play Pal), however as soon as they received a have a look at Barbie, together with her 11.5 inch human determine, 39″ bust, nipped-in waist, waterfall blonde ponytail, zebra-print swimsuit and kitten heels (recognized to collectors as “Ponytail Quantity One”)…they by no means went again! Launched by Mattel in 1959, Barbie took the world by storm with gross sales of 300,000 dolls in its first yr of manufacturing. Based on Mattel, there are in extra of 100,000 collectors of Barbie dolls worldwide at the moment, with Düsseldorf collector, Bettina Dorfman (age 61) the Guinness Guide of Data record-holder for her 18,500-strong Barbie assortment that’s at present price $307,500.

Because the extremely anticipated Barbie film hits the large display screen on July 21, 2023, it is not possible to not mirror again on the doll that captured the creativeness of so many. To study extra about Barbie’s evolution, representing 150 careers and greater than 40 nationalities within the 64 years of her existence, learn our weblog put up from July 2022 entitled, Barbiecore & Why Barbie is Not Simply Some Dumb Blonde.

As we speak, over 90 p.c of American women between the ages of three and 12 have owned a Barbie doll. And although, all through the years, Barbie has assumed many professions, from physician and archeologist, to rock star and pc engineer, for a lot of she stays a stereotype. It due to this fact took unimaginable guts and imaginative and prescient for Margot Robbie to simply accept the enduring position of Barbie and for Greta Gerwig to direct it, particularly within the #MeToo period. Thier determination carried a profound significance, as Robbie’s portrayal breaks stereotypes and challenges conventional gender norms.

The plot hinges on Margot Robbie Barbie (apparently there are different characters additionally named Barbie and Ken), being expelled from Barbie Land for being a less-than-perfect-looking doll. She in some way snaps out of her dollhouse mentality, immediately will get flat toes and begins interested by dying. She then embarks on a journey to the human world “to seek out true happiness” the place she meets a spread of in a different way abled and raced Barbies alongside the best way, thereby conveying an empowering message.

Barbie’s trend decisions play a pivotal position in showcasing variety and inclusivity by way of the work of a really proficient costume designer (Jacqueline Durran) and her selective community of trend business designers that embrace, Stella McCartney, Christian Siriano and Iris van Herpen. Let’s dive into the fashion-forward world of Barbie and discover how these unimaginable designers introduced Barbie’s glamorous massive display screen appears to be like to life.

JACQUELINE DURRAN CREATES FASHION MAGIC

Margot Robbie as Barbie within the new Barbie movie. (Picture Credit score: Warner Bros. Footage)

Margot Robbie as Barbie within the new Barbie movie. (Picture Credit score: Warner Bros. Footage)

Barbie has all the time been famend for her impeccable trend sense, setting traits and galvanizing thousands and thousands of followers worldwide. Within the film, Barbie’s wardrobe undergoes a exceptional evolution, reflecting the varied and ever-changing world we stay in. The style decisions introduced on-screen have fun physique positivity, inclusivity and the significance of self-expression. Summer season 2022, when the film was being filmed, turned the summer season of barbiecore, as each superstar, It-Woman, and social-media darling wearing head-to-toe pink in anticipation of the Barbie film. The pattern continued into 2023.

Enjoyable Reality: Barbie’s residence was impressed by the midcentury modernism designs present in Palm Springs, California and the enduring Barbie Dreamhouses. And, that the making of Barbie Land triggered a global scarcity of pink paint?

Barbie’s disco look. (Picture Credit score: Warner Bros. Footage)

Earlier than delving into the collaborative efforts, you will need to acknowledge Jacqueline Durran’s unimaginable expertise as a fancy dress designer. With a portfolio that features award-winning work in movies likeAnna Karenina” and “Little Ladies,” Durran has established herself as a visionary within the business. Her eager eye for element, historic accuracy, and her potential to craft characters by way of costume, make her a sought-after collaborator for administrators and trend homes alike.

Talking of costume designers, we might prefer to take this chance to present a shout-out to costume designer Ruth E. Carter and the launch of her new guide “The Artwork of Ruth E. Carter: Costuming Black Historical past and the Afrofuture, from Do the Proper Factor to Black Panther.” Carter is the primary Black girl to win an Oscar for costume design, the primary Black girl to win two Oscars in any class and the second costume designer to get a star on the Hollywood Stroll of Fame. It is time for Hollywood and the style business to concentrate to pay inequity, particularly between costume designers and their friends; manufacturing designers and trend designers.

COLLABORATING WITH FASHION DESIGNERS

For the 2023 Barbie film, Jacqueline Durran determined to collaborate with trend business designers, recognizing the importance of Barbie as a mode icon. Collectively, they created a seamless fusion of excessive trend and cinematic storytelling. Listed here are a couple of designers who introduced Barbie’s appears to be like to life.

Famend for her dedication to sustainable trend, Stella McCartney joined forces with Jacqueline Durran to convey eco-conscious design to the Barbie film. McCartney’s signature magnificence and moral sensibilities completely complement Barbie’s message of empowerment and environmental accountability. Anticipate to see gorgeous ensembles crafted from progressive sustainable materials and adorned with McCartney’s distinctive contact.

Recognized for his daring and inclusive designs, Christian Siriano’s collaboration with Jacqueline Durran injects a vibrant and numerous vitality into the Barbie film. Siriano’s mastery of draping, impeccable craftsmanship, and his celebration of various physique varieties make him an excellent companion for dressing Barbie and her associates. Anticipate a spread of show-stopping couture robes and fierce but playful ensembles that showcase Siriano’s distinctive aptitude.

Pushing the boundaries of trend and know-how, Iris van Herpen brings her avant-garde sensibilities to the Barbie film in collaboration with Jacqueline Durran. Van Herpen’s mesmerizing designs, typically impressed by nature and science, add a contact of otherworldly magic to the movie. Anticipate breathtakingly intricate and ethereal costumes, mixing conventional craftsmanship with cutting-edge methods, similar to 3D printing and laser chopping.

The collaborative efforts between Jacqueline Durran and her chosen group of famend trend designers guarantees a trend spectacle like no different. By means of their distinctive artistic imaginative and prescient, Stella McCartney, Christian Siriano, and Iris van Herpen contribute their artistry and distinct design views to Barbie’s world. As audiences await the discharge of the Barbie film, they’ll look ahead to a stunning show of trend magic born from the synergy between Jacqueline Durran and these esteemed designers.

So, inform us, how excited are you to see the Barbie Film?