Mattel, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAT) announced today the addition of a Black Barbie doll with Down syndrome to its lineup, allowing even more children to find dolls that represent them and inspire storytelling through play. This initiative of diversity and inclusion is celebrated by Down Syndrome South Africa, which is committed to empowering individuals with Down syndrome and enhancing their quality of life.
“We recognize that Barbie is much more than just a doll; she represents self-expression and can create a sense of belonging,” said Krista Berger, Senior Vice President of Barbie and Global Head of Dolls. “We proudly introduce a Black doll with Down syndrome to our Barbie Fashionistas line, reinforcing our commitment to creating products that represent global belonging and inclusivity in the doll aisle.”
Elaine Passmoor, National Executive Director at Down Syndrome South Africa, expressed excitement about the launch, stating, “As an organization working with individuals with Down syndrome and their families, DSSA is thrilled to see the introduction of a second Barbie doll with Down syndrome. The Barbie Fashionista range continues to promote inclusivity and representation for individuals with disabilities. This new Black Barbie doll is empowering and marks a significant step toward a more inclusive world where everyone's uniqueness is celebrated.”
In 2023, Barbie introduced the first-ever Barbie doll with Down syndrome, which won the Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative of the Year award from the Toy Association. This year, Barbie partnered again with the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) to introduce the new doll to the Barbie Fashionistas 2024 lineup. Throughout the design process, Barbie and NDSS collaborated closely to ensure that the Black Barbie doll with Down syndrome accurately reflected and resonated with members of the Down syndrome community. NDSS facilitated focus groups that included Black individuals with Down syndrome, including a young Black woman, to review the doll's sculpt, hair, fashion, and glasses.
Key Features of the Doll:
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Sculpt: Barbie collaborated with NDSS to accurately represent physical characteristics of individuals with Down syndrome, such as a shorter frame, longer torso, and low muscle tone. The doll's palms feature a single line, often associated with those who have Down syndrome. The face sculpt includes a rounder shape, smaller ears, and a flat nasal bridge, with slightly slanted almond-shaped eyes that display white dots in the iris.
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Hair: The doll features a braided hair texture, a key request from the Black Down syndrome community.
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Fashion: The outfit incorporates symbols representing Down syndrome awareness, using a blue and yellow color palette. The dress features three arrows in some hearts, symbolizing the third 21st chromosome that individuals with Down syndrome have.
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Glasses: The doll wears pink eyeglasses, representing individuals with Down syndrome who often experience vision difficulties.
“NDSS is thrilled to introduce a second Barbie doll with Down syndrome,” said Kandi Pickard, President and CEO of NDSS. “The launch of this doll alongside the new Barbie doll with Blindness marks another important step in expanding representation for the disability community. We are proud to partner with Barbie as they strive to reflect our diverse and beautiful world.”
Doll play has been shown to help develop empathy and social skills among children, equipping them with the social abilities they need to excel in the future as they imagine they can be anything. As part of Barbie’s most diverse doll line, the Fashionistas series now includes over 175+ looks in various skin tones, eye colors, hair colors and textures, body types, disabilities, and fashions. This range includes dolls with vitiligo, those using wheelchairs or prosthetic limbs, a doll with hearing aids, and a doll without hair. The 2024 Fashionistas aim to advance Barbie’s ongoing goal of reflecting a multi-dimensional view of beauty and fashion, allowing more children to see their world represented through play.
To celebrate this launch, Barbie is collaborating with the accessible fashion brand Aille Design on a Barbie-inspired collection featuring pieces with braille beadwork. The collection includes Barbie’s classic black and white herringbone pattern on a slip dress, a black neck scarf, and a t-shirt in iconic Barbie pink, each featuring Aille’s signature design footprint and braille text made with Swarovski crystal pearls.
