Barbie kicked off her heels in a big, big way last week.
On January 28th, Mattel unveiled three new body shapes — curvy, tall, and petite — for the world's best-selling doll. The blonde, blue-eyed Barbie's head-to-toe overhaul answers fans' call for a doll that looks like them and supports more positive body images.
It also marks the most significant change to the company's product line in its 57-year history — a Hail Mary pass at regaining Barbie's status as an empowered role model for girls.
Mattel has made incremental changes over the last few years to reboot Barbie. In 2015, the company launched a more ethnically diverse line of dolls, featuring new skin tones, facial structures, hair styles, and eye colors. Plus, Barbie's new articulated ankles allowed her to rock a pair of flats just as well as heels for the first time.
Barbie's new body doubles down on Mattel's efforts.
To see how Mattel the company has changed in recent years, check out these photos of the life-sized Barbie Dreamhouse, a 2013 exhibition staged in Berlin.
The 25,000-square-foot dollhouse invited the public to try on Barbie's clothes in her walk-in closet, play her pink piano, and bake virtual cupcakes in a massive kitchen.
A large, pink stiletto heel, which doubled as a fountain, towered over guests outside the house. Critics have long pointed to Barbie's shoes as a symbol of the unrealistic expectations she sets. If Barbie were a real human, her itty-bitty feet would wear size three shoes.
Fortunately, Mattel's new line of dolls includes two shoe sizes— one for the tall and curvy dolls, another for the original and petite.
Inside, the entire house was decorated in bright pink and purple hues.
It's too early to call if Barbie's colorful new dolls will help shake up the "pink aisle" (the section of the toy store that draws girls in with glitter, sparkles, and, of course, the color pink). Mattel's website shows 33 new dolls in total; we counted 25 wearing pink in their dresses or accessories.
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Though Barbie has been everything from an astronaut to president, the rooms in the Dreamhouse hammered home the message that Barbie is, first and foremost, a traditional homemaker. A pink kitchen with counters of varying heights allowed girls to bake virtual cupcakes, and the walk-in closet provided a space to try on Barbie's clothes.
But Mattel has turned that idea on its head. Along with the new dolls, the company announced it will sell a president and (its first) vice president Barbie. They hit shelves summer 2016.
Topping off the brand's message of empowerment, the social media hashtag for the unveiling was #YouCanBeAnything.
Of course, where would Barbie be without her in-house salon? Apparently, a pink dolphin swam in the toilet. Seriously.
Mattel's new dolls wear less makeup, addressing a shift in the beauty industry that suggests "less is more." A clean face helps make Barbie look younger, and thus, more like her owner.
Hidden among the pet shop, winter sled ride, and bedroom — complete with a four-poster bed — was a library where girls could play on computer terminals. We're not sure what software was available.
This summer, Mattel takes its push for STEM careers one step further with the launch of a game developer doll. Dressed in a green cargo jacket and jeans, she comes with a laptop and headphones.
These were the Barbies for sale at the end of the tour.
Barbie still has a ways to go.
Some critics took to Twitter last week to complain that Mattel's "curvy" dolls were still too thin. Others worry gifting one of the dolls to their daughters will be perceived as a comment on the child's weight.
Still, Barbie — donning a new pair of sandals — is taking a step in the right direction.
Additional reporting by Pamela Engel.
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