This initiative, known as the ‘Barbie Through The Decades’ collection, honors Barbie’s illustrious history in fashion and beauty, bringing together the creative talents of Hilary MacMillan, Ai, Paris Jewellers Canada, Cheekbone Beauty, and Sol Kyst.
The collaboration has resulted in eight distinct looks that represent different eras in Barbie’s six-decade history. These looks include more than 100 products ranging from ready-to-wear fashion, accessories, jewelry, eyewear, to makeup, designed to complete each Barbie doll’s signature style across the decades.
Jennifer Gileno, head of licensing and retail development at Mattel Canada, expressed the significance of this collaboration, stating, “We are celebrating the Barbie brand’s 65-year-long legacy as the brand continues to remain both a fashion icon and a symbol of empowerment, showing fans that you can be anything.” She added, “Today, this collection serves as a reminder of the impact we can make when we come together, as we celebrate an industry first and continue to break barriers within the fashion and beauty industries.”
The collection was inspired by six iconic Barbie dolls from different decades, including the original 1959 Barbie, 1960s Twist ‘N Turn Barbie, 1970s Superstar Barbie, 1980s Black Barbie, 1980s Totally Crystal Barbie, and 1990s Totally Hair Barbie. Each decade has been reimagined by the collaborating brands, combining nostalgic elements with modern fashion and beauty.
For instance, the 1950s look, designed by Hilary MacMillan, pays homage to the original black and white chevron pattern of 1959 with a contemporary twist—a long piped black blazer paired with striped trousers. The look is completed with white cat-eye sunglasses from Sol Kyst and a black onyx and white topaz jewelry collection from Paris Jewellers Canada.
The 1960s collection, inspired by the Twist ‘N Turn Barbie, captures the bold spirit of the Mod era with vibrant pink and fluorescent orange hues. The ensemble features a Hilary MacMillan belted A-line dress, statement sunglasses from Sol Kyst, colorful retro bangles from Paris Jewellers Canada, and a mini pink bookbag from Ai.
Commenting on the collaboration, Hilary MacMillan, founder and designer of Hilary MacMillan, emphasized the power of female collaboration, stating, “When women support women, we all succeed. I’m so proud to be part of a strong group of women founders who continuously inspire me, and coming together to bring our strengths to the creative table to create these looks in partnership with Barbie has been such a rewarding experience.”
Chau Liu, co-owner of Paris Jewellers Canada, echoed this sentiment, saying, “As an immigrant, family-owned company with a 90 percent female workforce, we are honored to be a part of this once-in-a-lifetime collaboration with the iconic Barbie doll and other incredible women-owned brands that we truly admire. Barbie inspires us to dream big and to reach for the stars – this jewelry collection was created to capture that magic and the iconic fashion of Barbie through the decades.”
The ‘Barbie Through The Decades’ collection is now available on the websites of each participating brand. The integrated web interfaces allow consumers to seamlessly shop across all the brands, making it easy to explore and purchase the unique pieces that celebrate Barbie’s timeless influence on fashion and beauty.