Barbie at Bloomingdale's

Barbie seems to be celebrating her birthday all around the globe,and lucky for me in New York as well. Bloomingdale’s on 59th will be helping Barbie celebrate by exhibiting 120 Barbies through the decades in 60 vitrines on the third floor, with some first editions valued between $25,000 and $27,000. From Feb. 11-22, Bloomingdale’s Third Avenue windows will be dressed in Barbie under the theme “My Boyfriend Is Back” and inside the store, a 242-square-foot Barbie boutique will display Barbie T-shirts, accessories, jewelry, DC Super Hero Barbies, a Barbie Book by Assouline, and the dolls, among other merchandise. There will also be an event with live Ken and Barbie models. Similarly, Bloomingdale’s SoHo will have window displays and a Barbie shop. IN addition to the Bloomingdale’s events for the first-ever Barbie runway show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week on Feb. 14, Barbie’s parent, Mattel Inc., has hand picked 50 designers, Diane Von Furstenberg and Anna Sui among them, to create looks inspired by the doll, some of which will be displayed at Bloomingdale’s. In addition, the first-ever Barbie store is set to open in Shanghai on March 6; an eight-story flagship in a former movie theater. The store comes equipped with a spa, a restaurant for the older girls as well. Perhaps the best part however is the strapless wedding gown that Vera Wang has designed for Barbie fro the bargin price of $16,000. For any woman who buys it, Mattel will also create a doll in her likeness in a miniature version of the gown! Interesting considering Barbie has never been married… hmmm.

Juku Couture

Kana

Jun showing off one version of her customizable fashions

Jun in all of her gear

Super fun packaging

Check out JAKKS Pacific’s new line of fashion dolls, JUKU Couture. This doll’s style originated from fashion trends seen in Harajuku, Japan. Four dolls have been released and are available for 19.99 at both Wal-Mart and Toys-R-Us. I’ve posted a link below for your convenience. All four dolls have multiple points of articulation, as well as glass eyes that portray an incredibly realistic look and feel. Each doll comes with a multi-layered outfit that can be mixed & matched to create 10 different looks. Right now my favorite is Jun. As I'm sure you can tell by the number of images I posted of her above! She is from Seoul, South Korea. Super girly, and loves any pink and lacey.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10242574

Barbie and Ruth: The Story of the World's Most Famous Doll and the Woman Who Created Her

It looks like Barbie and Ruth have their own book just in time for Barbie's 50th Birthday.

http://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780061341311/Barbie_and_Ruth/index.aspx

BOOK DESCRIPTION:


The tragic and redeeming story of how one visionary woman built the biggest toy company in the world and created a global icon.


Barbie and Ruth is the entwined story of two exceptional women. There's Barbie: the diminutive yet arrestingly voluptuous doll unveiled at the 1959 Toy Fair who became the treasure of 90 percent of American girls and their counterparts in 150 countries. She went on to compete as an Olympic athlete, serve as an air force pilot, work as a boutique owner, run as a presidential candidate, and ignite a cultural firestorm.


And then there's Ruth Handler, Barbie's creator: the tenth child of Polish Jewish immigrants, a passionately competitive and creative business pioneer, and a mother and wife who wanted it all. After a business scandal that forced Ruth out of Mattel, the company she founded, she drew on her experience as a breast cancer survivor to start a business that changed women's lives. She was ultimately honored as a pioneer, humanitarian, and masterful entrepreneur.


Based on original research, extensive interviews, and previously unavailable material, Barbie and Ruth tells the fascinating story of how two women forever changed American business and culture.