Barbie is commemorating Black History Month by elevating Black designers of the past, present and future.
Black designers represent a mere 7.3% of the fashion industry, so Barbie is partnering with the Black in Fashion Council (BIFC), an organization focused on increasing representation and securing the advancement of Black individuals in the fashion and beauty industry, to elevate three emerging Black female designers: Larissa Muehleder, Founder and Creative Director for luxury fashion brand Muehleder; Nia Thomas, Founder of her own namesake label; and Fumi Egbon of Fumi the Label.
TV personality, podcast host and digital content creator Blake Newby will conduct a series of interviews with these designers so they can share their career journeys and offer advice for other emerging design talent. They also will be highlighted in custom programming developed by Barbie and BIFC at the 2025 ENVSN Festival, a two-day event designed for teens, kids and young designers.
“As a brand that has proudly served as numerous fashion designers’ very first muse, Barbie is honored to continue to empower the next generation of fashion designers in partnership with Black in Fashion Council,” said Krista Berger, SVP of Barbie and Global Head of Dolls at Mattel in a statement. “Through this collaboration, we’re not just celebrating creativity — we’re actively creating pathways for girls to pursue their fashion design dreams.”
Barbie is further elevating Black designers through its @BarbieStyle account. The brand kicked the month off by having Aurora James, Creative Director and Founder of Brother Vellies, design exclusive styles for Barbie dolls. James also was a guest on the Barbie Podcast, where she shared her journey of becoming a trailblazer in the fashion industry.
Campaign Spotlights the Anniversary of the First Black Barbie Doll
Also this year, the Barbie team is celebrating the 45th anniversary of the first Black Barbie doll, designed by Kitty Black Perkins. Kitty Black Perkins worked with Barbie to create a celebratory doll, now available for sale at Mattel Shop.
“My tenure at Mattel has been the reward of a lifetime,” said Kitty Black Perkins, former Chief Designer of Fashion Dolls at Mattel in a statement. “Throughout my 28-year career there, I was steadfast in my dedication to advancing representation within the toy aisle, ensuring every young child had the chance to see themselves in Barbie. We have made significant strides since the first Black Barbie doll in 1980, and I’m proud to say Barbie continues to represent the broadest range of stories, careers and backgrounds of dolls on the market. I was honored to partner with Barbie to design the 45th Anniversary Black Barbie, which continues to serve as a reminder to young girls that they have the power to shape the world around them.”
Fans can celebrate Black History Month with Barbie through the 1980s Black Barbie Collection and Barbie Black History Month apparel lines, which are available via the Barbie Amazon storefront. The collection includes more than a dozen graphic T-shirts featuring iconic Black Barbie images in various sizes and colors.
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