Barbie Taps Anita Dongre as Its First Indian Designer for Diwali Doll
To mark the celebration of this year’s Diwali, Barbie has teamed up for the first time with globally recognized Indian designer Anita Dongre to create a Diwali doll. Diwali is one of India’s most recognized celebrations, also known as the Festival of Lights — commemorating the triumph of good over evil, light over darkness and marking new beginnings.
Anita Dongre is one of the major fashion powerhouses to come out of India; the brand describes itself as being “Fashion for Good. Rooted In Rajasthan.” The Diwali Barbie doll was designed by Dongre and pays homage to the brand’s merging of traditional Indian craftsmanship with modern aesthetics. Rajasthan, Dongre’s “eternal muse,” is particularly known for its colorful and bright looks in contrast to the dry and arid desert where its people reside.
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The Diwali doll wears a Moonlight bloom set with a choli top, flower-adorned Koti vest and lehenga skirt embellished with dahlias, jasmine and lotus flowers — symbolizing strength and beauty. The Barbie also dons traditional Indian accessories of golden bangles, glittering earrings and a bindi. The packaging of the doll also features symbols from the garments on the box to imbue the Diwali spirit.
During the “fun process” of deciding on the doll’s look, Dongre told WWD that she had many outfits and silhouettes in mind. But finally, she selected a modern interpretation of a traditional lehenga, with a Rajasthani koti jacket.
Dongre said that when she was first approached by Mattel, she jumped on the opportunity to collaborate on the Barbie Diwali doll to “showcase Indian fashion on a global fashion icon” and “create a beautiful representation of contemporary Indian women while highlighting Diwali.”
Moreover, Dongre said that she’s “always looked upon Barbie as a fashion icon, she was always fearless, ambitious and aspirational to me.” She went on to express that “designing a Barbie, a brand known for empowerment, is an incredible moment” especially given the brands’ shared vision of “championing women to celebrate their individuality.” She said that the collaboration is in perfect alignment with the two brands’ values and “inspiring young girls everywhere to embrace their heritage with pride.”
Mattel said the partnership with Dongre on the Diwali doll is a continued commitment by the company to celebrate different heritages. Moreover, Mattel chose Dongre to highlight her role as an advocate for women’s empowerment and representation — Dongre’s brand has created initiatives to train tribal women in garment-making and has partnered with various government agencies and NGOs to create steady employment opportunities for skilled rural artisans.
“We chose to partner with Anita Dongre as her label transcends fashion standing as a powerful force for women empowerment and representation, sharing the Barbie brand ethos,” said Krista Berger, senior vice president of Barbie and global head of dolls at Mattel. “Anita serves as an advocate for inclusivity and much like Barbie, her brand inspires women to chase their dreams, unapologetically embracing who they are.”
Berger went on to note that Mattel chose to spotlight Diwali to promote the mission of “a multidimensional view of beauty and fashion” through celebrations of heritage. And as Diwali is one of the most celebrated Indian holidays, the company saw the perfect opportunity to “highlight India’s cultural richness with a worldwide audience.”
The Anita Dongre Barbie Diwali doll is available for purchase for $40 at major retailers of Target, Amazon, Walmart and Mattel.
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