‘Barbie’ movie boosts sales of toy classic Heat wave hits Malta – almost 43 degrees and power outage

At the start of the “Barbie” movie in Germany, retailers saw an increasing demand for the classic toy.

“The Barbie hype is driving retail demand”, said the director of the Federal Association of Toy Shops (BVS), Steffen Kahnt, the editorial network Germany (RND, Tuesday editions).

The American toy giant Mattel has “repeatedly hit the nerves of the times with diversity” in recent years. Thanks to the film, the classic now gets “a new wind at its back”.

Barbie dolls have historically been accused of promoting stereotypes about women and giving girls false ideals of beauty. The doll with long legs and oversized breasts, designed in 1959, has long been a thorn in the side of critics.

However, Mattel has been trying for years to get rid of this image and use the dolls to represent human diversity. According to the company, there are now 175 different Barbie dolls — the “most inclusive” range of dolls on the market, according to Mattel.

The demand for the Barbie look is also noticeable at the Swedish fashion chain H&M. “We see a lot of interest in the pink and Barbiecore trend,” a spokeswoman told RND. All shades of the color pink are an indispensable part of the summer look 2023.

The film by American director Greta Gerwig is seen as the blockbuster of the summer of 2023. In the film, Barbie and Ken, played by superstars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, leave the pink plastic world of Barbieland and get acquainted with real life in Los Angeles. (saw/sda/afp)