When the Barbie doll initially debuted in 1959, she wasn’t using pink. Decked out in a chevron swimwear, her color pattern was more paired-down black and white– with pops of color thanks to her cherry-red lipstick and gold hoops, obviously– than in-your-face hot pink. It wasn’t up until years later that the doll’s signature color began to take hold.
” Barbie welcomed the full-on pink with the 1977 Superstar Barbie,” says Kim Culmone, Senior Vice President and Global Head of Design for Barbie and Fashion Dolls at Mattel. “The brand name then further solidified Barbie’s pink persona as Barbie started to be offered in packaging,” she includes.
You can see Barbie in theaters, gown like Barbie in your brightest magenta, and even live like Barbie in a best pink palace if you’re so inclined. We all have Barbie fever this summer, and the only prescription is more pink.
On the style front, pink has been trending for a few seasons. “I offer a great deal of credit to the FW 2022 Valentino show when Pierpaolo Piccioli debuted an all-pink collection on the runway,” says Rickie De Sole, Women’s Fashion Director at Nordstrom. “On the heels of Y2K nostalgia and, of course, Barbiecore, the color has had enduring popularity over the in 2015.”
Valentino Pink, the Y2K revival, and the first viral images of Margot Robbie from Barbie (rollerblading in Santa Monica, no less) completely set the scene for Barbiecore to capture the fashion world’s imagination. By the summer season of 2022, numerous stars had appeared in Piccioli’s genius collection on red carpets, and brand names began to think of how they could cash in on the Barbie movie buzz. Along with TikTok discourse around recovering hyper-femininity, bimbo culture, and “coquette” style, Barbie (in addition to her pink obsession) was ripe for a return.
We were dealt with to Barbie collab after Barbie collab, with shoes, handbags, and clothing debuting in every pink on the world. The Barbie movie’s legendary press trip included a waterfall of viral Barbie-inspired looks from Margot Robbie, including archival pieces used by ’90s supermodels, referrals to some of the doll’s most popular models, and even a Kenning moment or two from Ryan Gosling.
It’s official: We’ve reached peak Barbiecore. As people head to theaters this weekend dressed in their pinkest pinks, it’s tough not to wonder if the trend has almost run its course on the style front.
Undoubtedly, the Barbie pink infatuation will fade, as does every style fixation, and another shade will take its location. Thinking about Margot Robbie recently used a ruby red bodice dress to the Barbie premiere after-party, this forecast feels particularly prescient.
Laurie Pressman, VP at the Pantone Color Institute, concurs that color patterns will inevitably carry on. She’s not so fast to discount the shade’s enduring power. “Barbie holds a special place in our culture. There are generations of females who played with Barbie as a kid, and while today they may be parents or grandparents, it is a color that takes them back to their youth, producing that sensation of comfort we receive from nostalgia,” she describes. “This kind of psychological accessory normally implies the appeal of a color will not vanish quickly, and while it may not be as popular as it is today, it will still remain in the hearts of numerous females as it rings a bell.”
What’s more, the past couple of months are proof that Barbiecore is more than just a color trend. One could argue it’s a whole movement. It’s part of a larger cultural push to accept womanhood– and, therefore, not likely to dissipate whenever quickly.
It’s Barbiecore,” says Culmone. To her, Barbiecore is more about directing the joyful fond memories and daring spirit of Barbie (whether or not your style choices follow suit).
So the answer to the concern is, yes, pink might loosen its grip on the fashion world in the months ahead. The feminine desire to dress up like Barbie is really genuine. Whether pink belongs to your wardrobe come fall, this summer season shows our cumulative fascination with Barbie, hot pink, and Greta Gerwig’s fictional Barbie world will survive on.
