Barbie reads Torah

Tefillin Barbie

One of our testers just made me aware of Tefillin Barbie.  This was not one of the official new Barbie professions, but I love the concept.  She is pricey: with tallit, tefillin and gemara she is $130…the Torah scrolls are an additional $40.

Barbie Video Girl: Barbie is the Video Camera

Barbie Video Girl

When they first brought us around the corner at the Mattel showroom to look at Barbie Video Camera, I looked around thinking perhaps we were being punked.  No, it’s real.  Barbie is a Video Camera.

Barbie’s video camera is in her chest.  Maybe this was inspired by Ironman?

Barbie Video Camera: Camera in her Chest

Now you don’t have to be a teenage boy to see the humor of this placement. While we had just been taken through all of Barbie’s careers-it seemed to be balanced by the location of this camera. While we tell men to look at a woman’s eyes, not her chest…here you really do want to look at the chest to get the best video.

Barbie has a LCD screen in her back and will plug into both PCs and MACs. I do think watching the world from Barbie’s point of view could be fun and kids will probably enjoy the $50 video camera interacting with their other dolls. I just wish I could have been a fly on the wall when they came up with this one and the Glitterizer.  It does almost seem as if it’s an episode of Seinfeld…where one of them would suggest an outrageous idea – and some unsuspecting executive would say “yes!!”

Strong Multi-Cultural Choices at Barbie

Barbie Basic

Happily there are more multi-cultural choices in the world of Barbie. I have a sense that the Barbie Basic line is more for adult collectors (all shown in a little black dress) than for kids…but there are a whole range of dolls available in this line. The dolls were part of a fun ebay auction when real designers came up with their own version’s of LBD for Barbie.

Here’s another grouping…

One of favorite collections from last year, So In Style Barbie,  is also continuing. Created by Mattel designer, Stacey McBride, these dolls celebrate our diversity by featuring dolls of color. You can see Ms. McBride talk about the series on this video. I love that she also made mentoring part of the line. The first sets all included a big doll and a little doll (big sister/little sister).  Bravo to Ms. McBride!  Below, some of this year’s new collection. I’ve been trying to interview Ms. McBride about the collection–I hope we get a chance to talk soon.

New So in Style Dolls from Mattel

Barbie Glitterizer…really.

Barbie Glitterizer

Now before we get carried away with all of Barbie’s professional aspirations, you have to take a look at this toy, it’s called the Barbie Glitterizer.  You place decals on your Barbie…they have a sticky surface that attracts the glitter. Place your Barbie in the chamber and glitterize.  Don’t you wonder what the aha moment was for this product…did someone dream of Barbie in a phone booth, she had just come from the craft store, there was an opened bag of glitter…there was a gust of wind.

In any case, this is one of the funniest Barbie activity kits ever. Watch the video.

Don’t forget Ken

I know Ken has his own distinct followers…so not to worry, there is a new Cool Ken this season.

Cool Ken

Barbie and Nicole Kidman

All 126 of Barbie Professions!

I really love that the big push for Barbie this year has been her professions over the years. Yes, I think they could have used the word pediatrician instead of kid doctor and veterinarian instead of pet doctor…but in general we’ve always been big fans of Barbie when she’s not just stylish but using her brains!

So this year Barbie had a contest- for fans to pick her 125th profession. The winner:

Anchorwoman Barbie.  Love it.  I just thought it was funny that they put her in a similar pink (Chanel inspired) jacket as Nicole Kidman’s character in Time to Kill-where she aspires to be a tv anchorwoman. Both are sporting bangs.  Take a look.

There was apparently a HUGE push on-line to make the profession Computer Engineer…so being the smart marketers that they are…the 126th profession (coming out this year as well) is Computer Engineer Barbie.  Love her glasses!

Computer Engineer Barbie

A transforming Barbie Mermaid

Barbie in Mermaid Tale brings back some oldie but goodie technology…water temperature induced changes. 

When you dip her, things change color and appear.  The aspects changed by water: her hair, her toe nails and, wait for it…her belly body art.

Here, Barbie begins just as your ordinary Barbie around the pool–in her little hoodie cover up. Ever so short and Barbie-esque.  But here, as if on a makeover segment on the Today Show, we see that the hoodie is so much more than a hoodie. It transforms Barbie into a mermaid. No joke.

Take a look:

Is that Barbie or Debbie Mazar?

I got boxes of Barbies today–celebrating Barbie’s occupations throughout the years–as well as her  new jobs (more on that later).  When I got to 1965′s Student Teacher Barbie I was struck how much she looked like Debbie Mazar (Entourage).

Seriously, take a closer look.

Barbie: Back to Basics…the little black dress

Barbie Basics

Simple, chic & elegant…just right for the new year.

Pre-toy fair season begins!

Just got back from Mattel and Fisher-Price’s pre Toy Fair preview….lots of fun things to report –but I’m waiting for the list about which toys/pictures can be shared now. Most of the showroom was under embargo until Toy Fair starts.