Dolls of the World[]
In 1980, Barbie began releasing the Dolls of the World collection to highlight the beauty of different cultures around the globe. The first ever Asian Barbie doll was released 42 years ago in 1981. "Oriental Barbie Doll" was part of the Dolls of the World Collection. The back of this doll's packaging reads like a message from her. She explains where Hong Kong is, some information about the culture, and how to write some words in Chinese.
The term "oriental" is now considered a offensive and antiquated word. The more appropriately named "Chinese Barbie Doll" was released 14 years later in 1994. From 1982 onwards, the Dolls of the World collection included more AAPI cultures such as India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Polynesia, Thailand, the Pacific Islands, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
The only Ken doll to be released in the collection was Japan Ken Doll, which was inspired by samurai. Over the years, Asian Barbie and Ken dolls went on to be included in many other collections and playline (non-collector) Barbie lines, and Barbie has become the most diverse doll line on the market.
Vera Wang[]
- "My heritage is one of hard work, respect for elders, achievement, humility, the things I'm very proud I have. I am sort of a combination of both cultures and I have respect for both." - Vera Wang
Vera Wang is an iconic fashion designer. She was born in New York and has Chinese immigrant parents, so she is a second-generation Chinese-American woman. Wang has designed multiple gowns for Barbie dolls, but in May 2021, Barbie honored Vera Wang with a Barbie doll in her likeness. Wang wrote, "I am honored to join Mattel this month in expressing my fervent opposition to this unimaginable brutality and reiterate my desire and prayers for not just the STOP of ASIAN HATE but the persecution of all people."
The doll was officially released in May 2022 as part of the Barbie Tribute Collection. Wang told People Magazine that Barbie "shows all women that they should be encouraged to pursue their dreams and break new boundaries." The doll wears an outfit from Wang's Spring '17 ready-to-wear collection and represents athleisure and femininity. Wang wants her doll to empower girls by reminding them of the values her Chinese parents instilled in her.
Sheroes[]
Barbie debuted the Sheroes line in 2015 to celebrate positive female role models who break the mold. The first Asian woman in the Sheroes line was Eva Chen, editor-in-chief of Lucky magazine. Since then, AAPI women who are Asian-American, Indian, Japanese, Chinese and Indonesian have been honored with dolls. These include athletes such as Chloe Kim, Hui Ruoqi, Naomi Osaka, and Dipa Karmakar. There are also dolls of female CEOs Ari Horie and Butet Manurung, actress and philanthropist Xiotong Guan, ballerina Yuan Yuan Tan, and TV talk show host and author Tetsuko Kuroyanagi.
Guo Pei[]
Renowned Chinese fashion designer Guo pei designed Barbie Signature (collectible) dolls for the Lunar New Year in 2022 and 2023. Guo Pei is known for incorporating traditional Chinese culture into her designs. Barbie doll designer Joyce Chen led the Barbie Signature team on their collaborations with Pei, and Laydiana Chiv designed the packaging. The 2022 doll was a collaboration with the Asian Couture Federation. The design is inspired by the mythological phoenix, which represents rebirth. The 2023 doll is based on one of Pei's previous designs, but scaled down to doll size. In 2022, Joyce Chen also designed a doll inspired by one of Guo Pei's design. The doll wears gold, a color once reserved only for Chinese nobility.
Deepica Mutyala[]
- "She breaks cultural barriers; aims high with intention. Leads with empathy & kindness. A fearless go-getter with a deep desire to make an impact in the world. She’s a CEO. THIS is the new Barbie." - Deepica Mutyala
Indian beauty entrepreneur and businesswoman Deepica Mutyala had a one-of-a-kind doll made in her likeness. The doll wears a t-shirt that states, "My skin is not a trend," referring to makeup brands who only see being inclusive as a trend rather than coming from a genuine place.
Mutyala stated that it is important for young South Asian American girls to see themselves represented with this doll, and that this doll included aspects of her culture such as jhumkas and bangles. Barbie honored Mutyala with a doll because she champions diversity and individuality. She aims to break the mold with her Live Tinted brand by making the beauty world more diverse and inclusive of different skin tones. This doll was announced in 2022, 40 years after the first Indian Barbie Doll from the Dolls of the World collection.
Friends of Barbie[]
Barbie has had many friends over the years. Her first Asian friend was Miko, introduced in 1988 as part of the Island Fun doll line. In 1989, other friends named Dana (also known as Becky) and Nikki were introduced, then Nia in 1990, Kira in 1991, Lea in 2002. One of Barbie's current best friends is Renee Chao, who is Chinese-American. She's appeared in several Barbie movies and TV shows, and also Barbie vlogs. Mattel made Barbie a vlogger in 2015 in order to develop her more as a character. Last year, Renee starred in multiple vlogs with Barbie to talk about AAPI Heritage Month and the Lunar New Year.
Anna May Wong[]
Anna May Wong (born Wong Liu Tsong, 1905-1961) was a Chinese-American actress born to first-generation Taishanese Chinese-American parents. She was a Hollywood film star and fashion icon who made ground-breaking achievements. She was honored with a doll as the first Asian woman in Barbie's Inspiring Women series. The doll was revealed at the start of AAPI month this year. Wong founded her own movie production company to support other Asian actors. Anna Wong, the niece of Anna May Wong, worked alongside Barbie for the last year to develop the doll.
This doll was designed by Carlyle Nuera, who said Wong's "legacy is as a trailblazer for Chinese American and Asian American representation in Hollywood and the media. (...) Her enduring tenacity while working in such a discriminatory and limiting era was brilliant. Despite setbacks and injustices, like losing out on Chinese character roles to non-Chinese actors, Anna May Wong kept on, eventually starring in movies featuring Chinese American characters who were strong and had agency. What I especially love about this doll being released now, is the full circle from her blazing a trail for Asian American actors in the 1930s, to today when we have Michelle Yeoh being the first Asian to win the Academy Award for Best Actress, and Everything Everywhere All At Once becoming the most awarded movie in history. I think Anna May Wong would be proud!"
What Barbie is Doing for AAPI Heritage Month[]
Nowadays, there are many Asian Barbie and Ken dolls available with different body types and careers to help girls and boys be inspired and be represented. This year for AAPI Heritage Month, along with celebrating Anna May Wong doll, Barbie has partnered with Asian American LEAD. They are a non-profit that supports and mentors underserved Asian-American youth. There is also the Barbie Dream Gap Project. Research show that by the age of 5, girls believe they are not as smart or capable as boys. The ongoing Barbie Dream Gap Project, which began in 2018, gives girls resources and support to empower them to dream big and follow their dreams. Girls with AAPI heritage have to deal with not only sexism, but also racism, so the Barbie Dream Gap Project is commissioning research in order to find actionable solutions to help these girls specifically.