Barbie, Bratz, and Hello Kitty: fashion is more and more a girl’s game

Tap intochildish imagery to stage adolescent dreams: the most nostalgic and positive trend of the moment, perfectly inserted in this era of pandemic that pushes rewind to seek the carefree (currently) lost, it is increasingly captured by fashion brands.

We have already talked about the tweenage effect on fashion, or rather the recovery of childish nuances and elements for an à la page wardrobe that makes the sustainable lightness of being its signature. And the 2022 wardrobe continues to follow this mood as they are well three brands that have launched capsules dedicated to real icons of doll-size style. And that, let’s say it right away, really make us feel like little girls in a toy store with the adrenaline of Carrie Bradshaw in front of a couple of Manolos.

In the sign of absolute pink, declined for the first time in version genderless by Olivier Rousteing who thus breaks down the still prevailing cliché on what is considered a game of female and male, the most girlie capsule of the beginning of the year that binds LA fashion doll of the Planet, Barbie, to one of the most desired by the fashionista, Balmain.

Balmain x Barbie is certainly the latest collection that the Mattel doll, with a wardrobe more envied than that of Kate Middleton, “signs” together with a fashion brand. Already in the 90s Martin Margiela proposed the first collection to celebrate it. For the occasion, he adapted Barbie and Ken dresses on human silhouettes: collars, buttons, cuffs and other details were presented in a bold and oversize style, a particularly distinctive trait loved by the Belgian designer. There blonde doll she was then the icon of Moschino by Jeremy Scott’s Spring / Summer 2015 and, lately, the star of Alessandro Enriquez’s Spring / Summer 2022 garments.

Balmain x Barbieinstead, it consists of over 50 pieces that mix the legendary symbols of the toy with those of the maison, such as the Labyrinth monogram. A riot of Pantone pink and a reinterpretation of the 90s logo for the ready-to-wear partnership that also marks Barbie’s first entry into digital art, as the brands have released three Nft avatars of the doll and her boyfriend, Ken.

All Bratz, instead, consider for their accentuated make-up and a style composed of platform, micro-dresses and miniskirts that does not go unnoticed, a sort of version from the Block of the most elegant Barbie, the GCDS brand has addressed. The co-lab was born, GDCS x Bratz, which winks at the 00s while celebrating at the same time the inclusion precisely because of the characteristic of these dolls that they are all different. Like Yasmin and Sasha, the two dolls customized with the brand’s look and already sold out on the site.

The unisex garments and accessories of the collection, to the cry of Passion for Fashion, encourage the affirmation of one’s individuality through clothing. Sweatshirts and T-shirts, sets of tops and boxers, dresses, tops with an all-over Bratz print and a black boat neck dress with the slogan in rainbow colored crystals. To complete the collection, a selection of accessories including the Heart bag, earrings, socks and earphone holders. On the other hand, the Bratz look is very current and taken up today by many stars such as Hailey Bieber, Dua Lipa, Emily Ratajkowski, Bella Hadid, while Barbara Palvin has already appeared on social media with a dress from the GCDS collection.

Instead, the Blumarine x Hello Kitty collection blends the Y2K factor and the kawaii aesthetic. And just look there limited edition conceived by the creative director of the brand, Nicola Brognano, in which the iconic Japanese kitten is reinterpreted in the feminine and sensual key of the brand through jeans, fringed tops or embellished with sequins, miniskirts, knitwear with embroidery, oversized sweatshirts and faux fur profiles in the 50 shades of pink, instantly catapult into a candy size with Paris Hilton, Rihanna e Lady Gaga feat. the famous feline.

To tell the truth, after the boom at the beginning of the millennium, Hello Kitty had returned to dressing girls à la page already in 2017, proposed by GCDS on sweaters and other garments also worn by Chiara Ferragni, and there are countless street and low cost, from Fila to Asos through H&M, which have dedicated lines to it. While Swarovski in 2011 showed her bling bling side with a capsule collection of jewels and crystal objects dedicated to her.

But it is the Blumarine collection that catapults the tender kitten into the world of extreme and desirable luxury (the garments cost between 489 and over 2000 euros, but are now on sale!).

In short, another proof that 2000s fashion is all we want now in the closet, so much so that by now we expect the fashionable rebirth of other cult characters of that decade (Paul Frank your hours are numbered).

In the gallery a wishlist for eternal girls with a selection of Balmain x Barbie, GDCS x Bratz, Blumarine x Hello Kitty garments. Each has its own style icon and object wanna have.

Other stories of Vanity Fair that may interest you:

– Effect tweenage: pre-adolescence is in fashion
– 1960s, the happy and always trendy decade that is back in fashion
– Hello Kitty is back!