Current:Home > MyHow Barbie's Signature Pink Is a Symbol for Strength and Empowerment-LoTradeCoin
How Barbie's Signature Pink Is a Symbol for Strength and Empowerment
View Date:2024-12-24 07:35:04
Love it or hate it, the color pink is everywhere.
And we have Barbie to thank for this newfound obsession with the vivacious hue. In Greta Gerwig's highly anticipated upcoming film of the same name, starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, everything from the fantastical world of Barbie Land to the playful fashion and makeup moments are sprinkled with bright, bold shades of pink.
Off the screen, the phenomenon has fittingly been coined Barbiecore, where an explosion of pink looks have flooded TikTok and Instagram. Think: Magenta lipstick, bubblegum-colored manicures and rosy dresses on full display.
"At this point in history, what Barbie represents is something that we're craving as a society," Kim Culmone, the SVP of Design for Barbie and Fashion Dolls at Mattel, explained to E! News in an exclusive interview. "Barbie's position of positivity and female empowerment is resonating culturally."
Plus, over the years, the brand has made a conscious effort to be more diverse and inclusive. So more people "feel connected to it," Culmone added, "They feel seen."
But the mania over Mattel's iconic doll and her signature color isn't just a product of 2023. It's been brewing for quite some time.
Case in point? Kim Kardashian left an unforgettable impression during her SNL debut in October 2021, wearing a vibrant head-to-toe fuchsia getup to mark her career milestone. And ever since stepping into office in 2020, Vice President Kamala Harris has armored herself in various pink power suits.
There have also been literal interpretations of the toy doll. Kacey Musgraves used Barbie as her muse for the 2019 Met Gala, dressing up as her IRL with platinum blonde hair, a hot pink ensemble and a coordinating convertible.
Of course, stars such as Nicki Minaj and Trixie Mattel have made Mattel's OG girlboss a huge part of their personas since the beginning of their careers. Even someone like Angelyne, a Los Angeles legend, has emulated the fashionista's lifestyle—which was depicted in the 2022 Peacock series of the same name.
"I'd love to be like Barbie," Emmy Rossum said as the show's titular socialite. "She lives a painless existence. You can stick her with things and she won't cry, she doesn't hurt. Wouldn't that be nice, never to hurt?"
But despite Barbie's decidedly sunny outlook that has become synonymous with all things pink and fun, it hasn't always been the case.
"When Barbie launched in 1959," Culmone told E!, "she wasn't wearing pink. She was wearing a black-and-white striped bathing suit. She had a gorgeous red lip, gold hoops and those great black slide mules."
It wasn't until 1972 that Barbie embraced pink, going full force in 1976 with everything from clothes and accessories to the packaging and the font taking on the vibrant hue. This move, as Culmone pointed out, was done intentionally. "It's not a quiet or shy pink," she said. "It's strong, it's powerful."
Because make no mistake, pink has never been a passive hue.
Despite its long association with all things feminine, in the early 1900s, it was assigned to boys for "being a more decided and stronger color," according to an article in Earnshaw's Infants' Department journal in 1918. "While blue, which is more delicate and dainty, is prettier for the girl."
But by the 1940s, the shade was linked to a soft, gentle appearance and demure demeanor. Yet, much like Barbie, pink has since evolved into a symbol of strength.
And, as Culmone shared, there's a fearlessness that comes with not only embracing the gendered hue but taking ownership of it.
"What I love about Barbie being associated with pink is that we are unapologetically empowering girls and women," she sharply put it. "We have claimed pink—and it signifies that girls and women can be and do anything."
It turns out, there's power in pink.
Sign up for E! Insider! Unlock exclusive content, custom alerts & more!veryGood! (1856)
Related
- Stock market today: Asian shares meander, tracking Wall Street’s mixed finish as dollar surges
- Nevada attorney general launches go-it-alone lawsuits against social media firms in state court
- Are you suddenly lactose intolerant? This is why.
- Starbucks adds romance to the menu: See the 2 new drinks available for Valentine's Day
- Oklahoma school district adding anti-harassment policies after nonbinary teen’s death
- Idaho ruling helps clear the way for a controversial University of Phoenix acquisition
- Nicole Snooki Polizzi's Body Positivity Message Will Inspire Your Wellness Journey
- OnlyFans Model Courtney Clenney’s Parents Arrested in Connection With Evidence Tampering in Murder Case
- Mechanic dies after being 'trapped' under Amazon delivery van at Florida-based center
- Chrissy Teigen Accidentally Reveals She’s Had 3 Boob Jobs
Ranking
- Advocacy group sues Tennessee over racial requirements for medical boards
- USC, UCLA, ACC highlight disappointments in men's college basketball this season
- Fani Willis and top prosecutor Nathan Wade subpoenaed to testify at hearing about relationship allegations
- New Mexico will not charge police officers who fatally shot man at wrong address
- Garth Brooks wants to move his sexual assault case to federal court. How that could help the singer.
- Seahawks turn to Mike Macdonald, former Ravens defensive coordinator, as new head coach
- Jennifer Lopez, Lady Gaga and More Stars Whose Daring Grammys Looks Hit All the Right Notes
- NBA stars serious about joining US men's basketball team for 2024 Paris Olympics
Recommendation
-
Olivia Munn Says She “Barely Knew” John Mulaney When She Got Pregnant With Their Son
-
Kelce brothers shoutout Taylor Swift for reaching Super Bowl in 'her rookie year'
-
Jury hears that Michigan school shooter blamed parents for not getting him help
-
Former Trump official injured, another man dead amid spike in D.C. area carjackings
-
Businesses at struggling corner where George Floyd was killed sue Minneapolis
-
Stock market today: Wall Street drops to worst loss in months with Big Tech, hope for March rate cut
-
'The View' co-hosts clap back at men who criticize Taylor Swift's NFL game appearances
-
Who are the youngest NFL head coaches after Seahawks hire Mike Macdonald?