First off, this is not your average everyday Barbie. She’s not a vet, she’s not a nurse, and she’s not from Malibu. This Barbie is pink haired, has a cactus as a pet and is adorned with a slew of tattoos — something that is getting some parents pretty riled up.
The collector’s Barbie was designed in collaboration with the Japanese inspired Italian designer tokidoki. This doll is more for the collector set and joins other collaborations with designers like Kate Spade and Bob Mackie and isn’t really being marketed to children. But Barbie is still totally associated with little girls and childhood, so it’s no wonder that a handful of parents were outraged by this edgy new doll.
“Is Mattel crazy? Selling Barbie dolls with tattoos? That was almost as bad as having a pregnant Barbie or Skipper! Is someone on drugs at Mattel??? Can’t really believe this at all! Why don’t they make a suicide Barbie, complete with rope and gun! Maybe that will really do these girls a favor in showing what a role model she is! Parents apparently don’t take such good notice in all this! Shouldn’t have kids if they do allow them to have this kind of doll!”
“Encouraging children that tattoos are cool is wrong, wrong, wrong. Mattel why not put a cigarette and a beer bottle in her hand while you’re at it!” But not everyone has upset by this tattooed punky doll.
“Wow, really? I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, I don’t do drugs, I’ve never been arrested (let alone gotten a ticket), and I have a happy, healthy, extremely smart little boy. I also happen to have tattoos. One thing I can tell you for sure is that my son will learn to never look down his nose at people the way that most of you have. How sad.”
“I much prefer tattoos to unrealistic proportions and the message that the most important thing is to be pretty and get a boy. Good for you Mattel for making a doll a little more like the rest of us. I consider it a tiny step in the right direction.”