The long life of the Barbecore

Maybe it's the anticipation of Gerwig's live action, echoes of the Valentino Pink PP Collection, Kim Kardashian's girly turn, early 2000s nostalgia, or a desire for more polished and feminine looks, but the Barbiecore and pink are having a moment of popularity with no end in sight. This week's teaser for the highly anticipated Barbie remake starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling has reignited the wave of enthusiasm, so much so that according to Lyst data reported by BoF, searches for 'pink fashion' have increased by almost 80%, overtaking all other aesthetics that have emerged on TikTok, such as #darkacademia and #cottagecore, in popularity. From the furry mules, Robbie wears in the first frame of the trailer to the platinum blonde hair dyes, self-tanning creams, and themed meme generators that have flooded Instagram feeds: more than a year after her debut, Barbie mania is still going strong, thanks in part to the most anticipated film of 2023.

Ever since Gerwig was first linked to the project in 2019 and paparazzi showed a spandex- and rollerblade-clad Robbie on set, the film has been eagerly followed. At the same time, consumers have become increasingly excited about the hot pink hues and other hallmarks of #Barbiecore. Quiet luxury is definitely the trend this season, but the industry may be heading for a maximalist revival fuelled by the thoughtful choices of Jacqueline Durran, the costume designer who formerly worked alongside Greta Gerwig on Little Women: Floral prints, skintight sportswear sets, nostalgic silver dresses and lots and lots of pinks. According to Edited, pink products are up 30% year-on-year in US retail in the first quarter of this year. The hype around the film, which boasts a star-studded cast including Dua Lipa, Issa Rae, Will Ferrell, Simu Liu, Hari Nef, Kate McKinnon, Michael Cera, and Alexandra Shipp, is only going to get bigger as the July release approaches.

TikTok with Barbie has become the driving force behind a renaissance that toy maker Mattel has failed to deliver for years. The myth of the blonde, skinny doll that disrupted the childhoods of millions of little girls by establishing unattainable aesthetic standards in them began to fade as early as the 2000s, when new, more distinctive-looking dolls like the Bratz hit the market, until 2014, the year with the lowest sales rate in 25 years. Despite a curvy relaunch in 2016 and collaborations with fashion brands such as Moschino, Vera Wang, Karl Lagerfeld, Kith, Tommy Hilfiger, and Balmain, Barbie was a canon out of time for years. Today, thanks to a new feminist narrative and upcoming live-action, the doll represents an opportunity for redemption, the debut of a new Barbie even for those who never wanted to play with Barbies.