Trends come and go like the tide, but ideas truly live for ever. What started as an idea has become an icon reborn year after year as society evolves and public interests change. Since it launched 1959, Barbie has become a global icon; the doll has been a recreated and reborn countless times over the last 65 years. Last year the world witnessed a cosmic rebirth of the iconic character with Greta Gerwig's Barbie film. The film quite literally took the world by storm last summer, and it seems like the excitement hasn't stopped one bit.
From the studio's marketing and press tour to fan creations and brand partnerships, you couldn't escape the mayhem for more than a day (that might be a little dramatic). Unless you lived under a rock every where you turned you would've noticed you turned there was some sort of reference to the movie. Allegedly, Warner Bros. spent a whopping $150 million on marketing the Barbie movie according to Variety; the marketing campaign cost more than the $145 million budget to produce the film. Fans created a seemingly endless amount of content showing their love for the film on TikTok, Instagram, and elsewhere online.
Now you might be thinking: the hype is slowing down and the conversations about the blockbuster hit are dwindling. I'd tell you that you're wrong. With award season in full swing, the coverage of the Barbie movie is stronger than ever. Comments about the film at the Golden Globes sparked a massive amount of furious posts online from fans expressing their disappointment in how the host of the show addressed the film. The Academy recently announced their 2024 list of nominees; many fans were quick to voice their frustrations about director Greta Gerwig and lead actress Margot Robbie not being nominated in their respective categories.
I believe these conversations will continue throughout the award season—and possibly beyond because so many people are passionate about it. Passion (good or bad) for the Barbie film is stronger than ever, and the smart ones are paying attention to the buzz. Actress/producer Margot Robbie and her stylist Andrew Mukamal recently announced they're immortalizing “Barbiecore” with a photo book published by Rizzoli; the book is titled “Barbie: The World Tour” and will be released on March 19.
In the 160-page book, readers will get an inside look at Robbie's outfits she wore during the press tour. Robbie and Mukamal spent a great deal of time studying and carefully planning each of her outfits; many of which were not seen in public because the press tour was cut short. Robbie's outfits featured many vintage pieces that Giorgio Armani and Donatello Versace helped bring the outfits to life, drawing inspiration from the beloved doll's iconic looks. Thankfully, they also teamed up with fashion photographer Craig McDean to capture the actress in her complete press tour wardrobe the way each outfit was meant to be seen.
Accompanying the photos of Robbie, the book includes “original Barbie dolls from the period, a treasure trove of rare materials from Mattel’s Barbie fashion archives, and the designers’ sketches and Polaroids from fittings, layered into evocative collage by art director Fabien Baron” (Rizzoli). “Barbie: The World Tour” releases March 19 and it's available for pre-order now on www.rizzoliusa.com.