Barbie, the globetrotter

Photo Source: atxbil @ flickr, (License: Attrib & Non-Commercial)

So what do you think about the new Barbie venture in China? Story goes that Mattel is opening a Barbie flagship in Shanghai! Yes, Shanghai, that wonderfully bustling fashion spot, not to mention its status as a bit of a consumer heaven. From what I gathered, this is Mattel's first major expansion attempt in Asia.

First, a little bit about the store. It looks to be a Barbie bonanza; the store is 3400-square-meters and boasts a spa, a do-it-yourself design center, delightful café and of course, all Barbie related goodies will be sold here. Other events that are linked to the grand opening are the introduction of Vera Wang Barbie Shanghai wedding dress as well as the launching of an Asian doll (one of two new Shanghai Barbie dolls; the other is a Caucasian doll). Check out the Barbie Shanghai website if you want a glimpse into the up-and-coming event.

I'm sure there are plenty of folk, especially Barbie fans, who are delighted with this news. On the other hand, there are also a handful of skeptics. The opposition seem to be based on a variety of topics, from "Oh, great! Just want the world needs, more Barbie stuff" to "Barbie is a tad Western, you sure Asians will be okay with this?". At least that is the impression I walk away with, after reading up a few sites and opinion pieces.

Fair enough. People have their own takes and views on different issues. Barbie's place as a child's toy is a topic of much debate and dispute. As far as my opinion goes, it is a parent's own decision what toys they present to their child. Pick a Barbie if you love the concept; leave it be, if you get tetchy about the little blond doll. Besides, a regular tête-à-têtes with the young ones has more lasting impact than a pretty little doll. As soon as I said that last sentence, I had this vague premonition that a few angry parents will come up that age-old argument. I think Ed Byrne had the best description of the "You don't know what you are talking about" scenario (note: fast-forward to around 5 mins of that video).

As for the second point, I like to think of Barbie (and other such products) as a sub-culture of sorts. Many concepts/ideas/products bring people together and create fascinating boundaries that define themselves as subcultures. I prefer to focus on the positive unifying effects of such ideas/concepts/products; surely this is one of those brilliant movements that transcend geographical as well as traditional cultural boundaries? In my case, older family members are quite baffled at the way graphic design (art, tools, concepts, etc.) have been breaking language and culture boundaries for the young ones. And do I even need to mention Bleach and Naruto as a growing subculture?

For those reasons, I am interested to see Barbie take-off in China. While many may wonder if Shanghai, nay Asia, is ready for such an extravagant Barbie store, perhaps it is time to remind that numerous subcultures like Barbie doll fandom already has a stronghold in various countries. The question is, how will Barbie adapt design-wise? How will Mattel incorporate the fashion trends of Shanghai to bring about new ideas for the Barbie franchise as a whole?