Julien Does Barbie

[Lena]

Julien McDonald gets his first kid collection in collaboration with Barbie label (Mattel)

i have seen some photos (all Barbie pink and not that hot either... just basic kids wear style) but unfortunately i can't post.. from locked pdf files

here the article from vogueuk

WHAT A DOLL

JULIEN MACDONALD's latest muse is none other than Barbie. The designer unveiled his couture-clad doll at a glittering catwalk show jam-packed with fashion's most stylish kids, including Lisa Mafia's daughter, Chelsea, and Bob Geldof's teenage girls Peaches, 15 and Pixie, 13, dressed to kill in miniskirts and high heels. Macdonald also showed off his kidswear line for Mattel's Barbie label, with gorgeous little girls strutting down the runway in a mix of tiny shimmering dresses paired with funky tights, oversized cowboy hats and rhinestone-studded jackets. "My inspiration for the collection was rock 'n' roll, glitter, and serious glamour," said the designer, who picked up an award for Barbie Fashion Designer Of The Year.
"Basically I got involved because I saw that it was lots of fun and I saw that there was a niche in the market for designer dressing for young girls. I had a look around and I saw that there was not a lot of choice for young girls out there to wear fun, beautiful clothing. I threw in all my favourite things: denim, dresses, patterned tights and lots of glitter." And it seems Macdonald is as much of a hit with the little people as with grown-up fashionistas - the pint-sized crowd cheered wildly under a stream of colourful paper butterflies that floated down from the ceiling. Lisa Mafia's Dior-clad daughter, Chelsea, loved the clothes so much she approached the όber-designer and shyly asked: "Can I be your Barbie girl?" (March 26 2004, AM)

tiny fashionistas?
early label slavery conditioning?
pressing parents for designer wardrobes?
is that ok for you?
opinions?

 

[Plumour]

Originally posted by Lena@Mar 28th, 2004 - 4:10 am

early label slavery conditioning?

 

[brian]

 

[tott]

Kids are "conscious" these days, that's a fact. I also think it's up to parents to draw the line... Hard as it may be.

That being said, it feels a bit insidious to use Barbie to market clothes. I mean, very small kids play with Barbies. Talk about setting them up for "early label slavery conditioning", like Lena said...

I'm sure Mattel doesn't see anything wrong with it, they probably think it's a fun (and hopefully profitable) extension of the Barbie brand...

Edit: I also don't see why little kids need rock'n'roll, glitter and serious glamour...

 

[softgrey]

barbie and mattel have been working on stuff like this for awhile now...they are also trying to come up with a line for the contemporary market...to sort of compete with labels like j.lo...i saw some of the designs...they look like little girl clothes...apparently they are doing very well in japan where they love the whole lolita thing, but nobody else picked them up...i'm not surprised at all to see this...and let's face it...julien could probably use the money...haha...

i think the prices probably aren't that high...i think it's fun...why shouldn't little girls have fun playing dress up... i'm sure they have no idea who julien mcdonald is...they just love barbie...

 

[tott]

You have a point, softgrey...

Maybe I'm a bit negative, I've been in a bad mood for a couple of days...

 

[strawberry daiquiri]

Yah softgrey, have Barbie not had a line of pink, pinker, pinkest clothes for years now? Some collaborations with highstreet shops or something like that?

Julien has lowered his standards to well below the belt. I suppose he's just accepted no-ones interested in his designs for adults and so unless he sees himself queuing for unemployment benefit he'll have to look elsewhere.

Off the topic but I love that Peaches Geldof, I hear these days she's a contributor to British Elle Girl and I'll take her over an Olsen any day.

 

[Lena]

i juat saw cnn's style program ..it was all on children's fashion, how escada and Biagiotti and Bluemarine are targeting kiddy fashions, their parents money and creating new ..feature clients

the Vogue Bambini chief editor was going on and on regarding the post 9.11 reality where parents feel a bit uneasy to spend much on their own wardrobes and that they feel 'correct' spending more on their children's.

they also stated that 12 year olds now hold their own accounts and can spend as they like.. i also heard that from teh age of two year old, we have a 'sense' of brands etc (which obviously i found a bit too ridiculous)

Italian manufacturers seemed very happy with their new toy "kiddie" fashion and more $$$ coming in..

sometimes the fashion system can make me feel a tiny bit sick guys

if you have a chance to catch up with the rerun of cnn 365 (or something like that)
it's interesting even though a bit sad & creepy

 

[softgrey]

Originally posted by Lena@Mar 28th, 2004 - 3:06 pm
i juat saw cnn's style program ..it was all on children's fashion, how escada and Biagiotti and Bluemarine are targeting kiddy fashions, their parents money and creating new ..feature clients

the Vogue Bambini chief editor was going on and on regarding the post 9.11 reality where parents feel a bit uneasy to spend much on their own wardrobes and that they feel 'correct' spending more on their children's.

that actually makes sense...even though i didn't think about it...also..there has been a HUGE babyboom here in the states since 9.11...i don't know what it's like everywhere else...the maternity market is expanded tremendously...so obviously the children's market is going to explode in the next couple of years...

well...there's the fashion machine...hard at work...fashion is art?....not very often...

we'll see...even the trendiest parents i know shop at baby gap...

 

[Spacemiu]

just what we need julien macdonalad makeing hooker clothes for kids!

 

[ignitioned32]

This cannot possibly be true!

 

[Acid]

julien is SOOOOOO disgusting.......even worse in real life

if u wanna know the 'reality' of his life.......this is the only barbie he'll be hanging out with.....34 year old brazilian transvestite RICARDO!
(their dancing made me wanna puke)

 

[xclusive]

this is soo wrong..yes there IS a market..but 10 yr olds r trying to look like 17+ go to clubs and all that..it's really sad. it wud b a good thing if the girls didn;t take it too far, if it's just for cute clothing then wy not

 

[Lena]

Originally posted by Spacemiu@Mar 29th, 2004 - 1:22 am
just what we need julien macdonalad makeing hooker clothes for kids!