Mattel pays tribute to heroines of their time with 3 new Barbie dolls

Mattel has unveiled three new role models to Barbie’s Inspiring Women collection. Paying tribute to all the courageous women who paved the way for generations of girls, Barbie has added jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, tennis pro Billie Jean King and nurse Florence Nightingale.

Fitzgerald, King and Nightingale will join the likes of Amelia Earhart, Frida Kahlo and Katherine Johnson in the Inspiring Women series. Among the list of women, who come from diverse backgrounds and fields, are Australian conservationist Bindi Irwin, American filmmaker Patty Jenkins, American snowboarding champion Chloe Kim, Chinese actress Xiaotong Guan and Chinese prima ballerina Yuan Tan. Marketing has reached out to Mattel for additional information about its marketing plans for the collection.

Fitzgerald catapulted into stardom after her performance at the famous Apollo Theater in 1934. She then went on become one of the most popular jazz singers in the world. Throughout her career, Fitzgerald has also been recognised for lending her voice to people in need and her foundation, The Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation, and providing aid to children and communities by fostering a love of music and reading.

King on the other hand, clinched her first major championship title in 1961. This was followed by a series of victories throughout her career. Off the court, she championed women’s equality in sports. King is widely known for defeating a male rival in 1973’s globally televised match hailed as the "Battle of the Sexes". The tennis pro King doll wears a two-tone blue and mint-green tennis dress, inspired by what she wore during that legendary match.

Meanwhile, the Nightingale doll arrives in a re-creation of the nineteenth-century uniform worn by nurses tending to wounded soldiers during the Crimean War. Nightingale pursued a career in nursing, a vocation she believed was her moral duty. Enrolling as a nursing student in 1850, she made it her mission to improve hospital efficiency and standards in patient care, eventually writing books that launched reforms in medicine. In 1860, she established the Nightingale Training School, continuing to further nursing education while changing the negative attitudes towards women entering the field.

According to Mattel, all three dolls representing these groundbreaking role models are fully articulated and come with specifically themed accessories, a doll stand, and a Certificate of Authenticity.

In line with its 60th anniversary in 2019, Barbie teamed up with the Singapore Tourism Board to profile home-grown talents and showcase brand campaigns "Passion Made Possible" and "You Can Be Anything" to life through these talents' inspirational stories. The marketing partnership covered three areas such as a showcase of 60 Barbie dolls in customised outfits created by 18 local creatives and design brands; a brand video; and a social media contest. The collaboration marks the first between both brands in Singapore.

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