“I want to be just like her”?!
Tuesday, March 30th, 2004Ever dreamed of dressing like Miss Babs? It may be possible now since Mattel has partnered with Japanese fashion firm Sanei International. That is, if you are willing to bear the hefty price tags for a piece of Barbie couture wear. With the clothing line, Mattel is hoping to create a sophisticated image of Barbie amongst tweens and teens and recapturing that market in terms of doll sales.
Excerpts from a Wall Street Journal article, dated Jan 30, 2004:
The costly line of human-sized clothing is sold in its own boutiques, next to hgh-end designer stores like Burberry or…Isetan. The line’s coming fall collection includes a black, wool miniskirt for $400 and knit cotton sweaters for $250. For now the clothes are only available in Japan.
The idea…is that girls will buy a Barbie doll in lieu of a pricey dress.
…[However] success in Japan doesn’t always translate elsewhere. While Japanese consumers have sparked fashion and toy trends globally, the market remains idiosyncratic. For one thing, 20-something Japanese women are amonth the biggest purchasers of Barbie dolls, a trend that hasn’t materialized in the U.S.
…[Mattel's] “couture” line is loosely based on actual outfits Barbie has worn; the spring and fall lines focus on Barbie’s 1960′s attire. Among the items: wool coats with subtly clinched waists and miniskirts with a clean, tailored look.
So far, Barbie couture is catching on. Sanei plans to double the number of boutiques in Japan to 20 by year’s end.
I think the concept would probably work better in Japan than in North America, where consumers much more brand conscious. It’s still an interesting marketing strategy. Although I would never be able to afford the clothes, I do like some of the classy tailored styles of Barbie. 
