It’s all about Barbie’s clothes. That’s what Kim Culmone, the vice president of design for Mattel, said in defense of the doll’s unrealistic proportions.
“Barbie’s body was never designed to be realistic. She was designed for girls to easily dress and undress,” Culmone said, adding that Barbie’s crazy proportions are a requirement for designers to create outfits for the doll.
“If you’re going to take a fabric that’s made for us, and turn a seam for a cuff or on the body, her body has to be able to accommodate how the clothes will fit her.”
It is also stated that Mattel has “rarely remarked on its Barbie dolls’ controversial body proportions”, despite the many criticisms that have been targeted against the toy company for creating a doll that may influence body hatred among young girls.
However, Culmone dismissed these body image concerns, saying she doesn’t believe that children compare themselves with their dolls.
In 2013, Rehabs released an infographic that highlighted just how infeasible Barbie’s body is. According to the infographic, Barbie’s body would be so disproportionate that she wouldn’t be able to have all the essential internal organs to live, because of her tiny mid-section and 16-inch waist.
Also, in 2013, artist Nickolay Lamm created proportionate 3D images of a Barbie doll with the measurements of an average 19-year-old woman.
“Some people say that Barbie is just a toy and that we shouldn’t pay so much attention to her body proportions,” Lamm said. “However, if skinny models in advertisements get so much scrutiny, I feel Barbie, a doll which million of girls play with, should be open to critique as well.”
Share with us your thoughts on Culmone’s argument! Do you agree, or disagree with her?
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