The iconic toy, first sold in 1959, has experienced a steep decline in sales in recent years, but it received a dramatic makeover, as three mothers from Pittsburgh launched ‘Hello Hijab’ – a range of small hijab’s for Barbie-sized dolls.
Hello Hijab follows the success of Hijarbie, a hugely popular Instagram account run by Nigerian medical scientist Haneefa Adam, featuring images of a hijab-wearing Barbie.
Speaking to CNN last year, Ms Adam said she hoped her pictures would provide a relatable role model for young Muslim girls.
“I thought I had not seen Barbie dressed in a hijab before so I decided to open an Instagram account and dressed Barbie up in the clothes that I made. I thought it was really important for a doll to be dressed like how I would be,” The Telegraph quoted her as saying.
“It has roots in my religion and cultural identity. The way Barbie dresses is very skimpy and different and there’s nothing wrong with it. I just wanted to give another option for Muslim girls like me.
The account has close to 79,000 followers on Instagram, and Ms Adam expressed hopes that its success would help dispel some misconceptions: “People think that when Muslim women cover up they are forced to,” she said. “(The) majority of us are not.
“We want to cover up and express our religion. But a lot of Muslims don’t cover their hair and it doesn’t make them any less of a Muslim.
“I think this is a great platform to try and get the Muslim identity to the world and correct some misconceptions.”
