Mattel has released a new Barbie doll for the latest installment of its Styled by Design series—and it’s Filipina-inspired!
Designed by Filipino-American artist Carlyle Nuera, the doll pays tribute to his Filipino heritage through its traditional fashion, perfectly timed for Filipino American History Month.
From head to toe, the Barbie showcases iconic Philippine symbols and cultural elements, including a striking Philippine sun crown and elegant gold janggay jewelry.
The morena Barbie is dressed in a cream modernized corset featuring terno sleeves, complemented by a patterned malong skirt.
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In an Instagram post, Nuera expressed his desire to seize this opportunity to represent the Filipino community.
“Being Filipino is my most foundational identity. I’ve always been proud to be Filipino, and that’s thanks to my family, my parents, siblings, cousins, aunts, and uncles, the way we grew up,” the designer said.
“And now, being connected to a part of the larger Filipino-American community, I am sooo hyped for this Barbie to finally be out in the world and hopefully make the anaks feel seen, represented, inspired and proud,” he added.
Nuera views this new Filipina Barbie as a successor to Mutya Barbie, which he also designed in 2015.
“Mutya Barbie really changed the trajectory of my career and made me realize the power and platform I have as a designer, especially for an enduring global icon like Barbie. So I wanted to build upon all of that with my Styled By Design Barbie,” he wrote in a caption.
The Barbie doll was available for pre-order at USD 100 or approximately PHP 5,700 and AED 367.
