For any girl who’s ever designed Barbie clothes out of old socks and T-shirts (and maybe attempted to tie-dye them), there’s the new styled by me Barbie Boutique in New York’s FAO Schwarz, where high-fashion meets high-tech.
Shoppers need not be Anna Sui to dress their very own fabulous Barbie dolls. Girls can sit down at one of two Barbie doll styling stations, tap a touchscreen and begin the step-by-step design process of selecting a doll, an outfit, accessories and a doll case.
“Barbie has always evolved with the way girls live and play,” says Kim Helgeson, visual merchandising manager for Mattel Inc. (El Segundo, Calif.), which owns the Barbie brand. “This store allows girls to create their own dolls and be in complete control at every design level. It’s the ultimate personal experience.”
That personal experience begins with a fusion of what the iconic brand has represented over the past 48 years – strong femininity, youthful whimsy, modernity and, of course, pink.
“Girls can relate to the high-tech elements, while moms can relate to the sophistication of the boutique,” says Helgeson. “This, coupled with the variety of merchandise, appeals to Barbie fans of all ages. Plus the interactive experience itself is something girls and their mothers can do together.”
The boutique is alive with activity from large, overhead LCD screens at each styling station and on the left side of the cashwrap and two screens flanking a working mini-runway. The screens – ornately decorated to soften their techno nature – feature animation of the decked-out dolls as they’re being designed, and then present an image of each girl’s design before the finished doll takes a turn down the catwalk.
Smooth laminates trimmed in brushed metal, frosted glass, screenprinted textures on the etageres and a curved cashwrap reinforce the balance between feminine and technical. The brand’s signature pink hue is subtle, tinting rounded seat cushions and accent walls embellished with floral patterns. White and silver act as a neutral backdrop, while dark-stained floors contrast the overall lightness.
It makes sense that the leading lady who’s been to the moon, run for President of the U.S. and been styled by the likes of Versace and Burberry, would now take on technology.
Homemade tie-dyed sock dresses seem so provincial.
Client: FAO Schwarz, New York
Design: Mattel Inc., El Segundo, Calif. — Richard Dickson, senior vp of marketing, media and entertainment, worldwide; Kim Helgeson, store designer, project and visual merchandising manager
Audio/Visual: AVR Inc., Danbury, Conn.
Fixtures: Greneker Solutions, Los Angeles; Creative Forces, Monrovia, Calif.; Spark Retail Solutions, Huntington Beach, Calif.
Lighting: Lighting Management Inc., Harriman, N.Y.
Mannequins/Forms: Greneker Solutions, Los Angeles
Props and Decoratives: Mattel Inc., El Segundo, Calif.
Signage/Graphics: Spark Retail Solutions, Huntington Beach, Calif.
Interactive Software Development: Six Foot Studios, Houston, Texas
Runway Mechanical Design: Technifex, Valencia, Calif.
Photography: John Fleck, Indianapolis