Barbie by David Dixon - spring/summer 2010


The rumours are true: Barbie’s pink-and-black attack is back, with a stellar array of dazzling colours and looks for just about every occasion.

 

It takes talent to pull this off without diluting the collection, so it’s a good thing David Dixon is at the helm of this dream machine. The pink and charcoal double-layered jacket worn over Mickey Mouse shorts is a strong yet cute combo, just one example of how Barbie spring is an explosion of both colour and culture. There’s a dashes of office wear and nighttime glamour, and even some scholarly looks: check out the checkered sweater and the black turtleneck, and tell me you don’t fall for the nerdish allure.

There are, of course, the classic all-pink ensembles we saw last season, but also a new element: subtlety. Dixon appears to have let more of his penchant for the understated into this edition of Barbie, as we see in the solid black dresses showing just a hint of pink, in the black and white gingham pieces.

Even the guys were remodelled from hunky Ken into something a bit less glamorous and synthetic, and more vulnerable. However, only in Barbie-land could vulnerability include a silver glam suit jacket, shorts, and bowtie.

Nathaniel G Moore, Fashion Writer
Marek Wlazlo, Photographer