VOA文化艺术2023--‘Barbie’ Is Changing the Clothes People Wear

‘Barbie’ Is Changing the Clothes People Wear

If you walk into a clothing store, you are likely to be hit with an explosion of the color pink.

The pink wave has been fueled by the release last month of the wildly successful film Barbie. The movie is based on the popular doll of the same name, made by the toy company Mattel.

Barbie dolls are known for their bright pink color. And clothes based on what the toy wears have become hugely popular. People are calling them Barbiecore outfits².

Barbie clothing items include shoes, backpacks, swimsuits and even special clothes for dogs.

"There is not a corner of the globe that hasn't turned pink," said Richard Dickson, Mattel's president and chief operating officer.

The pink wave actually began last year, but Barbie strengthened it. High-end designer Valentino kicked off the pink wave by dressing³ models in head-to-toe in a pink color called fuchsia for a runway show in March of 2022.

A few months later, photos showed Barbie movie star Margot Robbie on set in a hot pink Western outfit¹. The look got a lot of attention online, said Madeline Hirsh. She is news director for the fashion magazine InStyle.

Around the same time, more and more people were returning to their workplaces and doing more social things as COVID-19 restrictions⁴ eased.

Hirsch said, "People were craving⁵ joy, color and new clothes to wear out again..."

The style took off. Fashion magazines published pictures of famous stars, including Kim Kardashian and Harry⁶ Styles, in bright Barbie-inspired clothes.

Barbie stylized items

Barbie is one of Mattel's top three brands. The toymaker trademarked the word Barbiecore in 2022. It also partnered with companies such as high-end French designer Balmain, Kendra Scott, and Barefoot Dreams.

Those efforts went into full force in 2023, with more than 100 partnerships⁷ tied to the movie. Mattel has also worked on many products outside of fashion, such as an Instagram-perfect pool float from Funboy and a pink Microsoft X-box gaming device in a Barbie Dreamhouse.

There are even Barbie-centric foods. They include an ice cream flavor and a Barbie Burger with pink sauce sold at Burger King fast food restaurants in Brazil.

Words in This Story

outfit – n. a popular way of dressing during a particular time or among a particular group of people

globe – n. the earth

crave⁸ – v. to have a very strong desire for (something)

inspired – adj. having a particular cause or influence

brand – n. a category of products that are all made by a particular company and all have a particular name

 

trademarked – n. something (such as a word) that identifies a particular company's product and cannot be used by another company without permission

1 outfit   

n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装

参考例句：

• Jenney bought a new outfit for her daughter's wedding.珍妮为参加女儿的婚礼买了一套新装。
• His father bought a ski outfit for him on his birthday.他父亲在他生日那天给他买了一套滑雪用具。

2 outfits   

n.全套装备( outfit的名词复数 )；一套服装；集体；组织v.装备，配置设备，供给服装( outfit的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• He jobbed out the contract to a number of small outfits. 他把承包工程分包给许多小单位。 来自辞典例句
• Some cyclists carry repair outfits because they may have a puncture. 有些骑自行车的人带修理工具，因为他们车胎可能小孔。 来自辞典例句

3 dressing   

n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料

参考例句：

• Don't spend such a lot of time in dressing yourself.别花那么多时间来打扮自己。
• The children enjoy dressing up in mother's old clothes.孩子们喜欢穿上妈妈旧时的衣服玩。

4 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

5 craving   

n.渴望,热望

参考例句：

• a craving for chocolate 非常想吃巧克力
• She skipped normal meals to satisfy her craving for chocolate and crisps. 她不吃正餐，以便满足自己吃巧克力和炸薯片的渴望。

6 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

7 partnerships   

n.伙伴关系( partnership的名词复数 )；合伙人身份；合作关系

参考例句：

• Partnerships suffer another major disadvantage: decision-making is shared. 合伙企业的另一主要缺点是决定要由大家来作。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• It involved selling off limited partnerships. 它涉及到售出有限的合伙权。 来自辞典例句

8 crave   

vt.渴望得到，迫切需要，恳求，请求

参考例句：

• Many young children crave attention.许多小孩子渴望得到关心。
• You may be craving for some fresh air.你可能很想呼吸呼吸新鲜空气。