LAST WEEK, Mattel announced its plan to celebrate International Women’s Day with the release of 17 Barbie dolls honouring some of the world’s most prominent female role models.
From Amelia Earhart to Frida Kahlo, the dolls sought to represent women who were impactful in their field and showed bravery in the face of adversity.
And while the move was widely lauded, not everyone is impressed by the collection.
Salma Hayek, who played Mexican artist, Frida Kahlo, in the 2002 biopic, questioned her inclusion in the collection in an Instagram post yesterday.
“Frida Kahlo never tried to be or look like anyone else. She celebrated her uniqueness. How could they turn her into a Barbie,” she asked in a post which has been liked more than 176,000 times.
In the days that followed the dolls’ release, focus turned to Frida’s doll, with many asking why designers had chosen to give it two eyebrows, when Frida was known for her conjoined brow.
Indeed, further reports have stated that Frida’s family have sought a redesign – a claim which has been refuted by Mattel.
The Frida Kahlo Corporation actively participated in the process of designing the doll, Mattel has its permission and a legal contract that grants it the rights to make a doll of the great Frida Kahlo.
While Salma’s post has attracted considerable support, many Instagram users chose to celebrate the fact Frida was included in the collection in the first place.
