“1961: Mattel launches Ken, the official boyfriend of Barbie.” Thus the company summarized its history in a 21st-century document, just before a promotional twist stunned the couple. In fact, in February 2004, Mattel issued an official note in which Russell AaronsVP of Marketing reported the end of the relationship barbie And Ken, Reluctantly. Aarons spoke on behalf of the two, announcing that their choice was final, even though they wished to remain friends. “Like many other stars”, the press release stated, “their fairytale love affair has come to an end”.
Where is the bigger love barbieThe doll that revolutionized the world of toys? what did he do wrong Ken Because of not being able to fulfill the dream of spending life with him? And to think that it was born as a fairy tale… It was March 11, 1961, when a handsome boy one and a half meters tall, with two types of hair (blond or brown), a red bathing suit and yellow sandals, came to the New York International Toy Fair. It was Ken, Barbie’s official boyfriend, who was launched by Mattel with an advertising campaign that proclaimed: “Barbie is in love!”. was behind ken Ruth HandlerTalented Entrepreneur and Co-Founder Mattelwho led the company from 1945 to 1974, when she invented the doll with blonde hair. Mercy that “mother” was barbiebut also of KenLiterally: The name of the toy was actually her son’s. kenneth Who was 18 years old at that time.
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how cane won us over
It wasn’t easy for Kane to win over Americans, Europeans and the rest of the world by carving a niche for himself in a market he probably didn’t expect: as the film’s tagline suggests margot robbie And Ryan Gosling: «Barbie is everything, while Ken… Well, it’s just Ken.” Complicating matters was that his first version was a clumsy, awkward, motionless-armed, scruffy doll with cropped hair (or Playmobil) and fewer Steve Jobs accessories at the presentation, as Mattel didn’t give him a personality beyond “a California surfer who always wears a bathing suit and does anything for his girlfriend”. Things began to change in 1973, when Kane updated himself with a more modern hairstyle that included, of course, sideburns and a mustache of choice, but the real turning point in the story of our handsome fellow came in 1978 with Superstar Kane, a stylistic change that enriched his wardrobe and silenced rumors about his intimate area, adding definitive briefs to his now more curvaceous body. The 70s were good for him. This is undeniable.
from African American Kane to magic cane
Thanks to his special relationship with Barbie, Ken has survived into the 20th century, while other characters from his pink world, such as Midge and Skipper (born shortly after him), have sunk into oblivion. The first African-American Ken arrived in 1982, becoming one of the first African-haired male dolls in history, but Ken reinvented himself in the 1990s: magic cane (1993) was meant to accompany barbie magic earringsWhose attraction was the exchangeable ornaments. Since its debut at the New York Toy Fair, the American press has launched an exaggerated and tabloid campaign that can only be described as the latest example of “gay panic”. Mattel has repeatedly denied the existence of a gender agenda. magic cane with earshot, but conspiracy theories pointed to an operation to cover up a previous controversy: exactly a year earlier, the company had been accused of “math lessons are tough!” There was a public apology for the line, which was uttered by one of its first Barbies with a pre-recorded voice chip, then brilliantly parodied by The Simpsons in one of its classic episodes. The earring cane was therefore interpreted by some media as an attempt to once again win over the country’s progressive sector, although those responsible have always denied it, claiming they just wanted to sell another toy to potential buyers. barbie magic earrings,
kane vs brad pitt
Just a year after Ken with the Earrings became a sought-after collectible item claimed by the LGBTI community, this man debuted as a lifeguard on the most-watched television series of all time, giving us another profession to add to his already incredibly rich resume. During more than six decades of his life, Kenneth played tennis player, astronaut, farmer, doctor, banker, boxer, reporter, detective, chef or Marine in the US military, though the list has now grown to over forty occupations and we do not have room to list them all. Shortly before breaking up with Barbie, Ken came out with a new look apparently inspired by her. brad pitt During the turn of the century, or so Mattel’s press department said then. Could this be a reason for their breakup? We’ll never know, but as you’ve probably been able to guess the separation didn’t last very long: In 2006, after “months of silence and introspection”, our Ken “announced to the world that he wanted to get back together with Barbie, reappearing with a new look that he hoped would rekindle the flame of their love”.
“There Are Other Keys To Play With”
After working out their issues, the lovebirds made their first appearance together at New York Fashion Week three years later. From the Runway, Kane Went Straight to Hollywood: In a Supporting Role toy Story 3 (2010), for which he received little help Michael Keaton, has helped solidify its appeal among contemporary audiences with what Gosling has brilliantly described as “Ken-energy”. “If people don’t want to play my Ken, there are other Kens they can play,” the actor explains in our summer interview. No one said it better: After more than six decades as the arbiter of fashion and more career resets than we can imagine, pop culture’s quintessential handsome man has demonstrated a versatility that is the envy of everyone.
Article originally published at GQ Spain