A little over a month has passed since the release of the long-awaited film. Barbie directed by Greta Gerwig, which became a box office record in just a few weeks (about $ 162 million in the first weekend between the US and Canada), and the world has already turned pink. Or rather, the world, thanks to the iconic doll, has been experiencing waves of pink since 1959, when it was introduced to the market, becoming much more than just a toy. This year, the film brought her back in a big way, forcing her to leave theaters and intrusion into the real world of products inspired by Barbie’s pink world. From a color-changing Google page and a launching star, to a special edition mayonnaise (strictly pink), transitioning out of fashion, of course.
While luxury brands have gone to great lengths to dress the lead character, Margot Robbie, on the showcase tour, even tinkering with Versace archives or restoring Jeremy Scott’s Moschino collection, brands fast fashion they did what they could do best to get the attention of the general public: offer real-time collections inspired by the film (suffice it to think that the film was released on July 20, but capsule collections Zara has already been in real and virtual stores since 17).
Zara, but not only: Primark, Bohoo, Asos, Shein, Ovs, Alcott, Kiabi and Gap everyone launched their collections loosely inspired by the blonde icon, stepping on the gas pedal to capitalize on the trend “Barbicor” (actually always relevant, but more exaggerated now than ever). T-shirts featuring the iconic logo for only 13 euros, earrings for 5 euros and swimwear from 15 euros; but also pajamas, clothes, beauty products and household products. Even for him (because Ken also claims his share).
Nothing new, after all merchandising associated with movies/series/cartoons, it fills the coffers of forward-thinking brands to exploit pop phenomena and increase sales by making ordinary people Get closer to your favorite movie characters with a printed t-shirt or mug. In this case, however, pink empowerment facade In connection with the issues raised in the film, he is confronted with the industrial reality of these companies, which actually underpay women workers (most of them women), often violating their rights. In short, running the pink collection doesn’t help solve the problem. Neither ethical, nor the one associated with overproduction, which continues to undauntedly produce clothes of poor material and emotional quality: how long will it take for another Barbie-like dress to be the first to go into oblivion? and then in some landfill on the other side of the world? In short, everyone loves to dress up for a themed night or a movie, but there may not have been a need to release entire collections and push people to buy something that is up to date. trend. Collections fast fashion made, as usual, from materials made from virgin plastic (polyester is always oil, that’s it, I remind you), which first contributes to the looting of resources, and then pollutes the air, water and soil (polyester can take up to 200 years to completely decompose). In this case “life in plastic is NOT fiction“…
As if the number of items produced wasn’t enough to make the experience of the pink world even more intriguing, Zara released two popup windows, one in a Parisian store on the Champs-Elysées and another in Soho, recreating the famous Barbie Dream House in human scale, with a dressing room and a vending machine. In short, other elements goods exclusively for the occasion and it lasted for two weeks before it started collecting dust in warehouses (if not right in the trash can… which would be very stylish anyway)!
At this point, with a bitter smile, the phrase said by Sasha (performed by Ariana Greenblatt) to Barbie at the beginning of the film comes to mind: “You are killing the planet with your glorification of rampant consumption”. Thinking of countless collections fast fashion Inspired by Barbie, this message can only sound sadly plausible.
(Marina Savarese)