‘Barbie’ Inspires the Look of the Summer With Film Release
Barbie is hitting screens next week as one of the most anticipated films of the summer. Directed by Greta Gerwig, the film follows Barbie and Ken as they leave behind their colorful, perfect Barbie Land to venture into the real world. Audiences aren’t just excited to view the film—they want to dress like they live in Barbie Land along with Barbie and Ken. Following the movie’s first premiere and some banger PR red carpet fashion, Google searches for “pink barbie fashion” have spiked 9,900%.
What is Barbiecore?
Barbie-inspired fashion, aka Barbiecore, has always been relatively popular. But it’s exploded as a trend as the movie’s release nears. Barbiecore encompasses “the typical characteristics of Barbie, including hot pink outfits with matching nails, glittery accessories and bleach-blonde hair,” says Nick Drewe, Trend Expert at WeThrift.
“The style is all about looking pretty in pink,” says Drewe. “We’re seeing lots of matching pink sets, monochromatic looks and feminine silhouettes. Brands like Maison Valentino and Miu Miu have also started to incorporate the signature trend into their fashion lines, embracing colourful prints and textures that incorporate the modern characteristics of Barbiecore.”
Barbie-inspired fashion has been seen on the likes of Kim Kardashian, Megan Fox, Lizzo, and Hailery Bieber, to name a few. It’s also evident in the Valentino Pink PP Collection.
Barbie fashion is the trend of the summer
Just as people are Googling “pink Barbie fashion” for inspiration, #barbiecore is trending on TikTok surpassing 488.2 million views and searches for “hot pink fashion” spiked 488% in a day following Barbie’s Los Angeles premiere, according to Drewe. Barbiecore is also all over Pinterest, with searches rising by 376% over the last three months.
“With stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling fully immersing themselves in their respective characters, coupled with the fact the film is already garnering Oscars buzz for the 2024 Academy Awards, it looks like the Barbiecore trend will continue to surge and be the hottest (and pinkest) trend for summer 2023 and beyond,” said Drewe.
‘Barbie’ costumes by Jaqueline Durran
Of course, all of this fashion influence is linked back to the costumes in the film designed by Jacqueline Durran. In the world of Barbie, clothes are hugely important.
“Barbie really is interlinked with fashion, because how you play with her is by dressing her,” Durran told British Vogue. “Clothes are her form of expression. You don’t treat Barbie like you treat a regular character because the motivation for what she’s wearing isn’t from within.”
Throughout the film, Margot Robbie’s Barbie goes on an emotional journey of self-discovery. Durran says, if watched closely, viewers will notice the change reflected in the lead’s clothes.
As for audience members who want to imitate Barbie’s essence in their own wardrobe, the costume designer says you can’t go wrong with pink.
“If you wanted to make something immediately look ‘Barbie’, I think pink does that for you,” she said.
