A New Filipina Barbie Has Made it to Mattel’s Collection—Take a Look

Barbie Signature lead designer Carlyle Nuera’s latest Barbie calls the Philippines her home.

Metro.Style Team

<p>Say mabuhay! to the newest addition in Mattel’s Barbie collection—and no, she doesn’t have the typical Barbie blonde hair or blue eyes. Rather, her skin is tan, hair is dark and wavy, eyes are brown, and lips are full. This new Barbie looks just like a Filipina. </p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/41863352-b113-4346-abd8-79cb4c46f648_screen shot 2024-10-30 at 4.11.27 pm.png" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt=""/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">The Barbie Styled by Design Doll 2 created by Carlyle Nuera</span></span></span></div><p>From the mind of Mattel’s lead designer, <strong>Carlyle Nuera</strong>, the Filipino-American paid homage to his motherland when he created the Barbie Signature Doll. As a celebration of the personal and professional inspirations of the creators behind Barbie, Carlyle drew inspiration from his own heritage, weaving various cultural references into the look. From the golden sun crown adorned with <em>sampaguita </em>to the classic<em> terno</em> sleeves, the <em>bakya </em>intricately carved with images of the <em>bahay kubo</em>, the indigenous <em>batok </em>tattoos, a <em>malong</em>-inspired skirt, and the<em> janggay</em> jewelry, Barbie’s latest look is proudly Filipino. </p><div><br/></div><p>That’s not all though. Designed by <strong>Laydiana Chiv</strong>, even the doll’s packaging itself draws from Philippine references. Encased in an egg-shell colored box, look closely to see the embossed details taken from the Barbie’s <em>malong </em>skirt, echoing the intricate weaves of the indigenous tribes. </p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/f0e53ef1-38c3-4fa3-b760-d6bbf3ff776f_screen shot 2024-10-30 at 4.12.36 pm.png" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt=""/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">The Barbie Styled by Design Doll 2 created by Carlyle Nuera</span></span></span></div><p>Just in time for Filipino-American History Month, Carlyle’s Barbie doll for the Styled by Design series was the perfect nod to the Philippines (following the <em>Mutya </em>Barbie which he created in 2015). Despite its long history as an emblem of the “ultimate American girl”, Barbie has since evolved toward a new direction, one rooted in a commitment to inclusive empowerment. Like Carlyle’s creations, Barbie’s legacy is now a symbol of diversified representation—because, after all, Barbie can be anything.</p><div><br/></div><p>The new Barbie Signature doll is now available for <a href="https://creations.mattel.com/products/barbie-styled-by-design-doll-2-hrm32?srsltid=AfmBOooUum_tzz4SWzsneeJxr7CV_hfaMs2So7jHjMHn8E5ZRZEla2QO&amp;fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR12EtHvWAM7BkePILlSABoNnfrwHL4Or-LuBVR5kdFqlZZfmUMaT-RerTc_aem_N0olZ1k9yEz3s09uIeIEWw" target="_blank">purchase</a>.</p><div><br/></div><div><em>Photos courtesy of Carlyle Nuera on Instagram</em></div><div><em>Article Written by Mavi Sulangi</em></div><div><br/></div>