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☆ Millennials and Gen Zers in Asia don't want to work in factories. It means you could soon pay more for clothes, furniture, and toys.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Young people in Asia don't want factory jobs, so companies are raising wages and adding perks. That's because factories across Asia that have traditionally produced many of these goods are struggling to find workers, The Wall Street Journal reported. In China, manufacturing workers' wages have more than tripled over the past decade, and factory workers in Vietnam, Malaysia, and Japan, have seen notable pay bumps as well. Companies like the Barbie manufacturer Mattel, the toy maker Hasbro, and Nike are facing elevated labor costs in Asia that have contributed to price hikes. Mark Perry, University of Michigan economistExperts attribute Asia's factory labor shortage to a variety of factors.

Persons: it's, Manoj Pradhan, Mark Perry, Julian Zhu, Gabriel Galvan, It's, Barbie Organizations: Service, Street Journal, Companies, Mattel, Hasbro, Nike, University of Michigan, Reuters Locations: Asia, Wall, Silicon, London, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Japan, Mexico, America

☆ The Toughest ‘Barbie’ Critics Are Barbie Collectors
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Esther Zuckerman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Before going to see “Barbie,” the doll collector Laura Maar had reservations. “By the second time, though, I really did love it,” said Maar, 49, a kindergarten teacher in Southern California. But collectors like Maar were fans of Barbie long before. I spoke with 10 collectors — many of whom showed up for our video interviews wearing hot pink Barbie merch with their dolls proudly on display — to find out: Did the film pass muster with this most demanding group of fans? “I was so pleased there were so many nods to longtime Barbie fans.”

Persons: Barbie, Laura Maar, Barbie’s, Midge, Allan, Ken’s, that’s, ” Maar, Greta Gerwig, ”, “, let’s, “ Barbie, Margot Robbie, Maar, Liliana Saldaña Organizations: mascara Locations: Southern California, Laredo , Texas

☆ After a Long and Painful Absence, Writing Her Way Home Again
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( Leah Greenblatt | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

By her early 30s she had earned a law degree from Harvard, an M.F.A. from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and a PEN/Hemingway Award for her lauded debut novel, “The Grass Dancer.” Then Mona Susan Power’s world went dark. But depression, anxiety, and what she would later learn to identify as complex P.T.S.D. led her to withdraw almost completely from a life she felt increasingly ill-equipped to handle in the wake of “The Grass Dancer’s” success. If you’re not prepared for it, if you don’t really believe that you deserve it … the whole impostor syndrome thing, it just got worse.

Persons: Martin Luther King Jr, tugged, Hemingway, ”, Mona Susan Power’s, Nellie, Bear Gates, Susan Kelly Power Organizations: Academy, Harvard, Iowa, ’, PEN, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Minn, “, of Dolls Locations: Chicago, St, Paul, “

☆ New York woman Barbara Lakin restores old Barbies for migrant girls
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( Alaa Elassar | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

New York CNN —Barbara Lakin sits on a bus in New York City, her fingers busy sewing blue thread into a tiny dress. On the seat beside her, six disheveled Barbie dolls stick out of her backpack. Cory CurtinUsing old Barbies she buys or donated dolls, Lakin, a New Yorker living in the East Village, restores the toys as gifts for the children. In March, the organization also opened the Little Shop of Kindness, where the migrants can shop for free and young migrant girls can receive the Barbies. This way, she can donate matching Barbie dolls and shirts to father-and-daughter duos who come to the store.

Persons: Barbara Lakin, Barbie, ” Lakin, Lakin, Cory Curtin, “, ”, Greg Abbott, Human Services Anne Williams, Eric Adams ’, Alejandro Mayorkas, Williams, Isom, Ilze Thielmann, Thielmann, Ilze, ‘, we’re, Barbara Lakin Lakin, Barbies Organizations: New, New York CNN, CNN, TLC, New York’s Port Authority Bus, Texas Gov, Health, Human Services, Homeland, Migrants, WCBS, Port Authority, Kindness Locations: New York, New York City, Central, South America, New Yorker, East, New York’s, Washington and New York, Midtown Manhattan, Long Island City, Bryant, England, Latina

☆ Mattel 'Weird Barbie' doll for sale for limited time
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( Eva Rothenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Some might say Weird Barbies are made, not sold. Mattel, however, begs to differ. The toy company behind the iconic Barbie brand has announced a signature doll modeled after Kate McKinnon’s character from Greta Gerwig’s blockbuster “Barbie.” In the movie, McKinnon’s character helps send Margot Robbie’s Barbie on her journey. “Barbie” is produced by Warner Bros. Pictures, which is owned by CNN’s parent company Warner Bros. The doll is one of seven products in an expanded collection stemming from the billion-dollar hit movie, including various Barbie and Ken dolls modeling outfits they wore on-screen and a Hot Wheels corvette set.

Persons: Barbie, Kate McKinnon’s, Greta Gerwig’s, ”, Margot Robbie’s Barbie, “ Barbie ”, McKinnon, ” Mattel, Ken, ” Lisa McKnight, “ Barbie Organizations: CNN, Mattel, Warner Bros . Pictures, Warner Bros .

☆ 'When I think of Bratz I think of Black girl': Bratz fans want to know why Kylie Jenner is the brand's first celebrity doll
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-06 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

MGA Entertainment tapped Kylie Jenner to create six collectible mini Bratz in her likeness. Loyal Bratz fans have questioned the brand's choice to partner with Jenner. Bratz tapped Kylie Jenner for its first-ever celebrity doll since the brand's debut 2001 debut. "This is a seminal moment in Bratz history to join forces with Kylie Jenner as the brand's first-ever celebrity collaboration," Bratz creative director Jasmin Larian said in the release. Bratz dolls dominated the toy industry in its first five years, grossing $2 billion in sales in their first five years on shelves.

Persons: Kylie Jenner, Jenner, Jasmin Larian, Kylie, Yasmin, I've, Jen, hou, tim e Organizations: MGA Entertainment, Service Locations: Wall, Silicon

☆ 'Barbie' makes history with $1 billion box office
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-06 | by ( Eva Rothenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —“Barbie” has answered the billion-dollar question with a resounding “yes.” Barely three weeks into its run, writer-director Greta Gerwig’s blockbuster has raked in an astounding $1.03 billion at the global box office, according to official Warner Bros. estimates. He added the movie’s marketing campaign was the first hint “Barbie” would be a box office smash. “Barbie” was distributed by Warner Bros., which is owned by CNN’s parent company Warner Bros. Its global success was driven by box office sales in some of the world’s largest movie markets, including the United Kingdom, Mexico and Australia. 1 release in these markets every weekend since its release, according to tracking site Box Office Mojo.

Persons: New York CNN — “ Barbie ”, Greta Gerwig’s, Barbie ”, “ I’ve, Barbie, ”, Paul Dergarabedian, Dergarabedian, ‘ Barbie ’, ‘ Oppenheimer, ’, Margot Robbie —, —, “ Barbie ”, “, Barbie ’, Michael Berry, Berry, Barbie haters, it’s, BoxOffice, Shawn Robbins Organizations: New, New York CNN, Warner Bros, Comscore, Collider, Warner Bros ., UCLA’s Center, Chinese Studies, BoxOffice Pro Locations: New York, United Kingdom, Mexico, Australia, China, United States

☆ Barbie doll sales are booming online as the blockbuster film barrels toward $1 billion at the box office
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( Dominick Reuter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The "Barbie effect" is also boosting Mattel's direct-to-consumer sales of dolls, per Shopify. Shoppers are "voting with their wallets" for their favorite brands, even as they cut spending elsewhere, one exec said. Two weeks after the hit summer film's release, box office sales are on track to top $1 billion, and retail sales of the namesake dolls are booming. "We're seeing [Mattel] doll sales up 56%," said Harley Finkelstein, president of Shopify, the e-commerce platform that powers the direct-to-consumer operation for Barbie's parent company. "Consumers are voting with their wallets to buy from their favorite brands," he said.

Persons: Barbie, Harley Finkelstein, Finkelstein, Richard Dickson, Dickson, we've Organizations: Service, Shopify, Mattel Locations: Wall, Silicon

☆ I'm a Barbie girl who almost got tricked by a plastic-free hoax
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( Catherine Boudreau | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A fake campaign by environmental activists said Barbie-maker Mattel would go plastic-free by 2030. Outlets like People, The Washington Times , and Dow Jones Newswires reported that Mattel, the maker of Barbie and other toys like American Girl dolls and Hot Wheels, would go plastic-free by 2030. "With our plastic-free commitment, we denounce the empty promises of plastic recycling and take a bold step towards real ecological sustainability. By the end of the day, Yahoo News had the exclusive on the team behind the stunt : The Barbie Liberation Organization. The stunt did make me envision what seaweed Barbie would look like — but it's unclear if that's possible.

Persons: Barbie, I've, that'd, Dow Jones Newswires, Greta Thunberg, Daryl Hannah, Instagram, Hannah, Hannah didn't, Ynon Kreiz, Mattel, Igor Vamos, Mike Bonnaro, Vamos, Adam McKay Organizations: Mattel, Service, The Washington Times, Yahoo News, Liberation Organization, Barbie Liberation Organization, Dot Studios Locations: Russian

☆ Midge, the pregnant doll mocked in 'Barbie,' may have failed in the 1960s because she was friendlier and 'much more girl-next-doorish' than Barbie, Ruth Handler once said
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Mattel's Midge doll may have failed in the 1960s because she was "less glamorous" than Barbie, Ruth Handler once said. A pregnant version of the doll, referenced in Greta Gerwig's movie, was pulled from Walmart in 2002. A TV advert said that Barbie, Midge, and Ken "go everywhere together," including sunbathing on the beach, playing tennis, and attending school. Mattel released a pregnant version of Midge in 2002. Walmart pulled the sets, with a spokesperson telling CNN at the time that customers "were not happy" with the pregnant doll.

Persons: Midge, Barbie, Ruth Handler, Handler, Greta Gerwig's, Emerald Fennell, Ken, Allan, Michael Cera, didn't, Barbie's, Alan, Mattel, Lawrence Lucier, Ryan –, Ryan, – Organizations: Walmart, Service, Mattel, PJ, University of Southern, CNN Locations: Wall, Silicon, University of Southern California

☆ Point of no return: Australians fight for the right to work from home permanently
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Byron Kaye | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

You can actually finish work at five, rather than finishing at five spending 45 minutes trying to get home." When you have a jolt, you never return to the way the world was," said John Buchanan, head of the University of Sydney's Health and Work Research Network. That same week, the public sector union struck a deal the which lets Australia's 120,000 federal employees request work-from-home an unlimited number of days. By comparison, Canada's federal workers ended a two-week strike in May with a wages agreement that came without the WFH protections they wanted. Among employees with WFH experience, 19% wanted to return to the office full-time, the survey found.

Persons: David Gray, SYDNEY, Nicholas Coomber, Coomber, Jamie Dimon, Elon Musk, John Buchanan, We're, Jones Lang Lasalle, Melissa Donnelly, WFH, Mathias Dolls, Jim Stanford, Stanford, Byron Kaye, Miral Organizations: REUTERS, JPMorgan Chase, Twitter, University of Sydney's Health, Work Research, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, National Australia Bank, NAB, European Union, Community, Public Sector Union, CBA, ifo, Macroeconomics, Stanford University, Workers, Centre, Australia Institute, Thomson Locations: Melbourne, Southbank, Australia, New Zealand, Tokyo, New York, JLL.N, Hamburg

Several news organizations fell for an elaborate hoax on Tuesday that claimed that all Mattel toys, including the iconic Barbie doll, would be plastic free by 2030, starting with a new line of decomposable “EcoWarrior” dolls made with organic materials including mushrooms, algae and clay. The campaign, carried out by an activist group that calls itself the Barbie Liberation Organization, included a series of false news releases and advertisements purporting to be from the toy giant Mattel. The group said it wanted to capitalize on the hype that has surrounded the blockbuster “Barbie” film, released last month, and call attention to the use of plastic in toys. In one of the clips, the actor and environmental activist Daryl Hannah strolls along a picturesque beach, where she plucks a barnacle-encrusted doll from the sand.

Persons: Barbie, Daryl Hannah strolls Organizations: Mattel, Barbie Liberation Organization

Hyperrealistic baby dolls can cost upwards of 15,000 euros. Babyclon, a doll producer, uses medical-grade silicone, alpaca hair, and nail resin, which contribute to the high price point. But the months of painstaking manual labor required to achieve a lifelike doll are what account for most of that price. And with added features such as animatronics and artificial intelligence, the possibilities are endless. Babyclon website: https://babyclon.com/en/home/

☆ Paul Reubens, Pee-wee Herman star, dead at 70
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Lisa Respers France | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Paul Reubens, who found fame as the quirky man-child character Pee-wee Herman, has died, his publicist announced. It was after college that Reubens created the iconic character Pee-wee Herman while a member of the famed Los Angeles improv group, The Groundlings. Paul Reubens as Pee-wee Herman in 2009. The HBO broadcast of the show introduced the Pee-wee Herman character to a national audience. In 2010, he produced, co-wrote and starred in an updated revival of “The Pee-wee Herman Show” in Los Angeles.

Persons: CNN — Paul Reubens, Herman, “, Paul Reubens, ”, “ Paul, ” Reubens, I’ve, Reubens, Nick Burns, Camelot, Walt Disney, Danny Moloshok, Stephen Sondheim, Judd Apatow, Laurence Fishburne, Natasha Lyonne, Jimmy Smits, Sandra Bernhard, S, Epatha, ” “, Raymond, ” Paul Reubens, Isabella Vosmikova, Friend, Adam Shankman Organizations: CNN, Ringling Bros, Barnum, Southside Elementary, The Players, Brookside Junior High, Boston, California Institute of the Arts, Walt, HBO, CBS, Netflix, NBC, ” “ Reno, Disney, Entertainment Locations: American, Peekskill , New York, Sarasota , Florida, Sarasota, “, Los Angeles, Angeles

☆ The market for a particular vintage Barbie doll went haywire after Michael Cera's cameo in the 'Barbie' movie
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Jennifer Sor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Auction prices for Mattel's discontinued Allan doll spiked after the release of the new "Barbie" movie. Michael Cera plays the role of Allan in the new box-office hit, which raked in $155 million its opening weekend. A preowned Allan doll sold for $410 on eBay on Tuesday, while the price for another Allan doll reached $605 on Friday in an ongoing auction. That's a dramatic increase from Allan doll prices last Thursday before the release of the "Barbie" movie, which ranged from $35-$76, according to screenshots published by TMZ. The surge in prices has been sparked by renewed interest in Mattel's iconic dolls after the debut of the new "Barbie" movie last Friday.

Persons: Allan, Michael Cera, Michael Cera's, Oppenheimer Organizations: Mattel's, Service, eBay, TMZ, Mattel, billings Locations: Wall, Silicon, BoxofficePro

Naija grew up in Nigeria, and she had a few Barbie dolls that she would sew her own African print attire for. “I never saw a Black Barbie growing up, not until I got to America in the late 90s,” the fashion editor said. In the pandemic, the dolls filled a creative void for her and she started collecting more and sharing online. She attended the convention for the first time this year.

Persons: Naija, “ Locations: Nigeria, America

☆ Everyone's talking about the 'Barbie' movie – but the doll's sales are actually falling
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-27 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Sales of Barbie dolls and related merchandise fell in the first half of 2023, Mattel execs say. This is despite the doll being catapulted back into the spotlight in Greta Gerwig's "Barbie" movie. But execs say July sales so far are higher than last year and the impact of the movie will last for years. Gross billings represent amounts invoiced to customers and don't include the impact of sales adjustments, such as trade discounts. Mattel said that despite gross billings for Barbie falling, sales for its Disney Princess, Disney Frozen, and Monster High franchises helped boost its dolls category overall.

Persons: Barbie, Greta Gerwig's, Gross, Mattel, billings, Anthony DiSilvestro, DiSilvestro, Mattel execs, Ynon Kreiz, Richard Dickson, we've Organizations: Mattel, Service, Disney Locations: Wall, Silicon, billings

☆ Mattel plans to go all in on Barbie for Christmas
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Mattel, riding high on the pink wave of the box office success of the “Barbie” movie, plans to go all in to deliver a Barbie kind of Christmas this year. The “Barbie” movie, from director Greta Gerwig, scored the largest opening weekend of 2023, pulling in $155 million domestically over its US opening weekend and $337 million globally. On June 1, Mattel released a new collection of toys tied to the “Barbie” movie, which included Barbie and Ken dolls pegged to characters in the movie and a toy replica of Barbie’s three-story DreamHouse. Kreiz said the initial movie-related products had sold out and that Mattel plans to release more products timed for the holidays. Mattel's new Barbie and Ken dolls tied to their characters in the "Barbie" movie.

Persons: New York CNN —, Barbie, Greta Gerwig, Barbie ”, Ynon Kreiz, we’ve, ”, Kreiz, Ken, Anthony DiSilvestro, it’s Organizations: New, New York CNN, New York CNN — Mattel, Warner Bros . Pictures, Warner Bros . Discovery, Mattel Locations: New York

☆ The surprising list of actors who were up to play Ken in ‘Barbie’
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( Lisa Respers France | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Ryan Gosling may or may not be your ideal Ken in the new “Barbie” movie, but one of the film’s casting directors has shared who else might have gotten the role. In an interview with Vanity Fair, Allison Jones — who cast the hit film along with Lucy Bevan — talked about who else might have joined Barbie in her dream house. Like the line of dolls the movie is based on, there are multiple Barbies and Kens portrayed by a diverse cast of actors. And that meant Bowen Yang, Dan Levy, and Ben Platt were out of the running to play Ken. “Simu Liu was dying to be a Ken, God bless him,” Jones said of the actor who was eventually cast as one of the Kens.

Persons: CNN — Ryan Gosling, Barbie, Allison Jones —, Lucy Bevan —, Kens, Jones, Bowen Yang, Dan Levy, Ben Platt, Ken, “, I’m, ”, CJ Rivera, Slaven Vlasic, Evan Agostini, “ Simu Liu, ” Jones, Allan, Jonathan Groff, ’, Michael Cera, Bevan, Greta Gerwig, ” Bevan, ” Margot Robbie snagged, Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae Organizations: CNN Locations: London, Dua Lipa

☆ Barbie and Ken, this summer's hottest couple, were actually named after a brother and sister
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Ruth Handler's children resented the dolls named after them and didn't buy any for their own children. The plastic dolls were actually named for a sister and brother – the children of Mattel cofounder and Barbie creator Ruth Handler. "If people did find out, she'd tell them in no uncertain terms that she was not the Barbie doll." Barbara, meanwhile, said: "I'm tired of being Barbie doll." Timm Schamberger/DDP/AFP via Getty ImagesHandler also named dolls for her children's partners and their children, including Allan, named for her son-in-law.

Persons: Barbie, Ken, Ruth Handler's, They've, Greta Gerwig's, –, Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling –, Ruth Handler, Frederic Neema, Handler, Babs, Barbara, Barbara Millicent Roberts, Ruth, Jens, Ulrich Koch, Stache, Cyrus McCrimmon, Lobel, Blaine, Mel Melcon, Mattel Barbara, Elliott Handler, Bettmann, Barbara Handler, Handler's, Barbies . Bork, bimbo, Timm Schamberger, Allan, hadn't Organizations: Service, Mattel, Getty, Los Angeles Times, Hulton, Valentine's, Express, DDP, Getty Images, Denver, Fair Locations: Wall, Silicon, Europe, AFP, Nuremberg, Germany

☆ Conservatives are protesting Greta Gerwig's feminist blockbuster 'Barbie' by setting dolls on fire and calling for boycotts
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Some conservatives aren't happy about Greta Gerwig's new blockbuster, "Barbie." Now the dolls themselves have been targeted, culminating in a fiery stunt by Ben Shapiro. download the app Email address By clicking ‘Sign up’, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider as well as other partner offers and accept our Terms of Service and Privacy PolicyGreta Gerwig's "Barbie" blockbuster has sparked a fiery reaction from some conservative commentators. This was the case for Ben Shapiro, who was so irate that he set alight Barbie dolls worth an estimated $69. "The 2023 Barbie movie, unfortunately, neglects to address any notion of faith or family, and tries to normalize the idea that men and women can't collaborate positively (yuck)," she continued.

Persons: Greta Gerwig's, Barbie, Ben Shapiro, Matt Gaetz, Ginger, Ginger Gaetz, Ryan Gosling's, Ken, Jack Posobiec, Gaetz, Gosling's, Posobiec, Piers Morgan, Morgan, I'd, Tesla, Elon Musk, Musk Organizations: Mattel, Service, Republican, Washington DC, Twitter, New York Locations: Wall, Silicon, Republican Florida, Washington

☆ How the Indigo Girls Brought Barbie ‘Closer to Fine’
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( Trish Bendix | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In Greta Gerwig’s Barbieland, where every day is the best day ever, pop stars like Lizzo, Dua Lipa and Charli XCX provide a bouncy soundtrack as the live-action dolls go about their cheery, blissful lives. “There’s more than one answer to these questions, pointing me in a crooked line,” she sings with a smile, before thrusting a manicured pointer in the air. Barbie’s song of choice on her way to the Real World is the Indigo Girls’ “Closer to Fine.”The Indigo Girls, a folk duo from Georgia who have released 15 studio albums since 1987, featured “Closer to Fine” as the opening track on their self-titled 1989 LP. Emily Saliers wrote the song after she and her fellow singer and guitarist, Amy Ray, graduated from Emory University in Atlanta and were regularly playing a local bar called Little Five Points. It became a staple of the Girls’ live show that spread thanks to college radio play and an opening slot on tour with another Georgia band, R.E.M.

Persons: Greta Gerwig’s Barbieland, Charli, Margot Robbie’s, Emily Saliers, Amy Ray, It’s, Saliers Organizations: Emory University Locations: Dua Lipa, Georgia, Atlanta

☆ Who is Ken, really? The history of the world’s most misunderstood doll
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-22 | by ( Scottie Andrew | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

March 11, 1961: When Ken met BarbieThis original Ken doll from 1961 was supposed to be so handsome and magnetic that Barbie fell instantly in love. 1970s -1990s: Ken tries to be trendyEven with an ever-fashionable companion like Barbie, Ken could never quite crack it when it came to personal style, though he certainly tried. Mod Hair Ken: A quintessentially ‘70s doll with a massive mop of hair, extra-long sideburns and bonus facial hair made for mixing and matching. Totally Hair Ken: It looks how it sounds — this ’90s Ken came with a long, unkempt mane, real hair gel and a small comb his owners could use to style him however they wanted. Mattel introduced a “new and improved” Ken doll almost two years to the day after his break-up with Barbie.

Persons: CNN — “ Barbie, Ken, Barbie, He’s, cinephiles, “ Barbie, Kenneth Carson, Ryan Gosling, Ruth Handler, ”, They’d, Ken wasn’t, diehard Barbie, ” M.G, Yvonne Hemsey, “ hipper, Dan Savage, ” Savage, Mattel, Savage, they’d, —, Russell Arons, Barbie “, ” Arons, Barbie – Blaine, Phillip Bloch, Bloch, Matthew McConaughey, Orlando Bloom, “ Ken, ” Bloch, Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Michael Keaton, hadn’t, “, Valentine’s, Ryan Gosling cheesing, Gosling, Greta Gerwig, Robbie, Kenergy ”, ” Gosling, Ken’s, he’s, Jimmy Fallon, I’m, Ken —, Barbie ” Organizations: CNN, Warner Bros, Discovery, Mattel, New, Historical Society, New York Times, Pixar, ascot, Valentine’s, ” CNN, Facebook, Venice Locations: Barbie’s, Willows , Wisconsin, Cali, Europe, New York, Los Angeles

At thrift stores, vintage Barbie dolls have become a treasured find, prices in the collectibles market have soared, and antiques appraisers have been flooded by calls from new collectors. Not all longtime collectors of the iconic doll are as delighted as Keith by the recent interest in Barbie collecting. "I've largely stopped collecting dolls themselves and invest in clothing and accessories instead," wrote one user. Florida-based veteran Barbie doll dealer Marl Davidson said prices have climbed about 25% in recent months. "Barbie appraisals don't normally come the way they've been coming," she said.

Persons: Matthew Keith, Barbie, Keith, I've, Marl Davidson, It's, Davidson, Lori Verderame, they've, Verderame, Julia Harte, Rachel Nostrant, Paul Thomasch, Aurora Ellis Organizations: Retailers, Thomson Locations: Los Angeles, Florida

☆ Global retailers cash in on Barbie movie craze
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( Helen Reid | Thomson Reuters | London-Based Reporter Covering The European Retail Sector Through A Global Lens. Focusing On Companies Including Adidas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Arriana McLymoreJuly 21 (Reuters) - Shoppers are snapping up Barbie hoop earrings, perfume, jumpsuits, and dresses as retailers seek to cash in on Friday's Barbie film release, reigniting the craze for the plastic doll and her hot pink, sequin-adorned universe. Mattel says the Barbie movie is expected to boost global sales of Barbie dolls, which declined last year from record growth during the pandemic. A Gap Barbie hoodie for women was available only in size XXS online, while a pair of Barbie Crocs, priced at $59.99 - $10 more than normal Crocs - was sold out on the Crocs website. Luggage brand Beis had a waiting list for all three sizes of suitcases in a Barbie pink, priced at a premium to its usual colour range. Walmart pitched Barbie dolls in varying skin tones and hairstyles at $45 to collectors.

Persons: browses, Arriana, Friday's, Barbie, Jo Ashdown, Ryan Gosling, Ken, Zara Barbie, hoodie, Barbie Crocs, Barbie toothbrushes, James Zahn, that's, Helen Reid, Savyata Mishra, Siddharth Cavale, Nick Zieminski Organizations: REUTERS, Mattel, WPP, Walmart, Hyatt Hotels, Hilton, Thomson Locations: Zara's Soho, New York City, U.S, Bogota, Colombia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

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