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Louise Gray & Barbie
Other | Tuesday 18th September 2012 | Osh
She’s been an icon for young girls since the 50’s. This petite blonde has been a fashionista for her entire career and bounced back better than Britney after her divorce with Ken and re-marriage to beach boy Blaine, and now it’s London fashion week and she’s causing up a stir working with Louise Gray. That’s right: Barbie is back.
It’s been a fashion season to remember for our childhood heroines, with Mini Mouse’s influence for feminine style and now Barbie. Louise Gray, famed for her colourful style and novelty eyebrows, has taken inspiration from Barbie and decided to give this matriarch of the doll world a well- earned make-over.
"My clothes are always about colour and fun – making a bold statement through the way you dress," says Gray. "I want to see Barbie in some separates and layer up her look, giving her a different way to be girly and fun than how people are used to seeing her."
This look really is far from the Barbie of my childhood. Not a light up roller skate or ball-gown in sight: rather, Barbie found herself with a much stronger street, urban style. However, always on trend, Barbie was spotted in some bang on trend 60’s shift dresses with Gray’s signature bursts of colour. The dream house catwalk was also paraded with monochrome tights splashed with the Barbie logo, a 90’s rudeboy graffiti tee smothered with Barbie badges, and rings fit to put Cindy doll back in her place. If that sounds a little too rock and roll for you, Barbie also had some pretty summery dresses and one hell of a patchwork cardy, and if I’m honest, who doesn’t want a patchwork number?
After plastering my face with Louise Gray’s Topshop make-up range, it seems now I’ll be taking tips from my childhood toys for fashion inspiration. Let’s hope eye masks and turtle shells don’t make a come- back.
By Becky Tanner-Rolf
