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Barbie store for living dolls

By Michelle Zhang | January 4, 2009, Sunday | Print Edition

THE Barbie doll - standing 11.5 inches (29.2 centimeters) tall with the perfect vital statistics of 36-18-33, possessing countless designer dresses and never aging - has inspired the dreams of young girls for generations.

The dream is now closer to hand for Shanghai girls of all ages with the launching this month of Barbie Shanghai, the world's first flagship store for this, well, perfect woman. A pinkish dreamland on Huaihai Road M., the six-story store covers an area of more than 3,500 square meters.

"You will find everything that girls like here,'' said Richard Dickson, global manager and senior vice president of the Barbie brand.

"It's designed to be a celebration of girls, a place to make people smile.''

So, want to dress up like a doll? You can easily find tops, dresses, coats, jewelry and handbags for little girls and big girls, including the exciting "matching collection" featuring clothes that look the same as those worn by the dolls, only in different sizes suitable for living dolls.

There are also cosmetics, books and appliances, a catwalk, a spa and a video facility to record customer moments - a place where girls can come to live out their fantasies.

A cafe and restaurant have been introduced to make this Barbie experience even more exhilarating.

Think about it: throwing off a pink birthday party at the Barbie Cafe, ordering food with names that are so Barbie, picking up chocolates on which Barbie's profiles are printed?

"Over the years, the Barbie brand has grown from dolls to clothing, accessories, books, beauty, sporting goods and all sorts of categories, but we have never had a place where customers can experience all of these things, under one roof,'' Dickson said.

"We've been working on this idea for three years, then we came to the decision that since it is a whole new concept, it should be happening in the most 'future' place in the world,'' he said. "That's why we have chosen Shanghai, the most modern and fashionable city."

And of course, there are the dolls, from collector pieces to customized ones. Barbie is said to have 45 nationalities and over 100 professions, as well as a superb fashion sense.

So, be a Barbie stylist for once, and feel free to design your one-of-a-kind Barbie on the computer.

Dickson's favorite part of the store is the "pink tunnel,'' the escalator in the lobby to take people to the next floor, where the all-amazing Barbie experience begins.

"You will be immersed in a pink world and find yourself in a place you have never seen before,'' he laughs.

"There are also many innovative Barbie products that you can find no where else, only in the Shanghai store."

Limited edition Barbie dolls and products exclusively designed for Barbie Shanghai include two "Shanghai Barbie," one blonde and the other with long black hair, both dressed up in Chinese qipao inspired pink outfits.

New York designer Vera Wang has also created for the store a mermaid-style bridal gown of luxe fabrics and details "to exude glamour, elegance and femininity,'' she said.

"Barbie is an inspiration in every way,'' she added. "She has survived political, social and cultural changes while remaining relevant to the times.

"Barbie is always evolving to mirror the changing times and inspiring young women to follow their dreams."

Sunday


 

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