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

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.

From the mind of Mattel’s lead designer, Carlyle Nuera, 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 sampaguita to the classic terno sleeves, the bakya intricately carved with images of the bahay kubo, the indigenous batok tattoos, a malong-inspired skirt, and the janggay jewelry, Barbie’s latest look is proudly Filipino.

That’s not all though. Designed by Laydiana Chiv, 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 malong skirt, echoing the intricate weaves of the indigenous tribes.

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 Mutya 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.

The new Barbie Signature doll is now available for purchase.