B&T spoke with James Chan, head of marketing for Reebok Pacific about Mattel and Reebok’s new collection, Ultimate Style Icons, launching on 20 September.
The new collection offers a head to toe unisex 16-piece capsule consisting of sneakers and apparel that can be worn by the entire family – sneakers ranging from kids US4 to women’s US15. It celebrated Barbie’s 65th anniversary with both a campaign and the collection launching on 20 September.
A key message of the collection is its focus on challenging gender stereotypes.
“The collection merges retro and future styles with Barbie’s classic charm. This collection is inspired by the Barbie Dream Gap Project, which aims to challenge gender stereotypes and address biases that limit girls’ potential. Featuring a range of lifestyle and performance apparel and footwear for both kids and adults, the collection blends Barbie’s iconic color palettes with popular Reebok silhouettes and designs,” said Chan.
Launched in 2018, the Barbie Dream Gap Project is based on research showing that girls begin to develop self-limiting beliefs as early as age five.
“The Barbie x Reebok campaign focuses on empowering girls to reach their full potential,” said Chan.
“This campaign, primarily driven by Reebok’s global team in the United States, aligns with Reebok’s ‘Human Rights Now!’ and ‘United Against Racism’ initiatives. Reebok is partnering with Girls Inc., donating to the organization and hosting a mentorship session at its Boston headquarters, where young girls will meet the Reebok x Barbie collection designers and receive items from the collection,” added Chan.
