Paris-based Balmain under the creative direction of Olivier Rousteing has teamed up with Mattel’s Barbie on a 50-piece collection of apparel, accessories as well as an NFT launch. In an exchange with the NY Times on the project, Rousteing stated, “Having Barbie in my Balmain Army, making a collection inspired by her where there are no boy clothes or girl clothes, is my small revenge. I think Barbie represents a joyful dream world. There’s nothing wrong with a dream. But let’s push the dream and not dream of the ’50s or ’60s, but 2022. For me, it’s a lot more than just a commercial project. It’s very emotional.”
Rousteing provided some additional backstory on Instagram where he wrote, “So this collaboration is more than just a collaboration. There is a message stronger than just a color card. When I was a little boy , I remembered hearing comments saying : a girl plays with Barbie , a boy with a car. This is such a cliché. As much as blue is for boy , pink is for girls. That’s why I love so much this collaboration , because Balmain and Barbie is bringing and stopping clichés and bringing a new era where FREEDOM is the right word. I feel so proud of this collaboration because we building a world where you are not defined by neither a gender , neither colors , neither codes that are not relevant today anymore.
I am proud of this picture because it shows that the beauty of letting dreams with freedom since a young age will make you a free adult with passion.”
Balmain and Barbie will launch in Balmain stores and on balmain.com on January 13, 2022. Bidding for Balmain and Barbie’s NFTs will begin on January 11th on mintnft.com.
