Mattel unveils first blind Barbie at diverse doll launch

Mattel’s latest Barbieland Fashionista is a stylish rendition of a visually impaired Barbie with mobility aids, and also the line’s first Black Barbie with Down Syndrome, adding yet another representative dynamic to the toy brand’s catalogue.

The company’s first blind Barbie is the latest to feature fashionable and functional accessories, including a white-and-red cane and protective sunglasses, and embodies the diversity of her real-life friends. The company has previously released a number of dolls with similar visual characteristics, including a wheelchair-bound Barbie and her service dog.

“By increasing representation and awareness of the experiences of people who are blind and have low vision, our shared goal is to create endless opportunities for all and ultimately make the world a more accessible, more inclusive place,” wrote Eric Bridges, CEO of the American Foundation for the Blind.

The company didn’t stop there: Mattel’s first Black Barbie with Down Syndrome will join its existing Fashionista doll with Down Syndrome, which first launched in 2023. The two new dolls were designed in collaboration with the American Foundation for the Blind and the National Down Syndrome Association, Mattel’s previous creative partner. The two organizations consulted on all aspects of the design, including the doll’s physical make-up.

Mattel’s blind Barbie has been designed with articulated elbows, a rare feature for a Barbie doll, to allow for better control when using her cane. She also comes with specially textured clothing and packaging featuring color contrasts designed specifically for the visually impaired. The packaging has braille markings and a new design that makes it easier to open. Mattel has announced that it will be adding the new packaging to all dolls in its Fashionista line going forward.

For Mattel’s Black Barbie with Down Syndrome, the design team brainstormed with focus groups that included young Black women from the Down Syndrome community. The result, Mattel explains, was a doll with a short build, long torso, low muscle tone and a unique facial design. Other details include long braided hair and a dress designed in a Down Syndrome awareness color palette.

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“NDSS is thrilled to introduce our second Barbie doll with Down Syndrome,” wrote NDSS President and CEO Kandi Pickard. “The release of this doll, along with our new blind Barbie doll, marks another important step in expanding representation of the disability community.”

The doll will also appear in the upcoming YouTube series, “Barbie Adventures,” which will premiere this fall. “We know Barbie is more than just a doll. She represents self-expression and can inspire a sense of belonging,” wrote Krista Berger, Mattel’s senior vice president of Barbie and global head of the doll division.