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Fashion, The Glow Up

The Kickoff: Dapper Dan’s Latest Collaboration Merges Fashion and Football

The iconic designer brought his talents to a luxe limited-edition lounging collection with Pepsi—complete with its own custom print.

By

Maiysha Kai

Published

September 9, 2021
Culture, Health

Barbie Released a Line Celebrating Global COVID-19 Heroes—but We Feel Like Someone’s Missing

The line of six one-of-a-kind dolls honors women working in all aspects of the fight against the coronavirus, but Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett wasn't among them.

By

Maiysha Kai

Published

August 6, 2021
Black Excellence, Culture

After Snagging Big Wins at the ESPY Awards, Naomi Osaka Is Honored With Her Own Barbie

The doll in Osaka's likeness is now a permanent part of Barbie's 'Role Model' series.

By

Maiysha Kai

Published

July 12, 2021
Beauty + Style

He Got Dap: For His 60th Birthday, the Ken Doll Gets a New Wardrobe by Dapper Dan

Some things get better with age…like the now 76-year-old designer and renaissance man Dapper Dan of Harlem, N.Y. (also the inaugural recipient of The Glow Up 50’s “Dap Award,” a lifetime achievement honor we named for the fashion legend). But another male cultural icon recently hit a major milestone—Mattel’s Ken doll. The Stedman to Barbie’s…

By

Maiysha Kai

Published

March 11, 2021
Beauty + Style

Conversations for Change: #1000BlackGirlBooks Creator Marley Dias Shares Her Story With American Girl

If you’ve ever had a conversation with Marley Dias, you know she’s wise beyond her years. We had the pleasure of doing so last fall for The Root Presents: It’s Lit! podcast, and we were in awe of Dias’ poise and self-awareness—though maybe we shouldn’t have been, given that the 2019 Young Futurist has also…

By

Maiysha Kai

Published

February 18, 2021
Beauty + Style

She Should Run: Barbie's Campaign May Be the One We're Most Excited About in 2020

We may still be speculating about who presidential candidate Joe Biden will ultimately pick for his running mate, but Mattel’s latest release already has our vote. On Tuesday, the beloved toy brand announced its Campaign Team Set, created “to expose girls to public leadership roles and pique their interest in shaping the future,” according to…

By

Maiysha Kai

Published

July 28, 2020
Beauty + Style

Thank You, Heroes: Fisher-Price's New Line of 'Little People' Honors 'Community Champions'

If, as I did, you grew up playing with Fisher-Price’s “Little People,” you no doubt feel a wave of nostalgia upon just hearing the name. But if you have little people of your own these days, you may already be well-acquainted with the current generation of this legacy line—and are well accustomed to seeing them…

By

Maiysha Kai

Published

April 29, 2020
Beauty + Style

A-Tisket, A-Tasket, A-Barbie: Ella Fitzgerald Is One of Barbie's Newest 'Inspiring Women'

In life, she was known as the “First Lady of Song” and the “Queen of Jazz.” And though the world lost legendary jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald in 1996, her legacy has, for the most part, survived through her incredible musical catalog, which includes her inimitable interpretations of the Great American Songbook (much of which this…

By

Maiysha Kai

Published

February 20, 2020
Beauty + Style

Living Dolls: Mattel Continues Barbie's Evolution With Even More Diverse Options for 2020

It’s not hyperbole to say that for most of the now-60-plus years that Barbie has been a household name, the fashion doll represented a prototypically feminine, Eurocentric beauty standard that was largely unattainable for its increasingly diverse, predominantly young female fanbase. But in recent years, parent company Mattel has steadily been working to make Barbie’s…

By

Maiysha Kai

Published

January 30, 2020
Entertainment

‘Get Out’ of Here! Daniel Kaluuya Is Bringing Barney to the Big Screen for a Fresh, New Take on the ’90s Fave

It’s been a decade since the syrupy strains of “I love you, you love me” left the airwaves, along with the popular purple dinosaur that made the ditty famous. Now, acclaimed actor Daniel Kaluuya, of Get Out and Black Panther fame, will be bringing Barney the dinosaur back. Under the auspices of his production company,…

By

Dara Sharif

Published

October 18, 2019