Black in Fashion - Italian Vogue Black Barbie Special Edition

OMG!!! I knew Italian Vogue made an all black issue in July of 2008 as a tribute to beautiful black women in the fashion and entertainment world, but there's a Black Barbie Edition too!!! The 2008 all black issue flew off the racks so the following year they published the The Black Barbie Issue. I got so excited flipping through the electronic pages on vogue.it that I showed it to everyone in the house. The issue also celebrated Barbie's 50th Anniversary, even though the first black doll made by Barbie, named "Francie", wasn't made until 1967. It wasn't until 1980 that the actual first Black Barbie was introduced, but she still had white features. Finally in September of 2009, with the help of Evelyn Viohl, Barbie Design's Senior Vice President, and designer, Stacey McBride-Irby, Mattel launched "So in Style", a line of Barbies made with more African-American looking features like fuller lips, a wider nose, more distinctive cheek bones, and curlier hair. The Black Barbie has come such a long way since the late sixties, but no matter what era she's in, she stays fashionable!

Italian Vogue Black Barbie Special Issue
July 2009

Barbie's So in Style Dolls
Introduced in September 2009
Vogue.it