Latest news with #BarbieFashionista
Los Angeles Times
09-07-2025
- Health
- Los Angeles Times
Mattel's newest Barbie has diabetes
Dressed in a matching polka dot tank top and ruffled skirt with blue chunky heeled boots and a mini purse, Mattel's newest Barbie may look like previous dolls at first glance. But this particular doll stands out with a wearable insulin pump on her waist, a glucose monitor on her arm and a phone showing her blood sugar readings, making her the El Segundo-based toy company's first Barbie with Type 1 diabetes. The doll continues Mattel's expansion of representation across its flagship brand. The Barbie Fashionistas line features more than 175 looks across various skin tones, body types and disabilities, including previous additions like a blind Barbie, a Barbie with Down syndrome and a Barbie with hearing aids. The company's commitment to representation has proved commercially successful. In 2024, the top 10 most popular Barbie Fashionista dolls globally included the blind Barbie and the Barbie with Down syndrome. The Fashionistas series also includes dolls with vitiligo, prosthetic limbs and wheelchairs. The wheelchair-using doll has consistently been a top performer since its introduction in 2019. Krista Berger, senior vice president of Barbie and global head of dolls at Mattel, said Barbie helps shape children's early perceptions of the world. Reflecting medical conditions like T1D ensures 'more kids can see themselves in the stories they imagine and the dolls they love.' The doll was developed with Breakthrough T1D, the leading global Type 1 diabetes research and advocacy organization. The partnership ensured medical accuracy while incorporating diabetes awareness symbols through the clothes' blue coloring and polka dot pattern. Aaron J. Kowalski, chief executive of Breakthrough T1D, said the partnership is about 'bringing greater visibility to a condition that affects so many families.' The doll launched Tuesday during Breakthrough T1D's 2025 Children's Congress in Washington, D.C. The event brings together more than 170 children living with Type 1 diabetes, giving them face time with members of Congress to advocate for ongoing funding for Type 1 diabetes research. This year they asked members of Congress to renew funding for the Special Diabetes Program. The Special Diabetes Program's current funding expires after September. The program, first allocated by Congress in 1997, faces uncertainty amid recent cuts to federally-funded projects. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition affecting nearly 9 million people globally, with about 352,000 children living with diabetes in the United States. The CDC reports that 1.7 million individuals 20 or older live with Type 1 diabetes and use insulin. The new Barbie is available through Mattel Shop and retailers nationwide.
Daily Record
09-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
Mattel releases first ever Barbie doll with type 1 diabetes and it's available now
Complete with a CGM and insulin pump, the first ever Barbie with type 1 diabetes is now on sale. Children with type 1 diabetes will now be represented in Barbie world thanks to Mattel's latest release. The toymaking giant has launched its first ever version of the legendary doll that has the condition. Today, July 8, Mattel announced that the new Barbie aims to expand representation and inspire children with type 1 diabetes. The toy company partnered up with Breakthrough T1D, the leading global advocacy and research organisation for type 1 diabetes, to create the doll. The newest Barbie Fashionista will allow children with the condition to finally see themselves represented in the world of this iconic toy - and it even comes with the equipment these kids will use themselves. Type one diabetes is a chronic autoimmune condition that causes the pancreas to make very little insulin or none at all. It is managed with insulin therapy and comes with risks of either short and or long-term complications. Barbie collaborated with Breakthrough T1D to accurately reflect the medical equipment often used by those with this condition, including an insulin pump on the doll's waist and a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM), which the new Barbie wears on her arm. 'Introducing a Barbie doll with type 1 diabetes marks an important step in our commitment to inclusivity and representation,' said Krista Berger, Senior Vice President of Barbie and Global Head of Dolls. 'Barbie helps shape children's early perceptions of the world, and by reflecting medical conditions like T1D, we ensure more kids can see themselves in the stories they imagine and the dolls they love.' The newly unveiled Barbie Fashionistas doll with type 1 diabetes is now available online at Mattel Shop, and is available on Amazon for £13.99. It is also available online at Walmart. The details of this new doll have been planned in great detail to raise diabetes awareness all the way down to her outfit, which consists of a matching blue polka dot skirt and top. The colour blue and circular print were inspired by global symbols that represent diabetes awareness. She even has a matching blue bag to store her medication. It comes as part of Barbie's ongoing partnership with Breakthrough TD1, where they also donated dolls to the diabetes organisation's 2025 Children's Congress in the US. 'We were thrilled when Barbie approached us to collaborate on the development of the Barbie doll with type 1 diabetes,' said Aaron J. Kowalski, Ph.D., CEO of Breakthrough T1D. Aaron has lived with T1D since he was 13, and his brother has had the condition since he was 3. He said the partnership with Barbie was deeply personal, and he is grateful to be part of bringing greater visibility to this condition that affects so many families. He continued: "It's an honour to work with a brand that shares our commitment to showing children that a life with type 1 diabetes can be full, vibrant, and empowering.' Lilly Moss, Kate Moss' model daughter who has the condition, was presented with the new doll during its launch, which she described as 'surreal'. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Mattel unveils first Barbie doll with type 1 diabetes: 'We knew the time was right'
There's a sense of pride in seeing a Barbie doll that looks like you. Now, children with type 1 diabetes will understand what that feels like. The popular toy manufacturer on Tuesday unveiled the most recent addition to its ever-growing Barbie Fashionista line: the Barbie doll with type 1 diabetes. The intention, per a press release from Mattel, was to give more children the opportunity to 'see themselves in Barbie' as well as 'the world around them.' 'We know that children's early childhood experiences, especially play, help shape what they imagine to be possible, and it is important that they feel they are represented,' Krista Berger, Barbie's senior vice president and head of dolls at Mattel, told Yahoo in an email. 'The Barbie doll with type 1 diabetes is an important next step on our journey to ensuring every child can see themselves in Barbie.' To bring this Barbie to fruition, Mattel partnered with Breakthrough T1D, a type 1 diabetes research and advocacy organization, to ensure that the doll visually reflects the realities of living with the condition. With the organization's help, Mattel crafted a Barbie who wears a continuous glucose monitor that measures her blood sugar levels, which is secured to her arm with heart-shaped medical tape. She also has an insulin pump attached to her waist. This Barbie wears a blue polka-dot outfit — a blue circle is the global symbol of diabetes awareness — and carries a purse to hold any other necessities. Berger said Mattel's decision to launch the type 1 diabetes doll was inspired by one specific statistic. 'According to our partner on the doll, Breakthrough T1D, approximately 219,000 children and adolescents under the age of 20 around the world were diagnosed with T1D in 2024,' Berger wrote to Yahoo. 'That number is powerful — and personal for so many families around the world. Given that data and the meaningful conversations we've had with our Barbie fans, we knew the time was right to debut the first Barbie doll with type 1 diabetes.' Launched in 2009, the Barbie Fashionistas line features more than 175 dolls with varying body types, skin tones, hair colors and textures, eye colors, disabilities and senses of style. A blind Barbie, a Black Barbie with Down syndrome, a Barbie with hearing aids and a Barbie with vitiligo are among the different dolls featured in the collection. Including a Barbie with type 1 diabetes felt both timely and appropriate. 'Introducing a Barbie with type 1 diabetes was a natural and meaningful addition to the Fashionistas line,' Berger wrote to Yahoo. 'It's another step in our ongoing commitment to inclusivity and to ensuring that all children feel seen, heard, and empowered through play.' Added Berger, 'By including medical conditions like T1D, we're broadening the scope of representation in the toy aisle and helping kids imagine a world that embraces and celebrates differences.'
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Mattel unveils first Barbie doll with type 1 diabetes: 'We knew the time was right'
There's a sense of pride in seeing a Barbie doll that looks like you. Now, children with type 1 diabetes will understand what that feels like. The popular toy manufacturer on Tuesday unveiled the most recent addition to its ever-growing Barbie Fashionista line: the Barbie doll with type 1 diabetes. The intention, per a press release from Mattel, was to give more children the opportunity to 'see themselves in Barbie' as well as 'the world around them.' 'We know that children's early childhood experiences, especially play, help shape what they imagine to be possible, and it is important that they feel they are represented,' Krista Berger, Barbie's senior vice president and head of dolls at Mattel, told Yahoo in an email. 'The Barbie doll with type 1 diabetes is an important next step on our journey to ensuring every child can see themselves in Barbie.' To bring this Barbie to fruition, Mattel partnered with Breakthrough T1D, a type 1 diabetes research and advocacy organization, to ensure that the doll visually reflects the realities of living with the condition. With the organization's help, Mattel crafted a Barbie who wears a continuous glucose monitor that measures her blood sugar levels, which is secured to her arm with heart-shaped medical tape. She also has an insulin pump attached to her waist. This Barbie wears a blue polka-dot outfit — a blue circle is the global symbol of diabetes awareness — and carries a purse to hold any other necessities. Berger said Mattel's decision to launch the type 1 diabetes doll was inspired by one specific statistic. 'According to our partner on the doll, Breakthrough T1D, approximately 219,000 children and adolescents under the age of 20 around the world were diagnosed with T1D in 2024,' Berger wrote to Yahoo. 'That number is powerful — and personal for so many families around the world. Given that data and the meaningful conversations we've had with our Barbie fans, we knew the time was right to debut the first Barbie doll with type 1 diabetes.' Launched in 2009, the Barbie Fashionistas line features more than 175 dolls with varying body types, skin tones, hair colors and textures, eye colors, disabilities and senses of style. A blind Barbie, a Black Barbie with Down syndrome, a Barbie with hearing aids and a Barbie with vitiligo are among the different dolls featured in the collection. Including a Barbie with type 1 diabetes felt both timely and appropriate. 'Introducing a Barbie with type 1 diabetes was a natural and meaningful addition to the Fashionistas line,' Berger wrote to Yahoo. 'It's another step in our ongoing commitment to inclusivity and to ensuring that all children feel seen, heard, and empowered through play.' Added Berger, 'By including medical conditions like T1D, we're broadening the scope of representation in the toy aisle and helping kids imagine a world that embraces and celebrates differences.'
