● Barbie® partners with Fashion Designer Kittie Yiyi and Fashion Stylist Min Luna in its You Can Be A Designer Competition
● Six aspiring fashion-forward kids win mentorship with Kittie Yiyi and Min Luna
● The winning designs were made into reality by Kittie Yiyi
It was a dream come true for the six young winners
of the Barbie® You Can Be A Designer Fashion Reinvention Competition.
Not only did they win a once-in-a-lifetime mentorship opportunity to
learn from Fashion Designer, Kittie Yiyi, and Fashion Stylist, Min Luna,
their original designs were made reality and brought to life by Kittie
Yiyi for both our winners and their Barbie® dolls.
The
competition was open for submissions from 30 April 2021 to 7June 2021.
85 entries from across Malaysia were submitted in two age categories:
Category A (5-8 years old) and Category B (9-12 years old).
The young
hopefuls submitted a range of creative designs all conceived to WOW the
judges and showcase their interests and personalities. The Top 20
entries were shortlisted for the Virtual Presentation, where the
designers had the opportunity to present their designs to the judging
panel composed of Kittie Yiyi, Min Luna, and Elaine Lim, Brand Manager
of Mattel Continental Asia.
“It was so wonderful to meet
the finalists at the Virtual Presentation and get a peek into their
creative process,” said fashion designer, Kittie Yiyi. “I was inspired
to see girls as young as 5 years old getting excited about fashion
design. It brought back so many memories of when I was little and would
sew clothes for my Barbie® dolls. It’s been such a joy to be a part of
the journeys that these little designers are taking.”
It
was Aleesya Inara, Nina, Khayrah, Alayna, Olivia, and Umaa Meenaa who
ultimately impressed the judges and clinched the top spots for fashion
mentorship. The six young designers truly embodied the spirit of Barbie®
Fashion Reinvention, with their exciting designs and their stellar
presentations.
From Category A, Khayrah’s (8)
transformational, PPE-inspired gown was a heartfelt tribute to her aunt
who is a frontliner; Aleesya Inara’s (7) delightful, doughnut-inspired
dress and precocious personality made her stand out; and Nina’s (6)
bright and colourful beach outfit was a wonderful explosion of her
charisma. From Category B, Alayna (9) told an inspiring story of growth
with her elegant, butterfly-inspired dress; Olivia (10) stunned judges
with a very fashionable and practical unicorn-inspired number; and Umaa
Meenaa (11) presented a gorgeous, galaxy-inspired creation,
demonstrating a skilful use of shapes and silhouettes.
The
mentorship was originally planned as in-person experiences, but the
brand made the decision to bring the mentorship online in order to keep
both winners and mentors safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. Each winner
was sent a customised designer kit equipped with everything they needed
to help them really sink their teeth into their craft. Their afternoon
with Min Luna was all about looking inward, finding their confidence,
and learning about their personal style. They spent the next day with
Kittie Yiyi who taught them about the ins and outs of the fashion
industry while helping them work on creating Barbie®-sized versions of
their designs for their dolls.
“It’s been such a special
experience to spend this time with the girls during such a formative
period in their lives,” said fashion stylist, Min Luna. “I remember
struggling with confidence when I was around their age, so it has been
such a rewarding opportunity to encourage and instil some confidence in
them. They are all so unique and have so much to offer; it is a gift to
be a part of igniting that spark within them that I hope will continue
to burn bright for the rest of their lives.”
The campaign
culminated in an online Fashion Showcase in which the six winners got
to strut their stuff in their designs. Kittie Yiyi and her team worked
wonders despite the restrictions of the government mandated Enhanced
Movement Control Order (EMCO), and managed to realise the six winning
dresses designed by the winners. The young designers walked down the
hallways and living rooms of their homes, striking poses, and owning the
proverbial runway, adorned in their creations brought to life.
“Mattel
is so honoured to play a part in these young girls realising their
fashion dreams,” said Elaine Lim, Brand Manager, Mattel Continental
Asia. “We are especially proud to be able to offer an avenue to unite
and encourage young ones to pursue their passions while they are home.
Barbie® has always been an inspiration, and we believe that this
experience will stay with these girls for years to come and continue to
empower kids to be anything they want to be.”
To
continue the celebration of the Fashion Reinvention Campaign, the brand
has announced the launch of Sundays with Barbie®, an episodic livestream
series featuring women who are positive role models for young ones.
Barbie® had fashion gurus, Kittie Yiyi and Min Luna, championing the
topic of creativity; fashion entrepreneur, Veen Dee Tan, sharing about
confidence and self-expression as well as fashion models, Nalisa Alia
Amin and Sonya Danita Charles, discussing diversity and self-acceptance.
Each of them with insights to share about the unique way fashion can be
used as a tool of empowerment.
I like Barbie a lot and I used to have a nice collection of it and I also handmade clothes/dress for them. I like designed the Barbie fashion and had many wonderful memories of it.
To find out more about Barbie®, check out her Facebook [OfficialBarbieSEA], Instagram [@barbie], or YouTube channel [@barbie].
