Gotta ask this, is a ‘Bowie Barbie’ just “too weird”?

By Bandook - July 18, 2019

Mattel chose to celebrate the 50th anniversary of David Bowie’s Space Oddity by…what else… releasing a Barbie doll dressed as Ziggy Stardust.


That’s right. A Barbie doll and not a Ken doll.

The doll, priced at $70, features the late celebrity in his red hair and face-painted avatar, complete with jumpsuit and boots.

Why did the toy company decide to make a line of Bowie Barbies? The company’s website states this: 

Barbie honours the ultimate pop chameleon, English singer, songwriter and actor, David Bowie, whose dramatic musical transformations continue to influence and inspire. With a career spanning over five decades, David Bowie was at the vanguard of contemporary culture as a musician, artist, and icon. He was, and remains to be, a unique presence in contemporary culture. Dressed as Bowie’s fantastic sci-fi alter ego, Ziggy Stardust, in the iconic metallic ‘space suit’, this collectible Barbie doll honours the cultural legacy of the musical genius who redefined rock and roll. Subject to availability. Colours and decorations may vary.

Yes, Bowie was an androgynous, bisexual icon for his time, but do we really need a doll that so does not resemble him or do justice to his memory?

