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Mattel and Amazon have released a line of t-shirts honoring Black Barbie and her legion of fans around the world.
The T-shirts are available online now as part of Mattel’s Black History Month storefront, though they make a style — and social — statement all year long. While the Barbie doll was first introduced in 1959, a Black Barbie didn’t hit store shelves until 1980. The popularity of the doll led to calls for even more diversity among the Barbie family, resulting in the launch of a Hispanic Barbie and Asian Barbie in later years (Mattel’s Lunar New Year Barbie doll remains a bestseller each year). Now, Mattel says it has dolls in more than 20 different skin shades, with diverse hairstyles, hair colors, eye colors and body shapes.
Part of Amazon’s merch-on-demand program, each Black Barbie T-shirt is available in more than a dozen colors, with generous sizing from small to 6X. Amazon offers big and tall, and plus sizes as well. This is an officially licensed release from Mattel.
And while Nicki Minaj once sang about “Black Barbies” — remixing the Rae Sremmurd hit, “Black Beatles” — it’s safe to say these Black Barbie T-shirts aren’t just about a “pretty face [and] perfect body” — they’re also about celebrating diversity and putting the culture in pop culture.
Also worth noting: while Minaj may refer to herself as a “Barbie” and to her fans as “Barbs” (or “Barbz”), many credit Lil’ Kim as the first female rapper to reference the iconic doll, with the rapper calling herself a “Black Barbie dressed in Bulgari” in her 2003 hit “The Jump Off.”
Here’s a look at the some of the Black Barbie T-shirts to buy on Amazon right now.
Barbie – Global Icon T-Shirt
This “Global Icon” tee gives retro beach vibes with its 70s-inspired styling and big wavy hair.
Barbie – Style Icon T-Shirt
Barbie has always been a style icon, and this T-shirt showcases her in her leggy, glamorous glory. Barbie sports a voluminous pink dress on a digital design reminiscent of a fashion magazine cover.
Barbie – Often Imitated, Impossible to Duplicate T-Shirt
Barbie knows her worth and this T-shirt showcases her cool and casual confidence. As the name of the tee says, she’s “Often imitated [but] impossible to duplicate.”
Barbie – 1980s Black Barbie Horizontal Dynamite Logo T-Shirt
This T-shirt may be labeled as an “80s” pick but it also nods to the Blaxploitation-era posters of the 70s with its orange and brown colors and vintage styling.
Barbie – As You Are T-Shirt
This Black Barbie T-shirt gives us total 90s vibes, reminiscent of a GAP ad — especially in this blue and white colorway.
Barbie – 1980s Black Barbie and Logo T-Shirt
The Black Barbie T-shirts are available in a variety of colors, and we like the pink-on-pink design here, which puts the iconic Barbie logo front and center.
Barbie – Radiate Positivity T-Shirt
Barbie has always been at the forefront of social commentary — see the 2023 Oscar-nominated live action film for proof — but at the end of the day, the character’s goal is to bring joy and positivity into the world.
