Barbie has been a lot of things: a civil rights activist, an astronaut, and a mathematician to help that astronaut get into space. Now, Mattel is giving Barbie her most spiritual — and spookiest — makeover yet. The new DÃa de los Muertos Barbie is coming soon to a store near you, just in time to celebrate the beloved Mexican holiday. She's as intricately decorated as you would expect, with details on her outfit referencing traditions and rituals. Read of more details, and see close-up photos of her stunning DÃa de los Muertos transformation.
Here she is, the Catrina DÃa de los Muertos Barbie!
Barbie is celebrating the DÃa De Los Muertos, decked out as a Catrina (more on that below). Her beauty look is incredible: Barbie's hair is black and blue, and she's wearing it in two long braids down her back, topped off with a flower crown and orange butterflies. Barbie's face is also painted to look like a traditional sugar skull.
¡Mira que bellÃsimo es el vestido! Translation: Look how beautiful the dress is!
Barbie's dress is exquisitely detailed. She loves a mermaid silhouette, with traditional Mexican ruffled sleeves and floral embroidery. Her two-layered skirt is decorated with sugar skulls, flowers, and dimensional butterflies sewn into the lace. Barbie also caught a butterfly on her hand!
The holiday remembers those that have died, but it's a celebratory holiday, rather than a quiet one.
In many traditions, remembering death is a solemn ritual. For Mexicans who celebrate el DÃa de los Muertos, it's a lively, colorful affair, with lots of delicious food (I could pan de muerto all day long), special songs, and community. Individual homes and villages will create ofrendas, or offering altars, dedicated to departed ancestors, friends, and loved ones; the beautiful ofrendas are filled with candles and trinkets to welcome to spirits of the deceased.
There's a reason for all those butterflies!
In Mexican culture, the monarch butterfly plays an important role in DÃa de los Muertos. The holiday typically coincides with the return of butterflies, or mariposas, who are leaving the northern areas for the winter. Their cyclical return also symbolizes the freedom of the spirits who have passed away.
The DÃa de los Muertos Barbie is done in the Catrina style.
The DÃa de los Muertos Barbie is modeled after the traditional Catrina. The Catrina is symbol of the holiday; she is a female skeleton wearing a large hat and an Elizabethan-style dress. Her whimsical skull is painted, like the calaveras we see today. It was originally designed by Mexican cartoonist José Guadalupe Posada as a tongue-in-cheek reminder that everyone dies, even the snobby aristocratic Europeans!
The skull, or calavera, face paint is meant to take away the fear of death.
It's no secret that in many religions and cultures, death invokes a feeling of terror and finality. In the Mexican tradition, el DÃa de los Muertos is a time for deceased love ones to return, and the anticipation of their return is what makes the holiday so joyful. It's like getting to see an old friend or family member! We're all bones in the end, so let's enjoy our time on this side of the veil while can.
How I can buy the DÃa de los Muertos Barbie?!
Mattel confirmed to Revelist that the DÃa de los Muertos Barbie will be released on September 12, just in time for the holiday. She'll retail for $75 and will be available at Walmart. The 2019 DÃa de los Muertos starts on October 31 and goes through November 2.
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