I vividly remember spending many hours dressing my Barbies in the bright and flashy 80s outfits of the time, making clothes for them from my mum’s sewing box and cutting their hair (very badly I should add - sorry Barbie!).  Now Barbie is getting the ultimate fashion makeover! As part of her 50th birthday celebrations she will have her own show at New York Fashion Week in February 2009 and 50 fashion designers have been enlisted to create life size outfits inspired by Barbie to be modelled in the show.

The designers are yet to be announced but I’m sure the selection will be diverse and amazing. The mind boggles at the possibilities of that one – out there Vivienne Westwood Barbie, sexy and uber stylish Gucci Barbie, ladylike and super pretty Chloe Barbie, geek chic Marc Jacobs Barbie and so on… Barbie is also going to collaborate with acclaimed bridal designer Vera Wang (now that will be the ultimate Bridal Barbie) on another design project and produce a capsule collection with New York designer Jeremy Scott as well next year. With such exciting projects on the horizon I’m sure Barbie’s 50th year will be her best one yet! 

She has played a huge part in many little girls’ childhoods, and for many of us was our first exposure to fashion...