A Frida Kahlo Barbie doll is to be released in April as part of a new series of fashion dolls for collectors.
The Barbie Inspiring Women Series will initially launch with three dolls based on the likeness of aviator Amelia Earhart, mathematician Katherine Johnson, as well as the artist Frida Kahlo.
The dolls can be pre-ordered now from Mattel’s Barbie website. The launch date is Monday 16 April 2018. Each doll will be sold for $29.99, however, you can save yourself almost nine dollars by pre-ordering the Barbie Inspiring Women Gift Set which includes all three dolls.
Frida Kahlo was born in Mexico in 1907 and grew-up to be a celebrated artist and political activist. At the age of two, Frida Kahlo contracted polio which stunted the growth of her right leg. She began painting after a ‘Bus collision with a streetcar left her severely injured. The crash caused her to be impaled by a steel handrail which went through her hip and which went out of the other side of her body. She suffered a broken pelvis and several fractures of her spine.
Frida Kahlo painted many self portraits and during a period of time she spent in Paris her work was displayed along-side famous contemporary artists such as Pablo Picasso.
The Barbie doll does not reflect Frida Kahlo’s true body-shape but does reflect her fondness for wearing colourful, long dresses traditional to Mexico.
Frida Kahlo was also famously politically active, she advocated feminism and had been a member of various communist organisations. She had even helped Leon Trotsky and his wife Natalia during their exile from Russia.
Later in life Frida Kahlo had part of her leg amputated due to gangrene. Only a week after her 47th birthday she passed away.
Katherine Johnson was a mathematician hired by NASA to work as one of a number of human computers that would calculate the trajectory of the USA’s first manned flight into space.
Not only was Katherine Johnson remarkable as a child prodigy that went on to achieve bachelors degrees in both maths and French at just eighteen years of age, she also overcame the common barriers of race and gender.
Amelia Earhart was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. As part of a team, Amelia Earhart crossed the Atlantic in 1928 in a flight that lasted almost 22 hours.
In 1932, Amelia Earhart became first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic. Her journey started in Newfoundland, after battling strong winds, icy conditions and mechanical problems, Amelia Earhart landed her plane in a field in county Derry. The journey time was 14 hours and 56 minutes.
Each doll in the series is intended for grown-up collectors rather than playthings for children. Included inside each box is a doll stand and a certificate of authenticity.