Fashion doll brand Barbie expands its line of design collaborations by partnering with clothing company Gap.
After a challenging quarter with net sales falling 9%, clothing retail giant Gap is looking to bounce back with an exciting new collaboration. Later this year, Gap and Mattel plan to unveil a collection based on Mattel's iconic Hot Wheels toys, marking a significant departure from the usual fashion offerings.
The Gap x Barbie collection, set to launch on May 23, will be available on gap.com and in select Gap stores globally. The partnership, which has been met with enthusiasm by Gap's chief merchant, Christopher Goble, includes a wide range of items such as tees, skirts, logo hoodies, denim, button-downs, accessories, and even pet apparel.
This collaboration is part of a modern wave of Barbie apparel partnerships aimed at adult consumers and leveraging Barbie’s cultural resurgence, which has notably boosted Gap's sales. Barbie's history of apparel collaborations spans decades, with partnerships ranging from early designer outfits like Bob Mackie in the 1990s to recent extensive brand campaigns coinciding with the Barbiecore marketing trend.
The recent Gap x Barbie collaboration benefits Gap by aligning with a viral, nostalgia-infused, pink-themed pop culture moment that attracts both longtime fans and new adult consumers. While specific sales figures for Gap following this collaboration were not detailed, the strong social media activity, massive brand exposure, and trend momentum strongly imply a positive sales impact for Gap.
Meanwhile, Mattel, the manufacturer of Barbie, also expects to drive its sales growth with its doll and vehicle businesses. Mattel and Gap have announced an apparel collaboration based on Mattel's brands, with the first release being the Gap x Barbie collection. Mattel will sell some styles via Mattel Creations, its collector and direct-to-consumer platform. The items will feature Barbie branding and Gap's signature arch typeface.
The anticipation around the upcoming Barbie movie is also stoking the hype around all things Barbie. As for Gap, they have not yet named a chief executive.
In a separate development, Adidas has stopped selling items from its collaboration with Kanye West following the rapper's racist and antisemitic remarks and social media posts. The Yeezy Gap collaboration imploded last year, and Gap stopped selling items from the collection.
Barbie, on the other hand, continues to expand her portfolio of collaborations, recently adding Forever 21 and Balmain to her list. Despite the challenges faced by some collaborations in the fashion industry, Barbie's extensive history of successful apparel partnerships shows no signs of slowing down.
- Gap's collaboration with Mattel's iconic Hot Wheels toys is a departure from the usual fashion offerings, signaling a new direction in the business for the clothing retail giant.
- The Gap x Barbie collection, featuring a wide range of apparel from tees to pet apparel, is set to launch on May 23 and will be available online at gap.com and in select stores globally.
- This collaboration with Barbie is part of a modern wave of Barbie apparel partnerships that aim to capture the interest of adult consumers and leverage Barbie's cultural resurgence, which has boosted sales for Gap.
- In a bid to drive sales growth, Mattel will sell some styles from the Gap x Barbie collection via Mattel Creations, its collector and direct-to-consumer platform, featuring Barbie branding and Gap's signature arch typeface.
