Mattel launches Barbie for visually impaired people. It comes with cane, braille packaging
Mattel’s Barbie doll features a red and white cane, functional sunglasses, and a unique eye gaze that reflects the characteristics of many blind people.
Barbie, introduced by Mattel in 1959, has been a beloved companion to millions of children across the world. Many children still love to play with Barbie, that comes in various body types, skin tones, and so on to better reflect the world’s diverse population. The iconic doll’s creator has now taken a significant step towards inclusivity by introducing its first-ever blind Barbie doll that comes in braille packaging. The packaging has “Barbie” written in braille on it.
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Partnering with the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB), Mattel ensured that every detail of the doll, from its appearance to its packaging, represents individuals with blindness or low vision. The doll features a red and white cane, functional sunglasses, and a unique eye gaze that reflects the characteristics of many blind people.
The doll is dressed in a pink satin T-shirt and purple tulle skirt. To ensure easy dressing and undressing, loop fasteners are attached to the back of the doll’s top, while the skirt has an elastic waistband.
The company also tested the doll with blind and low-vision children to refine the doll’s design and ensure that it provided a satisfying playing experience for these kids.
“In partnership with AFB, Barbie proudly introduces the first Blind Barbie Fashionista doll, developed to authentically represent blind and low-vision individuals. This doll features an upward and outward eye gaze, sunglasses, and a cane with a marshmallow tip. Textured fabrics enhance the sensory experience, making fashion elements more accessible with easy-to-open Braille packaging and elbow articulation for comfortable cane use, facilitating accessibility to show that we are all Barbie,” wrote the company in an Instagram post.
Take a look at the first-ever blind Barbie doll below:
Eric Bridges, CEO and President of AFB, praised the collaboration, stating, “It was an honour to collaborate with Barbie on the development of the blind Barbie doll.”
He added, “By increasing representation and promoting awareness about the experiences of blind individuals and those with low vision, our shared goal is to inspire boundless opportunities for everyone, ultimately leading to a world of greater accessibility and inclusion.”
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“We recognize that Barbie is much more than just a doll; she represents self-expression and can create a sense of belonging,” Krista Berger, the senior vice president of Barbie, said in a news release.
In 2023, Barbie introduced the first-ever Barbie doll with Down syndrome in collaboration with the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) to increase inclusivity.
Barbie’s dress and accessories were carefully designed to represent some physical traits of a person with Down syndrome.