Meet the girl behind black Barbie’s groundbreaking, ‘dynamite’ type

In Greta Gerwig’s much-anticipated “Barbie” film, which opens in theaters Friday, “Insecure” actress Issa Rae brings some black energy to the enduring doll’s pink world as President Barbie.

Nevertheless it was one other African-American lady, Louvenia “Kitty” Black Perkins, who designed the primary black Barbie — launched in 1980 in a field that touted “She’s black! She’s lovely! She’s dynamite!”

Relatively than the lengthy, straight blond tresses and pastel-colored fashions of the normal white Barbie, the brown-skinned magnificence rocked quick, curly black hair and a glittering crimson costume full with matching dangling earrings.

“All the things Barbie [typically] was, I wished to do the alternative,” Black Perkins, now 75 and residing in Los Angeles, informed The Submit. “I knew precisely how black ladies put on their hair, how their garments had been completely different from … all of Barbie’s ballgowns.

“Mainly,” she continued, “I wished my black Barbie doll to look extra like me.” 

Though Mattel had launched Christie doll as Barbie’s good friend in 1968 — and Cara would observe her within the ’70s — this was the primary time an African-American bore the identify of the main girl herself.

Not relegated to being an “accent to Barbie,” this was a essential character creation that Black Perkins made on her method to changing into chief designer of the style doll line within the mid-’80s.

Coming 21 years after Barbie made her debut in 1959, it was a barrier-breaking transfer for Mattel as doll demand was altering.

“The collectors are those that basically made a distinction as a result of each conference that that they had, they had been on the lookout for black dolls,” mentioned Black Perkins. “So with that enter, Mattel was extra in tune with me doing a black Barbie doll.” 

Rising up in segregated Spartanburg, South Carolina, within the ’50s, Black Perkins had little expertise toying with three-dimensional dolls of any type.

“I did play with dolls, however it was primarily paper dolls as a result of we couldn’t afford numerous dolls and toys,” she mentioned.

As the center sibling of seven, the younger seamstress received her trend sense from her father, Luther Black. “He was simply so sharp,” mentioned Black Perkins. “If he would have on a lightweight blue swimsuit, he would have gentle blue footwear, a lightweight blue hat.”

After learning trend design at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College, Black Perkins labored within the business for about six years earlier than she received an interview for an assistant designer place at Mattel in 1976.

“Then, I went out and bought my first Barbie doll,” she mentioned. “And as a substitute of creating one outfit, I made six. The vice chairman of the corporate employed me on the spot. And on prime of that, the six outfits I introduced in — they put them within the line that 12 months.”

Three years later, in 1979, Black Perkins started work on the toy firm’s first black Barbie. “I had an individual that was within the hair division, a sculptor, a face painter, and most of their course would come from me as a result of I used to be black,” she mentioned. 

Diana Ross — one of many first huge pop superstars on the time — was a significant supply of inspiration. 

“I cherished the way in which that Diana would look when she was onstage, and her designer was Bob Mackie,” mentioned Black Perkins. “And so I wished that really feel to it.”

However the groundbreaking Barbie was not embraced by everybody within the black group. “We did numerous market analysis, and the very first thing the mothers wished to know was, ‘Why does she should have quick hair?’” recalled Black Perkins. “And with the pores and skin coloration, I sort of went in between actual darkish and actual gentle, however I nonetheless received criticism about that as effectively.”

Nonetheless, the doll was a giant hit with little black women. “Their response was ‘Oh, she appears to be like like me!’ Which was the intent.”

Black Perkins would go on to design the Afrocentric Shani line of dolls that had been later launched. In the meantime, black Barbie could be up to date with collector’s editions for particular anniversaries, most lately for her fortieth in 2020.

Whereas Black Perkins retired from Mattel in 2003, the divorced mom of two hasn’t hung up her stitching machine. She launched a line of embellished denims worn by the likes of Gladys Knight and now additionally does customized alterations.

And he or she appears to be like again on her years at Mattel with satisfaction in serving to black ladies be seen — each in company convention rooms and on toy retailer cabinets.

“Once I began on the firm, there have been only a few black folks,” mentioned Black Perkins. “So, it had its challenges. Nevertheless it was a lot enjoyable. I imply, it wasn’t like working — it was like taking part in.”