Posted by : MW
Saturday, May 29, 2010
In honor of her 50th birthday as one of the Western world's most popular girls' toys, Barbie was given a makeover — wearing a burqa. Outfitted in the traditional Islamic dress, the iconic doll went undercover for a charity auction in connection with Sotheby's Save The Children. More than 500 burqa-clad Barbies appeared in the show at the Salone dei Cinquecento in Florence, Italy. Toy manufacturer Mattel backed the exhibition, which was the work of Italian designer Eliana Lorena. The company director of Laird Assessors from England applauded the move: "Bring it on Burqa Barbie, I think this is a great idea…. The message with Barbie for women is you can be whatever you want to be" (Daily Mail, Feb. 16).