Both Barbie doll lovers and fashion fanatics will delight in a visit to the new Barbie EXPO, located in downtown Montréal.
The new exhibit includes displays with more than 1,000 Barbies, each one uniquely dressed. Some of the dolls are presented in costumes designed by world-renowned designers, while others are made to model famous movie characters and real-life personalities.
“Since the first model released in 1959, Barbie has always kept up with the trends and her never-ending wardrobe is full of every style from classic silhouettes to quick come-and-go fads,” says Valerie Law, vice-president of marketing for Soltron Group, which owns both Les Cours Mont Royal and Barbie Expo. “If you look back at Barbie throughout the years, you will be able to see decades of the biggest trends styled in miniature proportions. The haute-couture Barbie Expo is about fashion embodied by Barbie and Montréal is a fashion-forward city.”
Barbie Expo also celebrates diversity and includes dolls of all sizes and skin colors.
“A lot of the dolls were donated by collectors and designers from all around the world, therefore we also wanted to give something back to the society,” said Law, noting that admission to Barbie Expo is free. However, the museum accepts donations for Make-A-Wish Québec.
Barbies dressed by leading fashion houses include famous figures such as Christian Dior, Donna Karan, Giorgio Armani, Ralph Lauren, Vera Wang, Oscar de la Renta, Carolina Herrera, Zac Posen, Calvin Klein, Christian Louboutin and Diane Von Furstenberg.
The exhibit also includes Barbies dressed as icons from the entertainment industry, including Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, Grace Kelly, Beyonce, Cher, Jennifer Lopez, Lucille Ball, Heidi Klum, Farrah Fawcett and Cyndi Lauper.
Famous films are also highlighted throughout the Barbie EXPO, with doll costumes inspired by "Grease," "Titanic," "My Fair Lady," "Gone with the Wind," "The Wizard of Oz," "Pirates of the Caribbean," "The Hunger Games," "Legally Blonde," "Marie Antoinette" and "Cleopatra."