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The Reinvention of Barbie

© Lauren Greenfield

With Oscar treatment, p.r. fanfare, and the obvious pop-star influences of Britney and Christina, Mattel has redesigned Barbie to appeal to the highly attractive "tween" market of seven to twelve-year old girls.
Branded "My Scene" and engineered by a large team of designers and public relations people, the resulting Barbie, Madison and Chelsea don multicultural features, pop star wardrobes and attitude, and a historic facelift (only the fourth time ever that Barbie's face has been altered.) A rare glimpse into the factory that produces the unique pop culture and 2.5 billion dollar a year phenomenon.

click to view complete set in the archive


Institute Artist is redefining how stories are produced and told. Representing auteur-driven storytellers, we bring together talent across commercials, photography, fine art, and film. Founded by Matt Shonfeld and Frank Evers. Institute Artists multi-platform production expertise, and established global relationships in entertainment, fine art, and journalism make for unmatched reach and cross-pollination of creative work. Institute Artist has been a leading advocate of the power of underrepresented talent and is fully committed to bringing these authentic voices to our clients by helping them tell compelling and entertaining stories that better connect with their audiences.