Dolling Up South Asian Feminism & Sustainability: Exploring Barbie’s Impact
Greta Gerwig’s Barbie has taken the world by storm, starring icons like Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, America Ferrera, Issa Rae, and more. The movie provides a peek into Barbie World, where things are quite the opposite of our real word, and where patriarchy is non existent…until it is. The movie’s delve into the concept of feminism and its relation to the main character, Barbie, is quite an interesting take on the subject, especially for young viewers. The movie’s portrayal of a strained mother daughter relationship that mends itself in the face of crisis is also emotionally stirring and might tug some strings in some sensitive audiences.
It is important to analyze the impact of a movie as big as Barbie, that has a bigger audience, and whose marketing was played out to perfection, with the press tours and the Malibu Dream House, on diverse communities like that of South Asia, and the consequence of the Barbie trend on sustainability and fashion.
SOUTH ASIAN FEMINISM & BARBIE
South Asia’s relationship with Barbie has had a rocky journey, with the inception of the doll with typical Eurocentric features that rendered unrelatable to the South Asian community, followed by the creation of an ‘Indian Barbie’ that was modeled off stereotypes of the community. The Barbie movie takes a progressive route to explaining the existence of Barbie and her purpose.
While the movie addresses the concept of feminism using simplified definitions of the same, South Asian female audiences may find this to be a more near sighted approach to presenting ideas on how to tackle the problems of the patriarchy. In a South Asian context, the idea of patriarchy and its manifestation in society goes beyond the mere complexity in the expectations of a woman. Here, the patriarchy is deeply rooted and creates an unparalleled sheath in its implications. South Asian feminism also recognizes intersectionality where gender issues intersect with those of race, caste, religion, and economic disparity. For example, the misogyny faced by a queer woman would differ in nature to that of a woman that belongs to a caste that is often discriminated against. This existence of parallel identities while belonging to the same group can often be a bit difficult to portray. In a world where feminism runs thick within its deeply entrenched man-led society, a movie like Barbie would probably need to create a more four dimensional approach to expressing these ideas through the introduction of south asian characters that show depth in their character development and addressing these complexities through interesting back stories. This, inturn, would mean that there would be more representation of sub communities, within the broad umbrella of the South Asian community, where the concept of feminism is unique to its culture and history.
Barbie-Core & Fashion
With the Barbie Premier making its rounds across the world, the terms ‘Barbie-Core’ and ‘Barbie- Pink’ have made it big in fashion, with all the fashion giants adopting the new unique shade of pink for clothes, shoes, accessories and so on. Said to be one of the longest reigning trends, the Barbie Pink trend has raised concerns about its sustainable nature, taking into consideration the volatile nature of trends. The Barbie-Core trend is said to have been built on the foundations of ‘Dopamine Dressing’ which truly kickstarted the world’s dive into bringing bolder colored additions to their wardrobes. While this new adventurous approach to dressing maybe inspiring to some, it is also raising alarms amongst climate activists due to the pollution caused by the dyes used for these intensely pigmented garments, coupled with the amount of wastage being created.
In the spirit of following the Barbie-Core trend in a climate conscious manner, Jejune Magazine has compiled a list of sustainable brands that have used a touch (and more) of the Barbie theme for their products.
People Tree
Tyra Dress in Pink
To be a sustainable brand goes beyond just being able to produce garments made from eco materials. People Tree’s practices are three fold and fill the criteria for what it takes to be a sustainable brand. Hand embroidery, hand knitting, and hand painting being the widely used methods of production, the garments at People Tree are created with an exquisite eye for detail and quality. This pink dress is a perfect example of simplicity and luxury bonding within a piece of clothing. Flowy and beautiful, indeed!
Price Range: $$-$$$
Raw Mango Festive Edit 2014
Finely detailed handloom Sarees, made by the artisans in Rajasthan, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, and Varnasi, India, are the essence of Raw Mango’s products. Having an extensive range of garments which include hand stitched Ghaghras, and Salwar or Anarkali Suits, their aim is to build on the timeless designs of the olden days, defining a new era of clothing that act as a blend between contemporary art work and long standing culture, in the form of luxurious fabrics and elegant textiles. The Indian fashion industry’s adoption of the Barbie pink color was a seamless transition towards the previous season’s trends considering the pre existing relationship Indian fashion has with bright hues.
Price Range: $$$
Gemma Gingham Scoop Neck Bikini Top
Cossie + Co. is redefining modernity in the niche market of sustainable swim wear. The brand not only focuses on using the most ecological materials but also prioritizes fit and comfort, ensuring that there is no compromise on the simple feminine feel. Made from a signature honeycomb stretch fabric, composed of polyamide fabric, the swimwear is synonymous with support and luxury, ensuring to hold everything in place, without ever risking an “oopsie” moment! The brand also plays around with customization, allowing you to personalize your favorite pieces to your liking. This Pink Gigham Bikini top is giving major Barbie at the beach vibes and we’re here for it!
Price: $44
The Sloan Dress
Mara Hoffman’s deep connect with nature is an inspiring take on sustainable fashion where clothes are made from fabrics that are not harmful to the environment, following the “Wear More Wash Less” principle that keeps clothing away from landfills. This patchwork dress is made from a soft rayon fibre that comes from Beechwood trees, and has a texture that can be compared to that of popcorn. A colour blocked dream of a dress, it is perfect for the transition from summer to autumn, so that you never go out of style!
Price: $750
Magenta Jewel Earrings
The Pink Reef’s elegantly feminine jewelry should be on every girl’s Pinterest board! Made from reclaimed materials that are hand crafted and hand painted, each piece is crafted with utmost care and focus. These magenta jewel earrings are bound to be an It-girl favorite, made from a unique European stone, adding bling and sophistication to one’s look! We love that each piece is exclusive, where no two products are the same!
Price: $95
Argola Acai Bracelet in Lilac
Pretty Pink’s jewelery are made from the rare Vegetable Ivory, and the occasional nut, which have an interesting production process. This Pretty Pink bracelet is made from dyed Acai seeds, hand drilled to shape by the local artisans in the Amazon. This product is completely bio degradable and vegan, ethically made in Colombia! If boho chic is your personal style, give this bracelet a try. Nothing feels as good as ethical shopping does!
Price: $24
The Classic Neon Shoe
Ever worn shoes made from a unique blend of extremely ecological materials? If not, meet LOCI! A fun little take on their classic silhouetted shoe, the Classic Neon Shoe is built to prioritize structure and style. Made for considerable strength and comfort, these LOCI shoes are made from materials like recycled ocean plastic, bamboo, rayon, natural cork, and more. Did we also mention that LOCI is 100% vegan? Now that’s a sustainable barbie themed outlook to shoes!
Price Range: $143.50
Point Flats
A classy pair of flats like these point shoes make a real difference to your wardrobe! This shade of pink is perfect for all seasons and can be dressed up or down based on the occasion. Will’s Vegan Store specializes in vegan suede, tastefully crafting shoes to suit the wearer for utmost comfort and breathability. Come on Barbie, let’s go shopping!
Price: $114
Candy Crush
Inspired by the cherry blossom season in Japan, the Candy Crush shoes from Rungg are a perfect pop of pink! The exquisite hand embroidery carried out using various shades of pink alternate between sequins, beads, and fuzzy threads, mimicking one of nature’s prettiest phenomena. Beautiful and ethical vegan shoes, that’s the Barbie dream!
Price: $250
Bye Barbie!
