What’s better than one Barbie doll based off of David Bowie? Mattel have this week unveiled their second doll paying homage to the late great rocker and fashion icon, this time donning a baby blue suit à la his “Life on Mars?” music video. Complete with shaggy red hair, bold makeup, and platform oxfords, this Bowie Barbie celebrates the 50th anniversary of the 1971 classic Hunky Dory.
Back in 2019, Mattel — who are evidently big Bowie fans — commemorated the 50th anniversary of “Space Oddity” with a special edition Barbie dressed as the musician’s Ziggy Stardust character. Like Ziggy, the Hunky Dory Barbie can join your collection for $50. It’s on sale now over on Mattel’s website.
“[We] wanted to make sure it looked like Barbie, but as Bowie,” Mattel design manager Linda Kyaw-Merschon said in a statement. “Not Bowie exactly as himself. We tried to emulate his essence as much as we can. He was quite slender and pale, so we made sure to capture that as best could. Balance is key. Tricky, but I think you’ll see what I mean when you see the doll in real life.”
Bowie certainly didn’t have Barbie’s figure, but the Hunky Dory doll is still quite a faithful ode to the most stylish man in glam rock. See photos of the new Bowie Barbie below.
This fall, Todd Rundgren, King Crimson’s Adrian Belew, and several other musicians will hit the road for the 2022 leg of their “Celebrating David Bowie” tribute tour; grab tickets over at Ticketmaster. Also this year, Brett Morgen will release Moonage Daydream, the first Bowie doc to receive a blessing from his family.
