Barbie she was a feminist icon. Before being accused of being too beautiful and blonde to be intelligent, she was an example for millions of girls who, in unsuspecting years, no longer wanted only to play mothers, but to identify with an adult woman. Barbie was a projection, not a doll, and over the years she has taken on the role of astronaut, doctor, veterinarian and in addition to having a pink house, she also drove a spider and rode a horse. Barbie was a woman of the future, before many women could truly be. And confirming the fact that Barbie had understood everything in life, her boyfriend Ken he was also younger, two years younger. Today the beautiful Ken celebrates 60 years, and it does so in style with two exhibitions, a capsule collection presented at Milan Fashion Week, a line of commemorative chocolate bars. Colorful and with a clear message of equality and inclusion.

Ken, the inclusive toy boy

Ken's full name is Kenneth Sean Carson and is named after the son of the founders of Mattel and creators of Barbie, Ruth and Elliot Handler. He debuted in a bathing suit in 1961, but has since had several careers, being a pilot, tennis player, firefighter, bartender and even Olympic skier or swimmer. As an actor he made his debut as a bass player and has since had roles as a prince, journalist, marine biology intern. They broke up in 2004 and reconciled in 2011. Ken has always been a cool guy and was a muse for Jean Paul Gaultier, Gareth Pugh and she even wore a suit Moschino customized exactly like the one worn by Jeremy Scott at the 2015 MTV Music Awards. In his line Fashionistas has been wearing trendy and super current looks for years: hipster, hippie, sporty … to have fun, but to send a clear message in favor of the richness of diversity and inclusiveness. Barbie and Ken Fashionistas is the line that absolutely reflects the diversity and inclusivity driven spirit of the brand. Clothes, but also in 3 different body shapes, 9 skin tones, 10 eye colors, 27 hair colors and 20 hairstyles to offer children the opportunity to broaden their horizons within playtime. Once again.

Ken at Fashion Week: two exhibitions

On the occasion of the Milan Fashion Week several original Ken models will be exhibited in both Milanese stores. In particular, the Fashionistas line will be on display in viale Piave 17, in homage to the Fashion Week, while two models created just 60 years ago will be in the historic headquarters in via De Cristoforis 5. In both stores there will be the model of the BMR1959 line which represents a modern pop star and who, among others, inspired the celebratory chocolate bars, which will certainly find their place among the Zaini Milano cult-bars. At the Banner Department Store in Milan, of the Biffi group, in via Sant'andrea, three Barbie ere Ken, multiethnic and with different physiognomies and builds, are immortalized in moments of carefree vacation by the artist Alberto Alicata, and will be exhibited in a photographic exhibition for the duration of the fashion week.

Iconic tablets for a new male model

Zaini celebrates its 60th anniversary together with Mattel with four chocolate bars from the irresistible pack, which are on sale at Milan backpacks. "We imagined them as fun, surprising and also symbolic bar-gifts of a male model who, from her beginnings, gave way to the more famous Barbie and who over the years has always evolved, like Barbie herself, representing diversity, inclusion and balance between genders, values ​​that have always been part of our corporate culture ”, explains Luigi Zaini at the helm, with his sister Antonella, of the family business. Hence, from September, four new ZAINI MILANO tablets that combine the image of Ken's different outfits with as many chocolate combinations: Ken in a smoking is a dark chocolate bar with violet flowers, while Ken in the beach version is combined with the freshness of chocolate Ruby with hints of berries; and if Ken free-time listening to music on headphones corresponds to milk chocolate and blue crystals from Persia, for the extraordinary Ken with the appearance of a pop star, the brand new Caramel doré and Persian blue salt flavor was chosen.

The collection by Alessandro Enriquez

Alessandro Enriquez she played Barbie and Ken with a capsule of pop clothing with a very Italian flavor. On the occasion of the fashion week, a collection of dolls customized with the looks of the spring-summer 2022 season of the brand was created, to send a clear message of equality and inclusion, ENRIQUEZ DIVERSITY, which takes shape on the famous dolls through the use of Alessandro's color and prints. The Alessandro Enriquez spring-summer 2022 collection is an imaginary journey in the Mediterranean: unisex and Hawaiian printed shirts, must-have of the Enriquez collections, become passe-partout to be combined with skirts or trousers in printed silk. Long dresses with flounces, all in allover print, mix of pleats and asymmetrical constructions of ruffles of different sizes, denim-style jackets but in printed douchesse and as a novelty of the season, the single-color cady suits, jacket and trousers with a masculine cut for a look more androgynous, but with vitamin colors.

The T-shirts by Berluti

They sold like hot cakes as soon as they were put on the market and are already a collector's item. To celebrate Ken's 60th anniversary, Berluti in fact he collaborated with Mattel for a multi-channel partnership that saw the creation of three Ken OOAK (One Of A Kind) dolls, developed with the creative director of Berluti, Kris Van Assche, dressed in the looks of the Berluti x Brian Rochefort collection, and two dedicated Berluti products: a T-shirt with the intertwined logos of Berluti and Ken together with a Nino clutch bag.

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