On the occasion of the International Day of the Girl Child, the toy giant Mattel has launched an extraordinary Barbie Signature dedicated to the tennis legend Serena Williams. The initiative marks the official entry of the 23-time Slam champion into Team Barbie, a group of dolls dedicated to international athletes and leaders and created to inspire young generations.
The miniature pays homage to the look she showed off during her seventh singles victory at the 2005 Australian Open: she wears a green and white cutaway top with mesh details, a crisp white skirt, sweatband, socks, shoes, racket and a tennis ball. The doll faithfully reproduces her curly, voluminous hair with touches of color.
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Serena Williams’ message
As confirmed by Nathan Baynard, vice president and head of the Barbie brand at Mattel, the athlete fully embodies the value of equality. At the same time as the launch, Barbie’s internal philanthropic project Dream Gap Project made a donation to Mrs. Rina’s House of Blessings, a charity supported by the tennis player to finance education and training programs aimed at children from vulnerable family backgrounds.
Remembering her childhood and the barriers overcome during her career, Serena Williams commented on the meaning of the project:
Growing up, I didn’t see many girls who looked like me who were told there were no limits to what they could become. I want every girl who plays with this doll to be able to see the possibilities she has ahead of her, not just in me, but in herself. He can dream big, work hard, change paths, break down barriers and become anything he chooses to be. That’s what makes having a Barbie of my own so meaningful to me.
Mattel’s other sports champions
The tennis player is not the only sports icon to be transformed into a doll from the Role Model series. Last year it happened to her sister Venus Williams, depicted as the 2007 Wimbledon champion. In 2021 the same fate befell Naomi Osaka, celebrated after her fourth Slam victory in Melbourne. Over the years, Mattel has paid homage to numerous pioneers of international sport, including swimmer Federica Pellegrini, footballer Sara Gama and Paralympic champion Bebe Vio, transforming simple toys into powerful symbols of female empowerment and leadership.
