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Christian Living

chinaconnection 01/30/09

Barbie Takes on Shanghai

Her fiftieth birthday is less than two months away, but Barbie seems to show no signs of slowing down.  With more than three billion in sales, Barbie is the number one girl's brand worldwide, and now she's opening her first flagship store in Shanghai, China. 

While Barbie's sales have been slowing in the U.S., over 90% of American girls between three and ten own a doll, and overseas sales have been promising.  Two thirds of all Barbies are sold internationally, and China has the potential to be an even more lucrative market for the dolls, even with the current economic slowdown.

Mattel International President Bryan Stockton told The Guardiansales of "premium branded toys basically tripled in the last three years," which bodes well for the launch.  Furthermore, in many Asian countries, cartoons and dolls aren't just for children, with the insanely popular Hello Kitty as just one famous example.

Barbie hasn't been solely targeted to young girls in China, so many of the features of the new six-story, 40,000 square foot House of Barbie store are designed for women of all ages.     

Designer Vera Wang is selling an exclusive Barbie Shanghai wedding dress for adults that will cost a whopping $15,000 USD.  Award-winning chef David Laris will be providing specialty food and beverages for the Barbie cafe, including pink Barbitinis.  There's even a full-service Barbie spa! 

Of course, there are also plenty of activities to entertain younger girls, whether they want to design their own Barbie fashions, or model Barbie fashions down the runway. 

The store is set to launch March 6, just three days before Barbie's birthday.  Similar stores are in the works for Mexico and Brazil, so if the Shanghai store is as lucrative as its organizers hope, the brand could expand its already strong global influence. 

With so much fanfare around the launch of the store, it's possible that Barbie's next 50-years will be even more exceptional than her first. 

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