In 2004 (or more like 2002-03), Mattel had the genius idea to create a line of Barbie doll and friends called Fashion Fever. These dolls wore up to date casual fashions and face make up. Sometime during 2004, they released a set of dolls wearing fashions influenced by the Fruit Styles found in Japanese youth culture.
barbie sku# G9008
Of course, pale blonde Barbie is included.
kayla sku# G9009
Kayla, a Hispanic-looking character (I don’t have her original outfit…)
drew sku# G9010
Drew, a Caucasian character – she usually has reddish or brunette hair…
teresa sku# G9011
Teresa… what has happened to Teresa? Is she a brunette Caucasian or a light-skinned Hispanic nowadays?
But no Asian (or Black) representation… seems like Asian fashion styles can be appropriated by the West but can only be worn by non-Asian people? Seriously…
Tags: culture appropriation, erasure & exclusion, fashion fever, fashion styles, mattel
I think Kayla was Mattel’s two-fer. Was she Black? Was she Asian? Or possibly Hispanic? Although usually, Teresa was the designated Hispanic in the Barbie group. Mostly Kayla seemed to be the multi-racial doll.
Also, there was one “Asian” Modern Trends Collection Fashion Fever doll: please click this link and click on Dolls then click on Wave T. She’s fair complexion.
Of the oval tube Fashion Fever dolls, there were three “unmistakeably” Black dolls: the elusive Desiree, the Benetton New York unnamed on tube but sometimes called “Christie” by collectors, and a third doll with a Barbie graphic tee shirt also called “Christie” but with no name on her tube. I add “unmistakeably” because Desiree is the brown color usually used for AA dolls and her face mold was used for AA Barbie 2002, the Benetton NY doll uses that same face mold, and the last doll uses an Asha like face mold.
However a designated Asian doll would have been nice, especially given the use of the Fruits style outfits.
Aside: in the U.S., there are “White” Hispanics and “Black” Hispanics. I jest not. And the categories do not always align with the way the person looks. Yes, we got fun here
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Therese Reply:
July 31st, 2009 at 1:23 am
I actually have that Asian doll in my collection
HA! should have looked first before answering… I thought you meant the Kira doll with the Kayla-Lea face, I have her… but not this one but I really want this one!I also have Desiree… don’t have the other two because I think their outfits suck! Although I kinda regret not getting them now because I did want the doll underneath the clothes lol
Oh I know there are white (eg. Cameron Diaz, Perez Hilton) and black (eg. Rosario Dawson, the legendary soccer player Pelé) hispanics
but I guess I was hinting more at the in-between colour hmmm grey people *shudders* I meant brown (Jennifer Lopez with a tan, Jessica Alba)… I would say Kayla is Hispanic because she is definitely multi-ethnic looking (she’s probably black AND asian AND european), in fact I redesignate a lot of “Kayla”s as Asian… she has the skin tone and facial features except maybe the eyes, to look “Asian”.
I would love to see Kayla’s face used on a brown skinned doll with almond shaped eyes *dreams*
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D7ana Reply:
August 1st, 2009 at 9:24 pm
I think I’ve found the brown skinned Kayla of your dreams – check the last link on Phillyblog today.
High five! Thank God for Mattel’s re-use mold policy ;-D
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Personally I instantly consider the Kayla doll above close to Asian maybe because I’m from the Philippines and there are a lot of Asian Hispanics here. (We were under Spanish rule for around 300 years.)
Drew’s eyes also look Asian (except for the color). The hair color also reminds me of Harajuku fashion from Japan.
I was into dolls only last year so I wasn’t aware if these dolls were available in our country when they were released.
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Therese Reply:
July 31st, 2009 at 1:23 pm
I guess for me, Kayla doesn’t appear to have “east asian looking eyes” but you’re right, she could very easily pass as Filipino
And I just thought it was weird that for a set that showcased a Japanese style, there’s no equivalent Japanese character doll.
I am personally more attracted to the Elegant Gothic Lolita style myself – the Misaki dolls have been released wearing this style
but I can’t afford even half of one of those dolls 
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I think Kayla was the “everything” doll though for me she was always east indian. BTW there was one official black Kayla and she was the 2002 Sophisticated Wedding Barbie with medium dark skin.
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I read someone wrote that maybe the Yasmin Bratz doll was more popular than the other Bratz because you can’t easy label her ethnicity. More kids can identify with her. The Kayla doll has the same thing going, I think. she can be Hispanic like you said, Asian or African American.
Hmmm… I think a lot of people likes the Kayla face (more than the Barbie’s) and maybe Mattel is intentionally controlling the supply. Kaching-kaching!
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Therese Reply:
August 3rd, 2009 at 1:39 pm
totally agree with the $$$ part…
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