Balmain and Barbie have announced a multifaceted collaboration comprised of both an imminent collection and a series of exclusive NFTs, the latter marking the first instance of the Barbie brand engaging in the digital art space.
The two familiar names are partnering on a ready-to-wear and accessories collection, which a press release revealed will boast more than 50 pieces. Availability begins Jan. 13 via the Balmain site, Balmain stores, Mattel Creations, and other global retailers.
“As our campaign images make very clear, Barbie and Balmain are embarking upon a distinctly multicultural, inclusive, and always joy-filled adventure,” Olivier Rousteing, Balmain’s creative director, said in a statement released Thursday. Per Rousteing, the collab sees Balmain “building upon” the New French Style prevalent in the luxury house’s recent collections.
Meanwhile, the NFTs—billed as three one-of-a-kind pieces featuring Barbie and Ken avatars styled in Balmain—will be available via the aforementioned Mattel Creations by way of a mintNFT auction. Each NFT is paired with a set of Barbie-sized Balmain items.
For Mattel CEO and president Richard Dickson, the unique pairing has the potential to simultaneously kickstart new chapters for both the fashion and toy industries. “As a fashion house committed to innovation in unexpected and joyous ways, Balmain, under Olivier Rousteing’s creative direction, is the perfect partner to translate the iconography that is unique to Barbie into a modern iteration of digital art and physical fashion,” Dickson said Thursday.
The Balmain and Barbie team-up is further commemorated with the launch of a digital campaign featuring photography from Rob Rusling and styling by Alba Melendo. See more below, including NFT glimpses.
