Barbies don garb from Love, Bonito in brand collaboration

Southeast Asia fashion brand Love, Bonito has collaborated with Mattel on a quartet of Barbie dolls wearing the brand's 'The Staples' collection. The limited-edition Barbies come, according to the brand, in a "curated" selection of body types (from left to right above, 'curvy', 'small bust', 'original' and 'petite'). 

The release of the collection coincides with Love, Bonito's launch of LBCreate, a social-impact initiative that the brand said will focus on "the growth and development of girls and women who face many ongoing challenges, either within themselves or when facing external pressures". Each year, the brand will be partnering with an organisation aligned with this focus.

“LBCreate is our commitment towards tapping into our strength as a brand made for women by women, connecting females to opportunities that will enable them to grow and succeed as confident 21st century superstars,” Dione Song, CEO of Love, Bonito, said in a release. “This year, with the launch of LBCreate, we commit to supporting the female community in Asia with the educational resources and tools to carve a future they aspire to be in.”

The Barbie collection is titled 'Dream it, do it!' and the dolls are available upon a SG$150 minimum purchase that includes a human-sized T-shirt marking the collaboration. Priced at SG$29.90, the shirt is available only on the brand’s website in Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Indonesia.

“We are glad to be able to collaborate with Barbie to create a collection of dolls who represent the Love, Bonito woman," Song said. "She is a multifaceted multi-tasker, always on the go, wears many hats and plays many roles."

Ho Shu Ting, marketing manager of Mattel for continental Asia, said the Barbie brand has a legacy of championing female causes. "The partnership with Love, Bonito further strengthens our voice in getting girls to continue believing in themselves," she said. "Our hopes of removing barriers that prevent girls from reaching their potential is an ongoing one, and only with like-minded brands can we continue to expand this cause worldwide." 

Love, Bonito also announced it will be funding the education of 100 girls in low-income communities in Asia for a year through the Room to Read Girls’ Education Programme.