Come on Barbie, let’s go party with Sophia Webster’s new cheeky Barbie shoe collection.
Webster, a British shoe designer, has given women and children alike the chance to live their childhood dreams of setting foot in a pair of Barbie’s shoes.
Her collection consists of nine different styles to choose from, total including six styles for adults and three in children’s sizes, ranging from heels to hi-tops.
Allie Martin, sophomore in apparel and textiles, said she thinks the collection is very unique.
“Each heel, flat and high top tells its own story within the collection,” Martin said. “The shoes have an Asian flair to them, and appear to be very fierce.”
Webster has fused some of her signature designs, like her common butterfly embellishment, with the pop of pink and typography of “Barbie Doll” and “Barbie Girl,” on the shoes, effectively bringing Barbie to life.
Webster has always been bold when it comes to pushing the boundary with her designs, especially when it comes to shoes. In her Autumn/Winter 2015-16 ready-to-wear line, her models were dressed in futuristic, geometric shapes, while sporting nothing but pure excitement and an assortment of textiles on their feet.
“I think Sophia Webster is be admired because she pushes past the social norm of style and creates statement pieces that are both wearable and loud,” Maddie Connelly, junior in apparel and textiles, said.
Connelly said she thinks the collection is fun because it pushes the envelope on what would be considered a stylish shoe line.
“When I’m shopping for shoes, I look for color and style that stand out,” Connelly said. “The shoe line gives a feeling of nostalgia from always wanting to dress like Barbie. All of a sudden, you get the shoes you’ve always wanted.”
Vogue recently announced that a Barbie by Sophia Webster doll wearing Riko hi-top glitter sneakers will also be released soon. Even though there’s always been speculation in the media about controversy revolving around Barbie, including giving young girls a false sense of self-image, some think Barbie has made a positive impact on our culture.
“Barbie represents the modern, successful woman,” Anna Nolte, junior in apparel and textiles, said. “It teaches girls that women can be achieved and successful. I think the idea that Barbie gives girls a bad body image is just ridiculous. People need to start looking at the positive influences in the world, instead of always nit-picking at the negative.”
In press release in StyleWatch, Webster said that “creating a shoe collection for Barbie has always been my dream project … I love that this concept strikes a balance between dreams and reality – the idea of getting Barbie in some hi-tops and setting her loose in East London instantly appealed.”
While Barbie’s been following the footsteps of the fashion industry since 1959, it’s about time someone followed in her footsteps and came up with a unique collection that’s unapologetic and groundbreaking for both the doll and the fashion industry as a whole.
