• Home
  • Press
  • Fashion
  • Richard Dickson, Mattel president and COO, is presenting a Barbie x Fashion keynote at BLE

Richard Dickson, Mattel president and COO, is presenting a Barbie x Fashion keynote at BLE

PRESS RELEASE
By Press Club

loading...

Scroll down to read more

Fashion

Barbie collaborations, courtesy of the brand

Exclusive interview for Fashion United with Richard Dickson, Mattel president and COO, who is presenting the opening day keynote at this year’s Brand Licensing Europe called Barbie x Fashion.

BLE takes place 20-22 September at ExCeL London and is free for fashion and licensing industry professionals to attend. www.brandlicensing.eu

You're presenting a Barbie x Fashion keynote at BLE - why IS Barbie such a fashion icon?

With over 63 years of fashion credentials, Barbie has secured her place in fashion history.  With a celebrated wardrobe designed by some of the world's most famous designers, Barbie has inspired millions as their first fashion muse and strong female role model. 

The fashion industry is known for being creative, authentic and pushing boundaries - how does this align with Barbie?

Barbie continues to evolve; we take steps big and small to keep Barbie relevant for each generation of kids, from changing her gaze from demure to direct in the 60’s, to changing her body in 2017. This keeps us relevant and a reflection of culture. We take this approach in our fashion collaborations by working with up-and-coming designers and the biggest houses so that we can always offer something fresh and unexpected.

Mattel is taking over a catwalk as part of this year's BLE fashion theme - can you tease what visitors can expect to see?

BLE marks an exciting return to the runway for Barbie fashion as we take over the runway in looks from Balmain, Gert Johan Coetzee, Alessandro Enriquez, Zara and River Island. The clothes and accessories celebrate the incredible popularity and signature style of Barbie as well as the brand’s global platform for self-expression. It is very exciting to be back!

The Balmain x Barbie collab was inspired - which other brands (high end or high street) have you worked with?

We’ve worked with global names such as Versace, Balmain, Comme des Garçons and Oscar De La Renta, and up and coming talent like Matty Bovan and Miss Sohee – our partners are incredible. We also know Barbie has broad appeal and fans of all backgrounds, so you can find us on the high street with Zara, Primark and more.

Barbie x Balmain, courtesy of the brand

What are the benefits of licensing and brand collabs to Mattel?

We partner with amazing creatives and share access to our archives to so they can see Barbie through a different lens. The beauty of licensing is that we can work with best-in-class partners from fields that differ from our own and deliver a variety of products inspired by our iconic IP. This means we can be with a Barbie fan from the time they sleep, get dressed, go to school through to playtime.

Are there any brands you haven't worked with yet that you think would be perfect for Barbie?

There are so many amazing brands and designers out there we’d love to work with. With more buzz than ever around the Dreamhouse, I’d love to see more homeware that can bring these elements to life. 

What do you look for from a brand and/or retail partner when signing a licensing deal?

Synergy between the brands is always our first focus – ensuring we share the same brand ethos and purpose along with design and fashion credentials.

Barbie x Zara, courtesy of the brand

Why is BLE important to Mattel?

BLE is a world-class licensing show that brings together the best of the industry globally, and the human experience is so important after recent years. The UK and London have always held a special place in Barbie’s fashion world, and it feels right to be here right now celebrating fashion with BLE.

Barbie
BRAND LICENSING EUROPE
INFORMA