"Barbie should really be about fashion and current design," says James Slade. The acrylic-and-steel cases lining the staircase house more than 800 dolls wearing a variety of outfits to "reflect the idea of the collection." | Photographs by Andrew Rowat
The curtain-wall facade of glass and molded polycarbonate was inspired by the blister packs that Barbie dolls come in. Inside, the staircase "is the heart of the store," says architect Hayes Slade.
Come on, Barbie, let's go ... shopping! For the doll's 50th birthday this year, corporate parent Mattel wrapped up a whopper of a present: Barbie's first-ever flagship store. The six-story, 35,000-square-foot House of Barbie in Shanghai, designed by New York's Slade Architecture, "is the first physical representation of the new chapter of Barbie," says Richard Dickson, senior VP of the brand. It's a timely project. With U.S. sales down in recent years, Mattel hopes Barbie will take off in emerging markets like China, where she really is a fresh face. The retail space's design reflects her ambition to be more than a plaything -- House of Barbie also has apparel, a beauty salon, and a café. "Mattel wanted to raise the experience to the level of a flagship fashion store, as opposed to a flagship toy store," says architect James Slade. The message: Life in plastic? It's fantastic.
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September 29, 2009 at 5:07am by Oscar Penen
LOVE FAST COMPANY MAGAZINE