The Barbie team is celebrating the UK launch of its latest Fashionista doll with Lila Moss, who as a role model and type 1 diabetes advocate is honoured with her very own one-of-a-kind Barbie doll made in her likeness. This unique doll features a circular white Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) on her arm, a square white Insulin Pump pod attached to the top of her leg, and technology in her handbag to monitor insulin levels. The Lila Moss Barbie doll is wearing a look based on Lila’s own look and style, featuring a black halter-neck mini dress, tousled blonde hair, minimal gold jewellery, and her signature black biker boots.
Lila Moss said: “I am proud to use my platform to educate around type 1 diabetes and show that being different is cool. Receiving messages from people who see my patches and feel represented means everything to me. To be able to now see Barbie dolls with T1D, and to receive a Barbie doll that visibly looks like me even wearing her patches, is both surreal and special.”
“I am proud to use my platform to educate around type 1 diabetes and show that being different is cool”
The Barbie team worked closely with Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF), the leading global type 1 diabetes research and advocacy organisation committed to accelerating life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent, and treat type 1 diabetes and its complications.
Krista Berger, SVP of Barbie and global head of dolls, said: “Introducing a Barbie doll with type 1 diabetes marks an important step in our commitment to inclusivity and representation. Barbie helps shape children’s early perceptions of the world, and by reflecting medical conditions like T1D, we ensure more kids can see themselves in the stories they imagine and the dolls they love.”
The Barbie Fashionistas line features over 175 looks across various skin tones, eye colours, hair colours and textures, body types, disabilities, and fashion styles, including such as a Blind Barbie doll, a Black Barbie doll with Down Syndrome, a Barbie doll with Hearing Aids, a Barbie doll with Prosthetic Limbs, a Barbie doll with Vitiligo, Barbie dolls in Wheelchairs and more.
On behalf of Lila Moss, Mattel UK is donating £20,000 to Breakthrough T1D this year, to continue to fund T1D research, education and support.
About Type 1 Diabetes (T1D)
T1D is an autoimmune condition that causes the pancreas to make very little insulin or none at all. This leads to dependence on insulin therapy and the risk of short and long-term complications, which can include highs and lows in blood sugar; damage to the kidneys, eyes, nerves, and heart; and even death. Globally, it impacts nearly 9 million people.
