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Barbie 50th Anniversary Barbie (Photos, Video)

Shallow Nation — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 09:33:45 +0000

Barbie’s 50th anniversary is March 2009. The landmark fashion doll and cultural icon launched in 1959, has been far more than a valued toy or a collector’s item, she has followed trends and set them. For good reason she reigns as No. 41 on the list of The 101 Most Influential People Who Never Lived.

Yes, she has even inspired fashion designers. In honor of Barbie’s 50th anniversary, a tribute show was held at New York Fashion Week in February 2009 with 50 designers participating.

As the Daily Mail reports, the enduring popularity of Barbie may not be reflected in sales, which are down 8 percent, but she has won the admiration of designers as well as collectors.

Despite spanning five decades and 108 careers, including palaeontology, racing driving and presidential candidacy, the plastic-fantastic starlet has never let a hard day’s work get in the way of good grooming. [...]

It is perhaps her waning popularity in the west [sales are down 8 percent] that has seen the toy company open a six-story flagship store in Shanghai called House of Barbie, featuring a restaurant, spa and runway where girls can pretend to be fashion models. [...]

Jerry Oppenheimer, author of a book on Mattel called Toy Monster says: ‘It’s very clear that the taste of little girls who play with dolls has changed, ‘They have come into the 21st century, where they play on their own laptops, and have their own cell phones. ‘Dolls will be a part of their lives and Barbie will be part of that, but it will be a small window.’

Yet, designers including Diane von Furstenburg are rushing to dress her, there has even been an anniversary figure made of German chancellor Angela Merkel in her honour.

Source: Life in plastic: As Barbie rings in her 50th year, we look back at the iconic style that is still in vogue Visit to see more side-by-side photos. A video of the runway show is after the jump.

In total, Barbie has inspired or been muse to more than 70 designers including Calvin Klein, Dolce & Gabbana, Vera Wang and Versace. Among those designers paying tribute to the Barbie 50th anniversary, is legendary designer Karl Lagerfeld who has designed a special Barbie collection, which will be on display in Paris, France in March 2009 at Collette. Several photos have been released of the collection, with model Baptiste Giabiconi playing the part of Ken. More photos here: Barbie and Ken by Karl Lagerfeld

New Zealand designer Karen Walke has also created a special Barbie 50th anniversary collections. Read more about it here: Barbie gets Kiwi makeover

“Rockin’ Our Sales” – Is the Internal Microsoft Vista SP1 Video a Spoof?

Shallow Nation — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 13:38:36 +0000

When this alleged internal Microsoft Vista SP1 motivational video for the sales force, hit the Internet, so did speculation as to whether this Vista video is real or a spoof. Either way, we don’t know whom to feel the most sympathy for, end users of Vista, the sales force who must try to sell it, or Bruce Springsteen who is parodied in the video.

(The real Bruce Springsteen)

The Microsoft Vista SP1 video in question, “Rockin’ Our Sales” with Bruce Service Pack and the Vista Street Band

Long Zheng brought our attention to these two Microsoft internal video spoofs which are much funnier.

Microsoft O-Phone

Microsoft redesigns iPod packaging

Barbie Goes Green While Staying Slim and Plastic

Shallow Nation — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 19:39:09 +0000

Barbie has clout. She is No. 41 on the list of The 101 Most Influential People Who Never Lived. Now she’s going green with the new Bcause collection which “Reuses and Repurposes Excess Barbie(TM) Fabrics and Trimmings to Create Fashionable and Playful Handbags, Pillows.”

Smart Planet weighs in on the environmental impact of the Bcause collection.

The case against
Over one billion Barbies are reckoned to have been sold since their launch in 1959. According to auction house Christie’s, Mattel flogs three Barbie dolls every second, creating a nightmare plastic mountain that’ll probably take centuries to biodegrade and clog up our precious remaining landfill space. So who cares if Mattel sells a dozen bags and accessories that happen to have some reused materials? Shouldn’t Mattel be doing that anyway? And even worse than all that plastic (and Mattel’s recent toys recall), Barbie isn’t the UK’s own Sindy doll.

The defence
The new Bcause collection features bags, hats and pillows made from excess fabric and trimmings from other Barbie toys. Apparently those off-cuts would otherwise end up in the bin. The ten-strong accessory collection will spread the green word amongst young girls and may convince them to become climate heroes and eco campaigners when they’re older (our words, not Mattel’s).

Elle weighs in on the fashion impact.

No, thank goodness for future body dysmorphists everywhere, nothing about Barbie will change. But a new line of Barbie accessories for girls (handbags and totes) will include trim and detail made from factory seconds– those pieces of fabric left over from the huge bolts of cloth that are made into a thousand tiny Barbie swing coats or astronaut outfits. Instead of tossing these extras, they will be reused, a tactic many eco-fashion designers use to add fun details to their lines while still recycling.

Barbie is nothing if not versatile, from her 1959 origins….

To her many 2008 updates, of which this is just one….

Barbie Baby Phat Kimora Lee Simmons Doll

Shop CyberMonday.com on Cyber Monday and Support a Worthy Cause

Shallow Nation — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 03:36:54 +0000

Looking for a one-stop destination for the Cyber Monday deals? Check out CyberMonday.com. The Web site showcases more than 500 retailers. All Shop.org’s proceeds from items purchased through CyberMonday.com go to the Shop.org Ray M. Greenly Scholarship Fund which provides scholarships for students interested in an eCommerce career.

Resource Shelf has some fascinating Cyber Monday statistics:

According to a Shop.org survey, conducted this weekend by BIGresearch, 72.0 million consumers plan to shop online from home or at work tomorrow, up from 60.7 million in 2006 and 59.0 million in 2005. The survey found that 31.9 percent of adults will shop on Cyber Monday, up 17.3 percent over last year (27.2%).See Also: Complete Stats (PDF)

According to the Shop.org/Shopzilla eHoliday Survey, 72.2 percent of online retailers are planning a special promotion for Cyber Monday, up from 42.7 percent just two years ago. Promotions will range from specific deals (29.9%) to one-day sales (28.9%) to free shipping on all purchases (24.7%).

Shop.org survey conducted by BIGresearch [this past weekend] found that 54.5 percent of office workers with Internet access, or 68.5 million people, will shop for holiday gifts from work, up substantially from 50.7 percent in 2006.