Barbie Gone Harajuku
Barbie. Now, before your eyes roll back in your head, see what fuss the plastic prodigy is kicking up in the back streets of Harajuku with her new best friend, the queen of quirk, Patricia Field
In most of our minds Barbie probably conjures up images of “childhood toy” and “accidents with hot appliances and soft plastic”. In Japan, however, it may be something more along the lines of “uber trendsetter”. Especially now, thanks to the collaboration line `Barbie by Patricia Fields`. Patricia is possibly the most widely recognized stylist in the world for her works for Sex and the City and The Devil Wears Prada.
The line debuted in the US (and is sold at Patricia’s shop in Soho) but thanks to long-standing boutiques in such hot shopping centers as 109 in Japan, the long popularity of the Barbie brand served it well for a two-story 3-month-only boutique on the prime real estate that is Cat Street.
The shop houses the entire Barbie by Patricia Fields line, including clothes, jewelry, sunglasses, bags, and yes, dolls. The accessories are mostly plastic, with large glittery beads or colorful charms. The clothes are also decidedly So-Cal style with phrase t-shirts such as “I am an Icon” or metallic prints of Barbie’s silhouette.
I became drawn to the quilted patent handbag and the Oxford blazer with silver piping- except that they would set me back about a not-toying-around $250 each.
After seeing the shop I headed up to the restaurant Legato where possibly the best party of this year was held. The restaurant was packed with girls and boys in their most satorically-correct Barbie style getups, and the dancefloor was hopping to the DJ spins of such super ”kawaii” (cute) Vivi models as Marie, Elli-Rose, and Jun Hasegawa who could be Barbie dopplegangers themselves.
Patricia Field- in all of her flaming-red haired glory- was on hand for the occasion and it only helped to elevate the party-high; by the end of the night the Vivi models were dirty dancing on stage with drinks in one hand and cigarettes in the other- and after a few more songs half of the room was up there dancing with them.
The whole occasion was far less ‘Mattel’ and more fantasy glam- the only thing missing was a pink Corvette to take us all home.
