Barbie and her pink branding have been impossible to escape this summer with the rollout of the film starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, plus the massive marketing campaigns and products. Santa Monica is hosting an immersive experience called “World of Barbie.” Angelenos have been flocking there for photo ops, pink cocktails, and nostalgia.
L to R: Friends Priyanka Shinh, Lila Rocito, Victoria Rocito and Jennifer Arias came to the Barbie experience wearing their own takes on Barbie style. Photo by Giuliana Mayo.
Priyanka Shinh: “Everyone else gets to express herself and I think that's a true beauty around Barbie too. So I think that's what we all actually loved about it. The way we can express ourselves, the way we can dress, and that's truly what it stands for.”
Taniesha and Taliyah McNeil are outside of “World of Barbie” in their finest Barbiecore clothes. Photo by Giuliana Mayo.
Victoria Rocito: “Barbie for me, it meant a lot of different stories that can come about. There were times where I'm like, ‘You know what? This Barbie is gonna be a mom. … This Barbie is gonna be a mermaid. … This Barbie is gonna be a mortician.’”
Skylar Bimad (right) came to the World of Barbie to shoot clothes as a brand ambassador. She brought two Kens with her: Ryan Liu (left) and Miles Fakih (center). Photo by Zacile Rosette.
Skylar Bimad: “I had boxes upon boxes of Barbies. As a kid, I had my boxes of Barbies that I kept in their set with their clothes, and I had the ones I mixed and matched. I made little Lego houses for her. I had the dream house, I had the horses, I had the car, I had everything.”