Meet Barbiecore: How Kim Kardashian, Anne Hathaway And Other A-Listers Are Styling This Season’s Popular Hue
From a hint of pink to those sporting it from head-to-toe, Bazaar Arabia takes you through what it means to “Barbiecore”…
Pink is absolutely getting the renaissance it deserves this summer. In what can be described as a piñata-style frenzy, the colour is bursting through every Couture House, down every runway and on every celebrity, yet, we just can’t seem to pick it all up. It’s a monochromatic revival, telling of our whimsicality and inherent craving for a bit of unapologetic fun, though, at the end of the day, we’ll find any occasion to wear a bit of pink.
We blame Margot Robbie for the resurgence. After being teased with a handful of looks from Greta Gerwig’s new Barbie movie, our Barbie-alter-egos have been unleashed as we yearn for the nostalgia of our childlike sensibilities. Enter “Barbiecore:” the Barbie-like aesthetic comprising a uniform of glittery accessories, Y2K-inspired-outfits and, most importantly, a hearty party of pinks. And as designers like Balmain and Valentino intervene with Barbie-inspired mannequins and collections oh-so pink, we know that this is no fad, rather a trend to stay.
As we’re set to embrace our inner Elle Woods and start wearing pink on Wednesdays, Bazaar Arabia has curated a list of how our favourite celebrities have put the ‘pink’ back into fashion…
Kim Kardashian
It’s not a microtrend until Kim Kardashian wears it. Kim’s look is where fun, flirty and athleisure meet, serving as the template to a feel-good-yet-be-loud outfit. In what is reminiscent of a Juicy Couture spin-off, the KUWTK star is caught sporting her infamous Balenciaga pantaleggings, cropped pink hoodie and Balenciaga hourglass bag in an entirely pink room. It’s giving Barbie Dreamhouse.
Hailey Bieber
Barbie… Bieber… what’s the difference? The supermodel and Rhode Beauty founder is a loud and proud Barbie fan, even dressing as the doll for Halloween circa 2017. Recently wrapped in a pink, corseted Versace mini dress with Naked Wolf white boots and Tiffany and Co. jewellery, we know that Hailey’s stylist Karla Welch had too much fun embracing her inner child with this Barbie-inspired look- and we’re not complaining.
Anne Hathaway
The Devil doesn’t wear Prada, in fact, she wears sequined pink Valentino; actress Anne Hathaway appeared to be a life-size Barbie doll at the Valentino Hate Couture Show in Italy, boasting a dazzling mini dress and larger than life fuchsia heels. If Hathaway’s a pink-a-holic, then so are we.
Janhvi and Khushi Kapoor
Take notes. When sister-duo Janhvi and Khushi wear pink, you do too. Revelling in dresses both long and short, pinks both light and dark, and hair both up and down, they make it clear that there is no one-size-fits-all look to have your Barbie moment. Chef’s kiss, if you ask us.
Margot Robbie
Barbiecore simply wouldn’t exist without Barbie. The internet’s muse for all things pink, girly-girl and put-me-in-your-pocket, Margot Robbie is constantly teasing us with the notion that perhaps our toys do grow old with us. As if straight out of the box, Robbie is dolled up in an outfit screaming 90s, an ensemble featuring a polka dot headband, chunky bracelet and leotard of sorts, all whilst being sat in a pink car of dreams- whether she’s acting or not, frankly, no one does realism better.
Balqees Fathi
Super cool, utter calm and absolutely collected. When spotted at Valentino’s Haute Couture Show in Rome, Balqees Fathi looked totally nonchalant when sandwiched in between two ladies dressed in black- though truthfully, we weren’t paying attention to anyone else. With the intricacies of floral detailing weaved throughout her Valentino dress, the Emirati singer showed us how to take transform a colour so loud and dramatic into one of elegance, decadence and suave.
Leonie Hanne
As if cast upon by a modern-day-fairy-godmother, Leonie Hanne sought to mystify herself in a dress which we remain certain was bibbity-bobbity-booed. In a hot-pink Valentino ensemble, the supermodel looked plucked out of a fairy-tale when pictured on the Spanish Steps of Rome. Let’s hope she didn’t leave a pink-stiletto pump behind.
Megan Fox
Megan Fox is a Barbie Girl and we’re living in her world. The Hollywood actress is, in fact, Barbiecore’s poster girl, embracing its femininity through both a traditional and refracted lens: in a head-to-toe Mach&Mach ensemble, she simply lets the pink do the work.
Lizzo
In a monochromatic, hot pink Valentino set at the premiere of her new TV show, Lizzo’s ensemble serves as both a cheers to the Barbie brand and the colour’s emblem of empowerment, inspiration and confidence. Plus, no one does girl-boss like Lizzo.
Dua Lipa
A true champion of the monochromatic look, particularly those blaring neon yellow and pink, the Albanian singer absolutely freeze-framed the 80s and wore something oh-so Barbie-esque, for her Future Nostalgia World Tour.
Khloe Kardashian
We can trust no other than Khloe Kardashian to deliver total Barbiecore glam. Wrapped in a shiny mini dress from LA based designer Venus Prototype with a pair of matching pink heels, she effortlessly picks up both the “cool mum” and “even cooler aunt” award. Embracing femininity, motherhood and latex, the invitations to her 38th birthday definitely said “think pink”- and we’re here for it.
Winnie Harlow
Nothing screams playful chic more than Winnie Harlow in a flagrantly cheeky ballerina-esque dress. Attending YouTube’s 2022 Beauty Festival in Los Angeles, the supermodel played on our universal love for pink with the allure of her girly-meets-punk ensemble, tied together with a fuchsia Vivienne Westwood bag and hot pink heels to make for the ultimate 80s time capsule look.
Florence Pugh
Not all superheroes wear capes, in fact, some of them wear six-inch-hot-pink-heels. A long-time subscriber to the realm of matching-sets and monochromatic fits, Florence Pugh is no stranger to the trends of the time; while on her “Black Widow” press tour, the actress sported anything but black, instead revelling in a fuchsia Versace mini-dress which embraced both her feminine divine and Barbie girl-glow.
Mai Omar
Mai Omar is known for her extravagant looks and if anyone is nailing the hot pink trend, it’s this Egyptian actress. Nothing says Elle Woods from Legally Blonde more than this hot pink suit, not to mention the feathers and diamonte buttons.
Lead Image Courtesy Instagram/ @maisonvalentino