Here’s hoping we’re all as well-dressed—and as well-preserved—at age 60 as the Ken doll.
To celebrate six decades of the figurine’s enduring status as an avatar for evolving masculinity (and, of course, as an unfailing partner to Barbie), Mattel has teamed up with Berluti to create three one-of-a-kind versions of the doll. Each of them is dressed in miniature versions of the Parisian menswear brand’s recent clothing collaboration with artist Brian Rochefort, the Los Angeles-based ceramicist known for his use of bright color and organic forms. On humans and on the dolls, the clothes span tailoring, sportswear, sneakers and accessories—there’s even a tiny version of the brand’s signature leather Nino pouch. The trio is accompanied by a version of the Berluti buggy, originally created in partnership with Barbie’s sister brand Hot Wheels.
The Berluti Ken dolls “traveling” to Los Angeles Berluti/Mattel
The three dolls will be auctioned in May to benefit the Make-a-Wish foundation, but in the meantime, you can follow along as they “travel” from Paris to Los Angeles on the @BarbieStyle Instagram account. The journey, however digital, is intended as a little bit of an escape at a time when so many people have stopped jet-setting and are holed up in their homes as a caution against the pandemic.
The $380 Berluti x Ken T-shirt. Berluti/Mattel
“During such a restrictive time, it felt joyful and liberating going into fantasy mode to create all these products and this storytelling,” said Berluti artistic director Kris Van Assche in a statement. “Ultimately, it all goes back to the idea of dreaming.”
The $1,030 Berluti x Ken Nino pouch. Berluti/Mattel
If you’d rather wear the dream in real life, there are two human-sized products on offer: a t-shirt ($380) and a scaled-up version of that Nino pouch ($1,030), both emblazoned with the Berluti and Ken logo. Both pieces will be available on Berluti.com, as well as in Berluti stores in the US, China, Japan and France on Ken’s official birthday, March 11.
