Search Results for: biographical

Barbie is committed to shining a light on empowering role models past and present in an effort to inspire more girls. Your child’s Barbie can now hang out with the likes of Olympic snowboarding champion Chloe Kim, artist Frida Kahlo, and filmmaker Patty Jenkins. In honor of National Women’s Day on Wednesday, March 8th, Mattel has unveiled a collection of 17 Barbie dolls representing real women—past and present— who serve as role models for girls. Other women in the new group of dolls, called The Inspiring Women series, include gymnastics champion Gabby Douglas, polish journalist Martyna Wojciechowska, NASA mathematician and physicist Katherine Johnson (whose work was featured in the film Hidden Figures), and aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart. Mattel “Girls have always been able to play out different roles and careers with Barbie and we are thrilled to shine a light on real-life role models to remind them that they can be anything, ” Lisa McKnight, senior vice president and general manager for Barbie, said in a statement. Mattel’s decision to make the dolls is based on a global survey of 8,000 mothers it conducted in which 86% of respondents said they were worried about the kind of role models that their daughters were exposed to. The Inspiring Women series includes educational information about the contributions that each woman made to society, so children can learn while they play. Mattel Mattel Mattel Unfortunately, most of the dolls are one-of-a-kind and won’t be available for sale. You can pre-order a few of the dolls now through Mattel’s website for $29.99 each. Here's a breakdown of the women NEXT: CHLOE KIM, Snowboarding Champion, USA barbie.mattel.com Chloe Kim is a first-generation Asian-American snowboarding champion and the new face of the sport. At 17 years old, she became the youngest woman to win a gold medal in snowboarding at the 2018 PyeongChang games. Along with her halfpipe win, Chloe is also a four-time X Games gold medalist and the first woman to win two gold medals in snowboarding at the youth winter games. In 2016, she became the first female to land back-to-back 1080s and score a perfect 100 at the U.S. Grand Prix. As a southern California native, Chloe began snowboarding at age 4 at Mountain High, a local mountain just an hour away from her home. By age 10, she was training regularly at Mammoth Mountain and well on her way to conquering the sport. Chloe is constantly pushing the sport of snowboarding to new levels, showing girls everywhere the impressive heights they can reach. FRIDA KAHLO, Fine Artist, Mexico barbie.mattel.com Artist, activist, and feminist icon, Frida Kahlo continues to be a symbol of strength, originality, and unwavering passion. Overcoming a number of obstacles to follow her dream of becoming a fine artist, Frida persevered and gained recognition for her unique style and perspective. With her vibrant palette and mix of realism and fantasy, she addressed important topics like identity, class, and race, making her voice and the voices of girls and women alike-heard. barbie.mattel.com Her extraordinary life and art continue to influence and inspire others to follow their dreams and paint their own realities. PATTY JENKINS, Filmmaker, USA barbie.mattel.com Patty Jenkins is a writer and director best known for directing the Warner Bros. film, Wonder Woman, her debut Oscar-winning feature, Monster, and helming the pilot and finale episode of AMC’s The Killing. She began her career in painting after studying at Cooper Union. While there, she crossed over to filmmaking and went on to work as a camera person on commercials and music videos for nine years before attending the AFI in Los Angeles. After graduating, she wrote and directed Monster, for which Patty garnered numerous awards and nominations. She received multiple Emmy nominations and won the DGA award for best dramatic directing for her work in television. In 2017, Patty's Wonder Woman was the highest grossing film of the summer, third highest of the year, broke the record for Biggest Grossing Live-Action Film Directed by a Woman - domestic and worldwide. The film simultaneously smashed box office records and received critical acclaim and is currently ranked at the highest rated superhero movie of all time on Rotten Tomatoes. Coming off the success of the first installment, she signed on to direct the Wonder Woman sequel. Additionally, she recently wrapped production on her TNT, six-episode, limited drama, One Day She’ll Darken, for which she directs and serves as executive producer. NICOLA ADAMS OBE, Boxing Champion, U.K. barbie.mattel.com Nicola Adams OBE was born in Leeds, West Yorkshire on October 26, 1982. She is Great Britain's most successful female boxer of all time and the first female ever to win a gold medal in boxing. The two-time gold medalist is the only female boxer in the history of the sport to have held all four amateur titles. She fought and won her first bout at the age of 13, the same year the ban on women’s boxing was lifted in the UK. In 2003, she became the English amateur champion for the first time, and she retained the title at the next three championships. Nicola struggled to continue her boxing career due to lack of funds. She worked as an acting extra on soap operas and was a builder before women’s boxing received funding in 2009. IBTIHAJ MUHAMMAD, Fencing Champion, USA barbie.mattel.com Ibtihaj Muhammad was born on December 4, 1985, in Maplewood, New Jersey. She is an American sabre fencer and a member of the United States fencing team. She discovered fencing when she was 13 years old and has gone on to earn numerous medals and accolades for her achievements in the sport. She won a bronze medal in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro games, becoming the first female Muslim-American athlete to earn a medal. And was the first Muslim-American woman to wear a hijab while competing. As of 2016, Ibtihaj ranks No. 2 in the United States and No. 8 in the world. In 2014, Ibtihaj launched a clothing company to bring modest fashionable clothing to the U.S. market. She is also a sports ambassador, serving on the U.S. Department of State’s Empowering Women and Girls Through Sport initiative. BINDI IRWIN, Conservationist, Australia barbie.mattel.com Eighteen-year-old Bindi Irwin is an international award-winning wildlife conservationist and celebrity who inherited her father's passion for wildlife and wild places. Born to Wildlife Warriors Steve and Terri Irwin, Bindi was literally born on television. By the age of nine, Bindi had appeared on numerous American talk shows, including The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Oprah, and Larry King Live. Bindi has launched a clothing line, co-created a series of books, and has acted in television shows and movies. She has received many prestigious awards for her acting and conservation efforts, including an Emmy, Logie, Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Award for Biggest Greenie, and the Australian Geographic Society's Young Conservationist of the Year. Bindi has dedicated her life to wildlife conservation and inspiring the next generation to make a difference in the world. She is a strong believer in empowering kids and looks forward to spreading this message through her international filming work. AMELIA EARHART, Aviation Pioneer, USA barbie.mattel.com Amelia Earhart courageously challenged the conventions of the times by breaking and setting aviation records for women. She believed her accomplishments would prove men and women could be equal. In 1937, in what was to be a record-making flight as the first woman to fly around the world, her plane vanished without a trace. Her groundbreaking achievements, heroism, and the long-lasting contributions she made in aviation live on, inspiring others to soar in their own adventures. HUI RUOQI, Volleyball Champion, China Barbie.mattel.com Hui Ruoqi is a female Chinese volleyball player. She is the fifteenth captain of the Chinese women’s national volleyball team and won gold at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro games. Ruoqi has also won several world medals including a silver medal at the World Cup and a silver medal at the World Championships, in addition to several individual awards during her career. In April 2017, she established the Hui Ruoqi Women's Volleyball Development Fund, which helps the outstanding athletes and coaches who have made great contributions to the development of volleyball. Barbie.mattel.com Ruoqi is popularizing volleyball sports in her own way and continues to chase the "faster, higher, stronger" spirit in other arenas. She formed a huge volunteer support team to visit the remote mountainous areas of Qinghai to assist with educational activities. In the future, she wants to continue using sports to solve social problems. ASHLEY GRAHAM, Model and Body Activist, U.S. barbie.mattel.com Ashley Graham is an American model who has become one of the most popular faces in the modeling industry. She is hailed for breaking stereotypes for being a curvy model (the term Ashley prefers over "plus-sized"). Known for her accessibility and body confidence, Ashley has been described as an ambassador of the "real beauty" movement, which celebrates what real women's bodies look like rather than the impossible standards set by the fashion industry. With her increasing popularity, she has graced the covers of the world's largest fashion magazines and has walked the runway for major fashion brands and designers. KATHERINE JOHNSON, NASA Mathematician and Physicist, USA barbie.mattel.com Katherine Johnson was an African-American pioneer in mathematics who broke through barriers of race and gender. In the mid-1950s, she joined a pool of women hired by NASA to work as human computers. Katherine calculated the trajectory of NASA's first American-manned flight into space. Her figures were so consistently accurate, that when NASA switched to computers, they had her double-check the accuracy of the results. Like the trajectories she calculated, her contributions inspire young people to excel in math and science, and to reach for the stars. MISTY COPELAND, Principal Ballerina, USA barbie.mattel.com Misty Copeland is an acclaimed American ballet dancer and the first African-American to be appointed to principal dancer. She was considered a prodigy who rose to stardom despite not starting ballet until the age of 13. She was dancing en pointe three months after taking her first dance class and performing professionally in just over a year, a feat unheard of for any classical dancer. Misty's passion is giving back. She has worked with many charitable organizations and is dedicated to giving of her time to mentor young girls and boys. In 2014, President Obama appointed Misty to the President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition. She has written two autobiographical books and in 2015, was named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the world. HÉLÈNE DARROZE, World-Renowned Chef, France barbie.mattel.com Hélène Darroze is an inspirational fourth-generation French chef with two Michelin stars and three restaurants. After graduating from university, she joined Alain Ducasse's team at the prestigious Le Louis XV restaurant in Monaco. In 1995, she received the keys to her father’s kitchen and spent the next four years refining her culinary style. At 32, she opened her first restaurant in Paris which was awarded one Michelin star. She then caught the attention of one of London’s landmark hotels, leading to the opening of Hélène Darroze at the Connaught in 2008, which was awarded two Michelin stars. When creating new dishes, Hélène finds inspiration in everything from her overseas travels to her daughters. The smallest detail in a dish represents who she is and evokes a feeling, memory, fragrance or journey. Each day brings the desire to create something new and constantly evolve. Along with winning other prestigious awards, she has also been a judge on the French version of the popular TV show, Top Chef, since 2015 (Seasons 6-9). SARA GAMA, Soccer Player, Italy Barbie.Mattel.com Sara Gama was born in Trieste, Italy, on March 27, 1989. She started playing soccer when she was seven years old. After playing on several teams including Tavagnacco, Chiasiellis, Pali Blues, Brescia and Paris Saint-Germain, she became the captain of the new women’s team of Juventus in 2017. Barbie.Mattel.com She played for the Italian National Under-17 team and won the European title with the Under-19 team in France in 2008. Currently she’s the captain of the Italian national team. But there’s more than soccer in Sara’s life, she graduated with a degree in Foreign Languages and Literatures at the University of Udine. She also holds a seat on the Federal Board and is the President of the Federal Commission for the Development of Women’s Soccer in Italy. MARTYNA WOJCIECHOWSKA, Journalist, Poland Barbie.Mattel.com Martyna Wojciechowska is a journalist, explorer, traveler, writer, producer, movie director, and fighter for women’s empowerment around the world. From an early age, she dared to dream about things “not meant for girls” and pursued those dreams against all odds. She started auto racing when she was 17 and became the first woman in Central-Eastern Europe to complete the toughest rally in the world. She also fell in love with mountain climbing and decided to conquer the Seven Summits, the highest mountains on all continents. Since her earliest days, she has been proving that “impossible doesn’t exist,” which has become her personal motto. Martyna, who currently works as editor-in-chief for the Travel Channel, is on a continuous mission to travel to the most remote parts of the world and inspire women to change their lives and to find their inner strength. She is the author of 14 bestselling travel and adventure books, which have yielded multiple awards. The protagonists of her programs, movies, and books show that no matter their birthplace, culture, or religion, it is always worth consistently pursuing their dreams to be role models for others. GABBY DOUGLAS, Gymnastics Champion, USA Barbie.Mattel.com Gabby Douglas is an American gymnast who became the first African-American in history to win the individual all-around event at the 2012 Games in London. She also won team first-place medals in 2012 and 2016. Gabby began gymnastics training at six years old and won a state championship by the time she was eight. In 2010, at age 14, she left her family and moved in with a host family in Iowa where she trained. Gabby’s skill on the uneven bars—specifically, her ability to gain extraordinary height in the air when releasing from the apparatus—led her to earn the nickname, “the Flying Squirrel,” a name Gabby and her fans embraced. XIAOTONG GUAN, Actress and Philanthropist, China Barbie.Mattel.com Xiaotong Guan is a Chinese actress. She is known for her roles in the films Nuan, The Promise, and The Left Ear as well as the television series, To Be a Better Man. Known in China as the “Nation’s Daughter,” Guan is regarded as one of the “Four Dan actresses of the post-‘90s Generation.” She was born into a family of actors in Beijing. From an early age, her family encouraged a passion for the arts, and she first starred in Nuan at the age of four. Barbie.mattel.com In 2016, Guan was admitted into the Beijing Film Academy after placing first in both the practical and written sections of the Chinese College Entrance Examinations. In 2017, she became the ambassador for "World Life Day," a joint campaign by the United Nations Environment Programme, International Fund for Animal Welfare, and The Nature Conservancy. AVA DUVERNAY, Film Director, USA Barbie.mattel.com Ava Duvernay is an American film director, writer, and producer. Ava became the first African-American female director to receive a Golden Globe nomination and have a film nominated for a Best Picture Oscar. In 2016, she directed 13th, a documentary about the criminalization of African-Americans and the U.S. prison system, which received an Oscar nomination for feature documentary. She is also the first African-American female director to helm a $100 million movie with the upcoming film, A Wrinkle in Time. YUAN YUAN TAN, Prima Ballerina, China Barbie.Mattel.com Yuan Yuan Tan is a Chinese ballet dancer. She is the prima ballerina of the San Francisco Ballet where she holds the rank of principal dancer. She also holds the title of guest principal dancer at the Hong Kong Ballet. Tan’s father wanted her to pursue a medical or law degree. Her mother, who once had ambitions of becoming a dancer herself, was supportive of her desire to enroll in ballet school instead. The parents’ impasse was resolved by flipping a coin. Tan’s mother won the toss. At the age of 10, she was scouted by the Shanghai Ballet School and invited to join their training program. She was one of 24 candidates chosen from thousands of potentials in her age group from across China. As one of the most accomplished and critically acclaimed dancers of her generation, Tan is widely regarded as "the greatest Chinese ballerina of all time" and was called a "national treasure" by China Daily. In 2004, she was featured on the cover of Time magazine as a "Hero of Asia." LEYLA PIEDAYESH, Designer and Entrepreneur, Germany Barbie.Mattel.com Leyla Piedayesh was born in Tehran, Iran, in 1970. She is the founder of fashion label lala Berlin. After studying business administration, Leyla first came into contact with fashion professionally as editor of the television show, Designerama, on German MTV. In 2003, she began exploring her own design talent by making knitted accessories. Her celebrated debut collection was launched in 2004 at the fashion tradeshow Premium in Berlin where her trademark look was cashmere scarves with Palestinian style. The symbiosis of urban cool, elegant chic, and high-quality knitwear really took off, and lala Berlin was born. Barbie.mattel.com Since then, lala Berlin has grown to represent more than knitwear, but to encompass Berlin’s big-city, bohème and avant-garde style that the brand conveys to the rest of the world. See the role models up close: Join the conversation. Share your role model using #MoreRoleModels. Credits: fortune.com and Barbie Mattel