Wardrobe in the image of Barbie, collection of more than 18,500 dolls, fuchsia mansion that functioned for more than 10 years: as the film’s release approached Barbie by Greta Gerwig this Friday, the iconic doll’s biggest admirers continue to paint the screen candy pink with testimonials.
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Here are some enthusiasts who would definitely deserve the title of biggest doll fan.
A collection of… 18,500 dolls
62-year-old German Bettina Dorfmann has shared her life with more than 18,500 Barbie dolls since she began collecting the famous doll in 1993, The Mirror reported on Tuesday.
The woman who is eagerly awaiting her latest acquisition – a doll in the likeness of Margot Robbie, who plays Barbie in Greta Gerwig’s film – notably owns the very first Mattel Barbie from 1959, as well as the very first black doll.
At the same time, the 60-year-old has opened a doll hospital in her kitchen, where she repairs dolls with worn makeup, cut hair or fallen heads from all over the world.
But she never plays with her dolls, she pounded to British media.
“No no no no. I am a collector and they must be in their original and complete outfit,” she said.
In 2016, the woman passed the milestone of 15,000 dolls, earning the title of the largest collection in the Guinness Book of World Records.
Rose from head to toe
An 18-year-old Englishwoman from Lincolnshire, England, is addicted to pink and spends a “large chunk” of her salary adding to her all-pink, doll-like wardrobe.
“I am so excited that Barbie is coming out. […] All I know is that when I look at it I’m going to be like, ‘I need this outfit.’ I’m already trying to find a copy of these pink shoes,” Katie Loveday told The Mirror in an interview last Friday.
The young woman, who gave up her passion for pink as a teenager due to pressure to blend in with others, went back to basics during the 2020 pandemic and stocked her wardrobe with an array of shades of pink.
Katie Loveday also has a hundred Barbie dolls in her room, which is also all pink, and she’s hoping to snag a car in the same color.
Concerned that her style might appear “intimidating” to the potential Ken, she told British media that she has never felt more confident.
“I just want a man who likes my confidence – and who can go along with it,” she added.
A mansion worthy of a Barbie
Since 2009, a Californian has been working tirelessly on a fuchsia mansion in Essex, England, where every detail has been thought out to give the ‘iconic’ residence ‘character’.
“I’m an artist and I’ve always been drawn to the power of color – it evokes emotions, tells stories and transports you to another world. To me, pink means self-expression and individuality,” Amy Griffith told The Sun on Sunday.
Although she initially had no intention of building a house based on Barbie, her work was quickly compared to the famous doll, also from California, much to her delight.
Today, Barbie’s dream home, previously listed on Airbnb, is available to rent for events for about C$4,605 a night, although it’s currently occupied every weekend “for several years,” according to the owner.