IFWT_ZendayaBarbie

It’s official, Barbie has dreads! The world renown toy brand Mattel debuted it’s newest addition today, a black barbie with dreads. The barbie is modeled after Zendaya Coleman’s highly criticized Oscar 2015 Red Carpet look.

Click the jump to learn more!

Nae McMillan Twitter

At the 2015 Oscars Zendaya Coleman graced the red carpet in an elegant white gown and a fresh set of faux locs setting off fashion police everywhere. More specifically her look set off the host of E!’s hit tv show ‘Fashion Police,’ Giuliana Rancic who said Zendaya looked like she smells like “patchouli oil or weed,” all because of her locs. Today, Zendaya got the last laugh!

When I was little I couldn’t find a Barbie that looked like me, my…how times have changed. Thank you Barbie for this honor and for allowing me to be a part of your diversification and expansion of the definition of beauty. Can’t wait to keep doing amazing thing with you.

Barbie, a brand that once lacked cultural diversity, has come a long way and is making it a point to broaden the idea of beauty for young girls around the world.

The very first Barbie was introduced to the world in 1959. By 1968 the first barbie of color was created to no excitement from the African-American community who did not believe the barbie had anything in common with young black girls beyond the dark skin-tone; the Christie barbie was a dark brown barbie with straight hair, a button nose, and other characteristics considered to be caucasian. It wasn’t until 1980 that the first official Black barbie was created, with more ethnic features and styled to reflect the African-American woman.

To see photos of the Zendaya Barbie with dreads hit up the gallery!!