| EVENT REPORT 03.11.09 4:07 PM |
PRINT | SEND TO A FRIEND |
|
| A Doll's House |
| As part of a year of worldwide events in honor of the 50th anniversary of Mattel's Barbie doll, guests took to a beach house done up to look like a luxe version of the doll's Malibu Dream House. |
|
FROM LOS ANGELES You might say that Mattel had an insta-theme for its Los Angeles bash for about 200 celebrating the iconic Barbie doll's 50th anniversary. Playing off the Malibu Dream House toy—a coveted accessory for the doll—organizers picked a real life beach house on Pacific Coast Highway and went wild with full-size incarnations of the doll's tiny treasures and pleasures. The date of the party, March 9, was the doll's actual birth—er—launch day at New York's Toy Fair 50 years ago.
Mattel's Lauren Dougherty—along with two other co-chairs of the marketing campaign, Liz Grampp and Brad Armistead—tapped Colin Cowie to plan the party and conjure the food and beverage ideas and Jonathan Adler to decorate the interior of the home. "Barbie is a reflection of fashion, pop culture, and aspiration, and that's really how we celebrated her for her 50th birthday," Dougherty said. "In many ways, the Malibu Dream House [party] was the quintessential moment [in the campaign] because she is a California girl—this was our big marquee moment." |
|
CONTINUED > |
|
|
PHOTO GALLERY |
 | Mattel hosted a 50th anniversary bash for the Barbie doll at a private beach house in Malibu.
Photo: Line 8 Photography |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 | Guests picked up signature drinks such as Barbie Doll-icious, Ken's Caiprirosca, Strawberry Blonde, and It's a Pink Thing from an alfresco bar.
Photo: Line 8 Photography |
|
|
|
 | A dessert bar featured a giant ice sculpture that evoked the look of a tiered cake.
Photo: Line 8 Photography |
|
|
 | Ottomans lined the pool, and a gobo channeling Barbie's perspective read, "Welcome to my dream house."
Photo: Line 8 Photography |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
At the party were 1,800 pairs of Barbie sunglasses, 3,500 pairs of tiny shoes, and 3,500 mini handbags filling custom-designed Lucite tables. Pink roses, hydrangea, and ranunculus made up the centerpieces. Inside the house, wall-to-wall carpeting lining Barbie’s bedroom and hallway featured a custom-designed “B” pattern, and more than 200 yards of fuchsia velvet fabric draped Barbie's bedroom. Pink peep-toe Christian Louboutin heels—straight from Barbie’s runway show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York this February—lined Barbie’s shoe closet. Reproductions of 1959 dolls made up an eye-catching wall mirror in the living room. Barbie vintage art hung on the walls throughout the house, including a portrait by Andy Warhol. An in-house museum featured 25 dolls from Barbie's past.
At the dessert table, 146 pounds of pink candy included mints, chocolate, licorice, rock candy, gummy lips, and jelly beans—and a 1,000-pound-plus ice sculpture resembled a giant cake. (Cowie had wanted to do the cake itself, but he said Mattel nixed it because it looked too wedding-y.) In the driveway, a Malibu Barbie Beetle—a custom-designed pink Volkswagen made especially for Barbie—featured a pop-up vanity and other fanciful touches.
"It was a fun project to do, [with the goal] to make it as Barbie as possible," Cowie said. "The whole inspiration came from the classic 1959 Barbie in the black-and-white zebra suit. The space was very contemporary, but everything was done with a wink and nod to the past." And his favorite part of the party decor? "The backdrop to the bar: black and white stripes with 750 actual Barbie dolls, head to toe, the entire thing framed in a Lucite trough filled with acrylic jewels. So cha-cha-cha. Very girlie, very fun."
The Malibu event was part of a year of global events celebrating Barbie's 50th. The decor from the house will move to Las Vegas, where it will permanently deck a Barbie-branded suite at the Palms.
No part of the splashy party—nor the rest of the 50th campaign events—appeared to be dulled by the recession. "This is something that we began planning about 18 months ago," Dougherty said. "It was really important to us that we recognize this monumental, epic moment for the Barbie brand, so we moved forward with it. Although she is only 11-and-a-half-inches tall, Barbie doesn't do anything small."
Cowie added, "I think it's what we need right now. Everyone's talking about the economy, but we need to have a good time. Budget wasn't the biggest driving point. Anyway, I don't think creativity has anything to do with money. We were very resourceful and found creative ways to make an impact and a statement. And when you personalize something, you really hit a note."
—Alesandra Dubin
RELATED TOPICS
Barbie, Mattel, Jonathan Adler, Volkswagen, Fashion Week
MORE EVENT REPORT STORIES
Feist Steps in to Perform at Holt Renfrew's Holiday Window Unveiling
Venetian Ball Recreates Piazza San Marco With 30-foot Bell Tower, Starry Night Lighting
Baycrest Foundation Stages Ballroom Dance Competition for Annual Gala
Microsoft Introduces Windows 7 With Cute Kid, Product Vignettes
Thomas Sabo Product Launch Dresses Ultra With Black Feathers, Roses
MORE STORIES ABOUT BARBIE
Fashion Week Tent Adopts an LG-Inspired Look For Fall Shows
Barbie Pop-Up Showcases Furniture Line, Designs From David Dixon's Opening Night Show at LG Fashion Week
MORE STORIES ABOUT MATTEL
Industry Leaders at BizBash L.A. Expo Stress Innovation and Negotiation
Buyers Market, Mezzanine Seating, Film Screening Planned for LG Fashion Week
Cathy Brown Is Planning Halloween Events in Three Cities and Bracing for the Next Administration
| More Suppliers/Venues to Consider |
ADVERTISEMENT |
|
|
|
Black Creek Pioneer Village
Black Creek Pioneer Village is Toronto’s premier outdoor living-history museum. Combining convenient location, a charming historic setting, and excellent meeting facilities with first-class service, Black Creek Pioneer Village is a one-of-a-kind venue in Toronto for a wide range of business events, with meeting rooms for small groups or indoor and outdoor spaces for large gatherings. More >>
EMAIL THIS RESOURCE |
|
Exclusive Affair Rentals Inc.
Exclusive Affair Rentals offers an unparalleled selection of bold china settings from classic to contemporary, exquisite seating selections, dynamic tabletop accoutrements, and dramatic presentation pieces. We strive to ensure your guests are left with a striking impression and an overwhelming satisfaction, even after the last votive candle has its final flicker. More >>
EMAIL THIS RESOURCE |
|
BizBash SCHED*
BizBash SCHED* is the leading provider of interactive event calendars, personal agenda builders, social networking, and communication tools for conferences, meetings, and festivals. BizBash SCHED* makes it easy for planners to publish detailed session information and keep attendees up to date. More >>
EMAIL THIS RESOURCE |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
