Photography by Getty Images
The star is channelling her inner Barbie girl as she travels the world promoting the summer’s biggest movie.
Date July 10, 2023
This article was originally published on June 29, 2023 and has been updated.
No one’s doing Barbiecore better than Margot Robbie this summer. As the Australian actress travels the globe to promote her titular role in the highly-anticipated live-action Barbie movie, her style has been heavily inspired by the iconic Mattel doll’s fashion sense, with every outfit looking like it was perfectly plucked out of Barbie Land.
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And, between the seemingly endless brand collaborations, elaborate press events and unique experiential marketing tactics (we’re looking at you, Barbie Dreamhouse Airbnb) promoting the film, it only makes sense that Robbie would lean into this one-of-a-kind character’s style.
Robbie is trying her hand at method dressing — which, for some actors, is the process of dressing in the aesthetic of the character they play or movie they’re in — and her style is clearly deliberate, detail-oriented and, of course, extremely pink. These outfit choices are helping to blur the lines between where Robbie ends and Barbie begins, making her appear as one and the same with the classic character and further solidifying her status as one of the biggest movie stars of our time.
At the film’s world premiere in Los Angeles on July 9, Robbie wore perhaps her most literal Barbie look yet, solidifying that she is now and forever in her Barbie era. The actor transformed into 1960s Barbie for the pink carpet premiere, rocking a custom black sequinned Schiaparelli couture gown with matching opera gloves.
Photography by Getty Images
And last week, Robbie was on a whirlwind Barbie-dressing streak that was nearly impossible to keep track of. There was her very ’90s “Totally Hair: 25th Anniversary” Barbie doll reference on July 7 (complete with crimped hair and groovy printed minidress, not to mention an epic vintage Versace moment a few days earlier and the below 1984 “Day to Night” Barbie look capture by Robbie’s hairstylist Bryce Scarlett.
On Australia’s Bondi Beach on June 29, Robbie wore another Barbie ensemble that appeared to have been borrowed directly from the iconic doll. Although the outfit, surprisingly, didn’t feature any pink, Robbie wore a custom black and white striped Hervé Léger mini-dress, Barbie’s classic white-rimmed vintage sunglasses and black Manolo Blahnik heeled mules as a nod to the first-ever Barbie doll which was released in 1959.
The look, which was initially shared by Robbie’s stylist, Andrew Mukamal, on Instagram, is strikingly similar to the doll without it being an exact replica. The 1959 outfit consisted of a black and white strapless leotard while Robbie went for a more modern adaptation with a mini as she paid tribute to the ensemble. The references didn’t just stop at the clothes and accessories, though, as Robbie also sported a high, retro-inspired ponytail, which looks strikingly similar to the hairstyle the original doll wears.
Robbie even remained on-theme as she touched down in Australia earlier this week. As she walked through the airport, the star wore a vintage pink Chanel blazer while carrying the chicest matching light-pink luggage set that we could totally imagine Barbie using to travel the world.
She exemplified her commitment to emulating Barbie’s iconic style once again when she attended a press stop for the film in Los Angeles last weekend. As she channelled her inner doll, Robbie sported two all-pink looks during the trip that were almost too on-point.
The first consisted of a light pink, two-piece bustier and pleated miniskirt Bottega Veneta set and coordinating Manolo Blahnik peep-toe heels. In photos that her stylist once again shared on Instagram, Robbie truly couldn’t have looked any more Barbie-like as she enthusiastically posed in front of a perfectly matching pink convertible with a matching handbag and the iconic white sunglasses, of course.
While attending a press event in Beverly Hills the next day, Barbie once again came to life through Robbie as the actress wore a pink polka-dot halter Valentino mini-dress with a yellow shoulder bag and white Manolo Blahnik pumps. We’d be remiss if we didn’t note that we’re sensing a theme with the star’s favoured-footwear choice — who knew Barbie was such a Manolo fan? If their universes were to ever collide, we’re sure Carrie Bradshaw and Barbie would become besties over this shared obsession alone.
Photography by Getty Images
Robbie’s commitment to method dressing for the role isn’t new either. Back in April at CinemaCon 2023 for one of the film’s first promotional stops, Robbie sported a pink and white gingham two-piece Prada ensemble that was reminiscent of two dresses Barbie wears in one of the movie’s first trailers.
Some of Robbie’s co-stars have also received the method-dressing memo and are leaning into their character’s fashion senses as well.
Ryan Gosling, who plays one of the many Kens in the film, already went viral for his CinemaCon 2023 look that consisted of a pink sweater and a white T-shirt with “From Director Greta Gerwig” written across the front in Barbie font. And the Canadian movie star mostly recently channelled his real-life Kenergy last night in Toronto.
At the Canadian press event, Gosling sported a head-to-toe Gucci look consisting of a pastel blue suit with a pink shirt. Simu Liu, who plays a fellow Ken in the movie, also attended the press stop and showed off his Barbie-inspired look with a striped pink shirt under a retro green leather jacket and brown trousers.
In just the past few months, this cast, and particularly Robbie, have proven just how creative they can be as they dive deeper into the method dressing opportunities this film presents. And why shouldn’t they? There’s perhaps no other franchise that is as fun, carefree and colourful as Barbie, and it’s great to see the stars taking full advantage of all the fashionable, once-in-a-career outfit choices they have. After all, it’s Barbie’s World, we’re just living in it.
