Designer Karen Walker and her Karen Walker Barbie. Image supplied.
Sometimes it’s hard to see what could come from a child making a circular skirt for her Barbie. In soft floral organza and paired with a leather belt, this skirt was designer Karen Walker’s first sashay into fashion. Now an adult woman, and having launched her celebrated eponymous label in 1989, Karen Walker was announced as the official 2021 Barbie NZ Role Model this week.
Every year, Barbie celebrates role models around the world who are breaking boundaries, to show girls they can be anything, continuing the brand’s efforts to close the Dream Gap – the time when young girls start doubting their value and potential. Imagining she can be anything is just the beginning for a young girl, actually seeing that she can be anything makes all the difference.
“The Dream Gap project is close to my heart, because it focuses on putting positive example, opportunities, and lessons out in the forefront for young people,” says Karen Walker. “With kids, you never know where that one critical path-changing moment is going to come from. My first experience with fashion design was making a skirt for my Barbie, my grandmother showed me how to make a circular skirt, then I made one for Barbie – this beautiful, full length circular skirt, in a soft dusty floral organza, put a leather belt with it and I was away. It was like, “oh, that looks really good” – it was that first moment where I realised that ideas, action and reality are all connected – so that was really a critical moment for me. Whenever I’m with kids I’m always scanning for how I can help in terms of giving one of those little moments that sort of open your eyes a little bit and show a possibility. I think we kind of need them as adults as well!”
The role model programme is in furtherance of the Dream Gap project – a multi-year initiative to level the playing field for girls globally. Whether an aspiring rapper, robotics engineer, or wagering for presidential candidacy, the series inspires confidence in young women when stepping into the unknown and begs the question: Why can’t I?
Role modelling for New Zealand in previous years have been World Champion Shotputter, Dame Valerie Adams, and Sports Journalist and Presenter, Melodie Robinson. This year, Barbie is celebrating fashion reinvention – authenticity and self-expression through wearable designs. Barbie has presented Karen Walker with a unique one-of-a-kind doll made in her likeness, the highest honour from the Barbie brand.
“It’s thrilling to be named as the official NZ Role Model for such an empowering brand as Barbie; and to be included amongst the incredible women who have been honoured in the past, with a doll made in their likeness,” adds Karen Walker. “The creative team and the crafts people at Barbie who designed my one-of-a-kind doll work at such a high level, and to see myself interpreted in that way, in that iconic format – it is kind of other-worldly in a lot of ways – I’m very conscious that not only is it an honour, but it’s also just a very rare thing.”
“The work Barbie does in pioneering diverse and dynamic role models, is extremely important for the next generation of ground breakers. When you see what others achieve, it makes your own journey that bit less scary. It may still be hard work, but you know that someone else has done something big or different or hard or special – and maybe not even in your field – but it gives you that little bit of confidence when stepping into the unknown. I think that’s why people look to role models, because, they think – oh, well they’ve done something amazing, they’ve created a great piece of art, or a fantastic brand, or a great business, or made a difference – why can’t I?”
Images supplied.