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By Allen Voivod
In case you missed it: Last year, Barbie Signature hosted the second Doll Design Showdown, with an "Under the Sea" theme and led by Barbie Product Designer Angel Kent. Barbie fans worldwide voted in two phases. First, four design sketches were presented, and the top two vote getters proceeded to the design prototype stage and one last round of votes.
The winning prototype then moved on to a final manufacturing design and prepare for this very moment – when King Ocean Ken Merman Doll debuts in a sea spray of sunlit splendor!
The King Ocean Ken Merman Doll is a Barbie Signature member-exclusive pre-order doll, available only at Mattel Creations for a limited time. It’s also a crowd-voted and made-to-order doll, so you must place your orders before the end of the campaign on Tuesday, October 19 at 9pm PT.
Reflecting on the process that led to the creation of this doll, Barbie Designer Angel Kent recalls how he approached this and the other options in the Showdown. The biggest change from last year was in the design sketch phase. "I wanted them to be cohesive," Angel says, "so I themed them altogether as an undersea theme, my favorite – whereas in the first [Doll Design Showdown] each doll had a different theme."
Thousands of Barbie (and Ken) fans voted from around the world, and the results surprised even us. "I have to be honest and say I did not think he’d be the one to win, "Angel reveals. "It came as a big surprise to me and the team, but in hindsight, it makes sense! He’s the first Signature Merman ever."
Our mighty Ken doll emerges from the deep to enchant a new realm – the realm of land lovers like us! You'll know him by his royal stature, and the authority he projects with his metallic shell-encrusted breastplate and spaulder shoulder armor. Polished armbands and head adornments complete this collectible Ken doll’s brilliant look. This is a regent who knows how to rule a kingdom, and how to defend it.
We've had the pleasure of designing mermaid dolls for Barbie Signature before, but this is our first merman, and we made sure his radiant tail would glimmer from every angle, with rose golden scale details and iridescent fins. You'll even see those fins attached to his forearms as well!
"There are a thousand different ways in which I could design mermaids, but for this first time designing a Barbie Signature merman, I wanted to go as classic as possible," explains Angel, who led the Showdown project. "I love old royalty and myth, and to me he looks like a 'historical' merman, meaning as if he comes from the ancient world.". "If I may say so myself, I think he’s charming and unique, and his (new!) face sculpt is truly breathtaking," Angel says. "I love the iridescence of his tail, the way we executed his fin, and the sculpting on his armor."
The doll is articulated for endless posing possibilities, but (as you might expect) cannot stand by itself. So we've included a doll stand to help you capture a perfect stance, one that befits the bearing and attitude of aquatic majesty. If you choose to keep him in the box, you'll undoubtedly appreciate the special packaging designed just for the auspicious occasion of his arrival.
As a last reminder, this is a made-to-order doll, which means there are no quantity limits! But we'll only make as many as Barbie fans order during the campaign, which runs from October 13 at 9am PT to October 19 at 9pm PT. He's only available to Barbie Signature members, and only through Mattel Creations. Don't let the siren song of the sea lure you away – charter your own course and send this regal merman to your own port of call today. (Not a member? Learn more and join now!)
Important Terms Applicable to Purchase of Pre-Order Item:
This item is expected to ship in June 2022. A charge will be placed on your payment account and will be processed when the campaign ends on 10/19/21.
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