I’ve always loved Barbie.  I mean I am a REAL fan.  I have great memories of my beautiful Barbie with her Barbie townhouse (with elevator) and silver Barbie Corvette.  So I was super excited when I had the opportunity to meet a real Barbie in person.  Ok, she’s not Barbie but she designs for Barbie and that makes her a real Barbie to me.

I had the pleasure of chatting with Mattel designer, Stacy McBride-Irby at Blogalicious, a blogger conference for women of color, and was intrigued with the new line of Barbies.  The line is called So In Style™ (SIS).  Stacy Mcbride-Irby has been a designer with Mattel for 12 years.  You may remember the Alpha Kappa Alpha Centennial Barbie that was released last year.  She was the designer of that doll.  Just last month they released the SIS line and Stacey took a minute to discuss the SIS Barbie Beat.

LA: How did you get started with Mattel?

Stacey: I have a degree in Fashion Design and started out designing adult/children clothing before embarking on my career at Mattel.  I started at Mattel over 12 years ago, through cold calling an African American Barbie designer that worked here.  She told me that she was looking for an assistant.  Two interviews later, I was hired to support in the designs for Barbie…my dream job.  Playing with Barbie inspired me to become a fashion designer.  I loved mixing and matching her fashion looks along with her hairstyles.  I played with her until I was around 12 to 13 years old.  That’s when I started drawing and creating fashions for people.

LA: Tell us about the So In Style dolls and what makes them unique?

Stacey: The So In Style dolls are unique in that they have elements to them that are very relatable…from their skin tones and cheekbones, to their personalities.  On the back of the package, it shares the doll’s birthday and aspirations.  For example, Grace loves Cheerleading and Science, Trichelle loves Art and Journalism, and Kara loves Math and Music.  They share these passions with their little sisters that they mentor.  I wanted the dolls to have a positive message.  Each big and little sister also has a different skin color from one another.

LA: Describe their “Beauty Beat” to us? (The makeup choices, colors etc.)
Stacey:  Grace is our girly girl.  She uses soft colors and loves pink.  Trichelle is the fun and funky girl who’s not scared to take risks.  She wears more colors and darker lipstick.  Kara is sassy and sweet.  She has girly elements with a pop of rock, since she loves music.

LA: Are the looks inspired by trends in magazines or TV?

Stacey: Teen TV shows, Girls in the malls and my community, African American actresses/models and Hair Magazines is where I draw my inspiration.

LA: Tell us about their hair styles and textures

Stacey: Grace and her little sister Courtney wear their hair straight.  Their hair is pulled back in cute, cheerleading ponytails.  Trichelle and her little sister have slight curls to their hair.  Trichelle has maroon highlights since she likes to have fun with her hair.  And Kara has brown hair with a slight curl.  She loves her baby hair.  Her sister Kianna sports two curly Afro puffs.

LA: What is next for the SIS line?

Stacey: The So In Style line will introduce a new SIS girl named Chandra, with her little sister Zahara.  Chandra is an even darker skin tone than Kara.  She and her sister love Dance and Drama…she writes and stars in her school plays.  We are also adding a Big Brother named Darren and little brother named Julian.  All of the teenaged dolls will be wearing Rocawear fashions for Spring 2010.  These dolls will be available in January of 2010.

LA: What is your personal beauty Beat?  How would you describe it?

Stacey: My personal Beat is very simple and goes along with how I’m feeling that day.  Sometimes my hair is not quite how I thought it would turn out, so I’ll wear it in two ponytails with a fun fashion and tennis shoes.  I make my personal beauty Beat work for me.  Oh, and I’ve been trying, but I don’t wear that much make up. : )

Thanks, Stacey for sharing your Barbie Beat with us. We wish you continued success in breaking barriers and promoting the array of beauty in African American women through Barbie.

Are you a Barbie doll at heart?  Have a daughter, sister, or friend that would love this as a great birthday or holiday gift?  Get the So In Style line just in time from the LA Beauty Beat Store.