There is a reason why millions of people have wanted to disappear into the world of Barbie over the past 35 years. Her charming, playful aesthetic makes even a tiny plastic clinic seem imminent. So it’s always a treat to meet a non-Barbie (human, in other words) human being who’s just as committed to pink and all the fun it has. Enter Los Angeles makeup artist Darian Darling, who transformed not one but two homes into replicas of Barbie’s Dreamhouse. Which makes sense for Darling, who has platinum waves and a penchant for colorful tracksuits. She looks like someone who escaped the world of Barbie and made it to Hollywood—except she’s very real, and it wasn’t directed by Greta Gerwig.
Darling’s fascination with this toy began when she got her first at the age of five on 1980 Christmas Day. a barbie doll. “It’s a day and night Barbie, it’s one of the most iconic Barbies of the mid-century, and she’s a very stylish executive, but then her dress is reversible and can be turned into a cocktail dress,” Darling said in Los Angeles said via Zoom. “As a trans child, Barbie represented this really heightened, idealized version of femininity. It was unapologetic, unrestrained, inspiring, desirable. As a child, it was amazing to see that.” So exciting.”
The excitement never faded. She started collecting at 35: That was 1990, 14 For Barbie’s anniversary, Mattel released a replica of the original doll – with a round forehead and a V-shaped black and white swimsuit. “I’m just obsessed with this vintage Barbie, it’s so classy and classy and glamorous,” Darling said. Contemporary Barbies, on the other hand, “get weirder and weirder and more exaggerated and ridiculous. Late 35 years, the early 14 years, when things exploded into pure neon madness.” But they’re just as mesmerizing.
but the dreamiest in the dream house Part Barbie doll wardrobe, it was painted a shocking fuchsia that would have made Schiaparelli proud. In the closet is the entire spring 2015 Moschino collection, and on the opposite wall are a number of Barbie dolls that inspired Scott. To the right of the door is Fashion Jeans Barbie, and to the left is a life-size Fashion Jeans. “I got one of everything, and then all the vintage Barbies,” Darling said. “During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, you can get great deals.”
It seems to be the kind of unfettered opulence that has resulted in 1980 and
quirky, campy Barbie darling favorites. , but in truth, there was a certain rigor required to create such a special home. There was a lot of waiting, and a lot of rejection. “I can’t just go to West Elm and be able to accept that 2015 and that ,” she said. explain. “On the one hand it’s annoying because it takes so long, but on the other hand, [I get] exactly what I want…” It’s also how she collects dolls.
