Mattel unveiled the Misty Copeland Barbie doll inspired by the Firebird costume Copeland donned during her first ABT principal role.

Mattel’s Barbie is gaining notice in their “You Can Be Anything “campaign with the unveiling of the Misty Copeland Barbie doll. This reiterates their resounding message that when a girl plays with Barbie, she imagines anything she can become. Copeland is the first African-American female principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre, (ABT), one of the three leading classical ballet companies in the United States. Through her story of hardship, perseverance and ultimate triumph Copeland has been a role model to girls throughout her career. Mattel unveiled to press the Misty Copeland Barbie doll inspired by the Firebird costume Copeland donned during her first ABT principal role. She is currently scheduled to reprise her role on May 18-19 as part of ABT’s annual spring season at the Metropolitan Opera House. “I always dreamed of becoming an ABT ballerina and through Barbie I was able to play out those dreams early on,” mentioned Copeland. “It’s an honor to be able to inspire the next generation of kids with my very own Barbie doll.” Earlier this year, Mattel has made Barbie more diverse by expanding their Fashionistas line to include three new body types: tall, curvy and petite and in a range of skin tones and hairstyles. The Misty Copeland Barbie is connected with the Barbie Sheroes program, honoring female heroes who inspire girls by breaking boundaries and developing possibilities for women universally. Existing Barbie Sheroes include Ava DuVernay, Emmy Rossum, Eva Chen and Kristin Chenoweth. “Misty Copeland is at the center of a cultural conversation around how women continue to break boundaries,” noted Lisa McKnight, General Manager and Senior Vice President, Barbie. “As a brand, we want to honor women, like Misty, who are inspiring the next generation of girls to live out their dreams. We know role play often leads to real “play” in life and we’re thrilled to celebrate Misty with her very own doll.” The Misty Copeland Barbie retails for $29.95 and can be purchased at www.thebarbiecollection.com and additional retailers nationwide.

Photos: Courtesy of Mattel