Barbiecore once took runways by storm, but now another plastic doll has captured the fashion zeitgeist. Polly Pocket, who celebrates her 35th anniversary on Wednesday, was initially designed by Chris Wiggs in 1983. He created the tiny plaything for his daughter, fashioning a dollhouse out of a makeup compact.
This became the basis for the original Polly Pocket toys, which included heart-shaped plastic cases that opened up into play sets. After they hit shelves in 1989, Mattel purchased the property in 1998, redesigning Polly Pocket and making her slightly larger. They also introduced clothing, shoes and accessories for the doll — many of them rubber.
Although Polly Pocket toys were discontinued in 2012, Mattel brought them back in 2018, catering to a new generation of children and cashing in on retro nostalgia.
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“With ’90’s fashion once again at the heart of culture, Polly’s chunky heels and rubber minidresses are the moment, encouraging fans to make big and bold fashion choices,” Krista Berger, Mattel’s senior vice president, global head of Barbie and dolls, exclusively told WWD in a statement. “Polly’s journey over the last three decades is a testament to the power of imagination and we look forward to honoring the adventure she brings to everyday life.”
In celebration of the doll’s 35th birthday, Mattel has pegged Polly Pocket collaborations with brands like Loungefly, Pacsun and Hot Topic. The brand also has plans to release makeup — a clear nod to the toy’s original prototype.
Even designer labels aren’t immune to the pint-sized doll’s influence: Moschino, Balenciaga and Miu Miu experimented with Polly Pocket-inspired designs in the 2010s, and in the 2020s, these playful, buoyant silhouettes have reemerged, taking new form in the whimsical garments of Marc Jacobs and Loewe.
Ahead, see how eight high fashion brands have channeled Polly Pocket.
Moschino
Jeremy Scott’s spring 2015 collection for Moschino may have been explicitly Barbie-coded, but the brand’s quilted Swarovski-encrusted heart-shaped purse mimics Polly Pocket’s original compacts.
Balenciaga
In 2017, Balenciaga introduced its own iteration of Crocs. The Spanish label’s platform take on the rubber clog — stuffed to the gills with Jibbitz — could have easily come from Polly Pocket’s elastic wardrobe.
GCDS
GCDS, the Italian brand known for its kitschy interpretations of Hello Kitty, Care Bears and Pokémon, collaborated with Polly Pocket in 2019. Several designs, including satin bomber jackets, micro handbags and knits incorporated the brand’s original logo.
In 2024, GCDS teamed up with the tiny doll again as part of its fall “Toys for Adults” presentation. Invitations for the show consisted of Polly Pocket dolls wearing GCDS hoodies.
Chanel
Moschino doesn’t have a monopoly on heart-shaped handbags. Karl Lagerfeld, Chanel’s late creative director, famously infused the French fashion house with whimsical plays on its bestselling staples (case in point, the quilted flap bag).
Chanel has repeatedly incorporated heart-shaped pouches over the years, including as part of its spring 2022 couture collection. Candied colorways from this line had a particularly viral moment, and as of 2024, they’re still considered valuable items on the resale market.
Loewe
Loewe’s current creative director JW Anderson cited Polly Pocket as inspiration for his spring 2023 show. Leather tops, dresses and skirts were created from 3D-printed molds, and when paired with the collection’s buttery shearling pieces and trompe l’oeil dresses, comprise the perfect doll-like wardrobe.
One of Anderson’s Loewe trademarks is his use of balloon motifs. In 2022, he also channeled inflatables by sending cartoon-ish Comic pumps down the runway. Available in both matte and patent finishes, the foam heels have drawn comparisons to Barbie and Minnie Mouse, though they wouldn’t look out of place on Polly Pocket, either.
Miu Miu
The fall 2023 season also saw Miu Miu partake in Polly Pocket-inspired fashions. The brand produced napa leather dresses, and though they only come in muted shades, the puffy frocks are reminiscent of the doll’s rubber garb.
Back in 2016, Miu Miu debuted their own take on Polly’s pliable footwear. Platform sandals with patent leather straps and scalloped wedges walked the runway during the label’s spring 2017 fashion show.
Marc Jacobs
Marc Jacobs played with dramatic proportions in both of his 2024 collections. During his spring presentation, the designer released puffy pieces crafted from leather and foam-like fabrics, evoking Polly Pocket’s molded clothes.
Jacobs maintained this whimsical theme in his recent fall collection, which, like spring’s, emphasized oversize silhouettes similar to paper dolls.
Sandy Liang
Sandy Liang’s heart-shaped marshmallow necklace was directly inspired by Polly Pocket’s plastic compacts. The designer released a newer version of the resin pendant called the Heels necklace in 2024 as part of her fall jewelry launch.
