Barbie continues to celebrate her 65th anniversary with help from a few famous friends, including Venus Williams. The professional tennis player is the latest celebrity to get her own one-of-a-kind doll, Mattel announced on Wednesday.
With four gold medals, Williams is one of the most decorated athletes in Olympic history. She was also the first female player to receive equal prize money at Wimbledon.
“Throughout my career, I’ve always been driven by the idea of shattering glass ceilings and staying true to myself, and Barbie’s mission couldn’t resonate more deeply with that ethos,” Williams said in a statement. “I’m honored to be recognized as a sports role model and join forces with Team Barbie to continue empowering the next generation of young girls to never stop believing in their dreams.”
Williams’ miniature wears a white terrycloth halter dress accessorized with a visor, sneakers, gold earrings and naturally, a tennis ball and racket. Opposable limbs allow the doll to strike several athletic poses.
The release of Williams’ Barbie coincides with the launch of eight other female athlete dolls from around the world: soccer players Christine Sinclair (Canada) and Mary Fowler (Australia), boxer Estelle Mossely (France), gymnasts Alexa Moreno (Mexico) and Rebeca Andrade (Brazil), paratriathlon star Susana Rodriguez (Spain), swimmer Federica Pellegrini (Italy) and track and field sprinter Ewa Swoboda (Poland).
“Barbie is thrilled to continue the brand’s 65th anniversary celebration by recognizing the impact of sports in fostering self-confidence, ambition, and empowerment among the next generation,” Krista Berger, senior vice president of Barbie and global head of dolls at Mattel, added. “The sports one-of-a-kind role model dolls serve as an embodiment of our shared values of passion, empowerment and individuality. By shining a light on these inspirational athletes and their stories, we hope to champion the belief that every young girl deserves the opportunity to pursue her passions and turn her dreams into reality.”
These nine dolls aren’t currently available for purchase, but Mattel has previously mass released its one-of-a-kind Barbies: in 2023, the toy company sent a Versace-clad Claudia Schiffer doll into production after creating one for the supermodel in celebration of her 50th birthday.
