A piece from Chris Diaz' collection. (Photo by NOEL PABALATE)

On the heels of the first ever Barbie Runway Show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York, Filipino designers gave a nod to the iconic doll’s 50th anniversary in a fashion and pop-culture showcase of their own at the recently-concluded Philippine Fashion Week. Featuring 50 local interpretations and extrapolations of Barbie’s many looks over the years, both veteran and new-generation designers recreated their personal experiences of Barbie with designs that were, in the words of Fashion Week architect Joey Espino, “Filipino but not necessarily Filipiniana.”

“Almost every fashion designer dreams of dressing up Barbie in his own way,” says Espino. “So for the Philippine Barbie show, we invited designers who had participated in previous Fashion Weeks to create pieces that reflected both their own identities and their experiences with Barbie dolls.”

On the New York stage, designers ranging from Diane von Furstenberg to Tommy Hilfiger to Juicy Couture to Three As Four interpreted the doll’s past fashions, current looks, and imagined future styles. Notably, Filipino designer Monique Lhuiller also graced the line-up. In Philippine Fashion Week, designers include Gerry Katigbak, Shanon Pamaong, Gian Romano, Robin Tomas, Mich Dulce, John and Paul Herrera, Pia Gladys Perey, and Chris Diaz, to name a few.

Barbie has long been a reflection of changing tastes in fashion. In recent years, the brand cemented its status in the industry with collaborations with Anna Sui, MAC, Tarina Tarantino, Stila, Vera Wang, Bloomingdale’s, and the Council of Fashion Designers of America. In Asia, the first Barbie® flagship retail store, House of Barbie, has opened this year on Shanghai’s trendy Huaihai Road. The eight-floor department store will offer a 3,500 square-foot spa, a museum, a pink fashion runway, two restaurants, and a massive selection of products from 45 different categories, including apparel, footwear, and accessories.