The Diwali Barbie Dilemma: Progress or Profit?

Words by Suki Basra

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In the 1920s, travel posters, made for steamship lines and airlines, became extremely popular. The style changed notably in the 1920s, to focus attention on the product being advertised. The images became simpler, precise, more linear, more dynamic, and were often placed against a single color background. They conveyed a sense of power and safety – basically, what travelers were supposed to feel boarding liners and trains and visiting new destinations. (Available as print)

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Recommended Reads:

Gold Inheritance: the Quiet Feminism of South Asian Women

Deconstructing the Feminist Narrative Behind the Haveli

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The Diwali Barbie Dilemma: Progress or Profit?

Diwali Barbie

When Mattel unveiled their Diwali Barbie this October—a doll adorned in a designer outfit by Anita Dongre, steeped in lotus motifs and vivid hues—the release aimed to make waves. The doll is marketed as an emblem of Indian beauty and strength, celebrating the Festival of Lights. Yet, for me, this latest iteration of Barbie doesn’t quite sit right. It’s not the doll itself that stirs unease, but rather what it represents—a calculated campaign to cash in on identity and culture under the guise of empowerment.

Diwali Barbie raises an uncomfortable question: Is this doll a meaningful symbol of South Asian representation, or are we being drawn into yet another shiny, corporate illusion?