Barbie movie filming creates 'Barbiecore' trend in UK, data suggests

As filming for the new Barbie movie gets underway, the UK market is taking inspiration from the famous doll, with Clearpay revealing a recent spike in sales of neon clothing and blonde hair dye. 

The film, which will star Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken, has sparked a new "Barbiecore" trend, which has seen sales of fuchsia clothing increase by 44% since the last quarter, while coral clothing is up 32%, pink by 10% and magenta by 71% from last year.

Ahead of the film's release next year, Robbie and Gosling were recently pictured on set rollerskating in matching neon outfits, which Clearpay says has prompted a 44% increase in the sales of illuminous pieces compared to the previous quarter.

In addition to Barbie’s fashion choices influencing the UK market, Clearpay's data also revealed a growing interest in the doll's blonde hair, with sales of blonde hair dye up by 47% and hair toner by 59%. The sales of hair scrunchies have also soared, with an increase of 1099% from last quarter.

The top ten Barbie-inspired purchases also include:

• Sales of denim clothes increased by 36%.
• Sales of jumpsuits increased by 19%.
• Sales of leotards increased by 12%.
• Sales of crop tops increased by 9%.

Fashion psychologist, Shakaila Forbes-Bell, said: "It goes without saying that Barbie is a fashion icon, so it’s unsurprising that scenes from filming of the new movie are inspiring consumers to tap into her style. The increase in sales of pink and neon clothing is fitting with the ongoing trend of dopamine dressing, and if we review Barbie’s wardrobe, it’s a perfect example of dressing to boost your mood. Nostalgia is also known to spark joy and for many, Barbie brings back positive memories from childhood, so I expect #Barbiecore to continue to be popular."