Designed by Carlyle Nuera as part of Barbie's Black label, the Kristi Yamaguchi doll honors the first Asian American woman to win a gold medal in figure skating at the 1992 Olympic Games. Yamaguchi competed in both singles and pairs (with Rudy Galindo) until 1990, when she went solo and won her first world championship title in 1991. At the 1992 Albertville Olympics, she was approached by her idol, Dorothy Hamill, whom she had admired growing up. During the competition, she stumbled on a triple loop, but all of her other competitors fell, resulting in her victory. Apart from being a gymnast, Yamaguchi is also a bestselling author of several children's books and an advocate for early childhood literacy.

Yamaguchi joins a list of women honored in the Barbie Inspiring Women series, including singers Celia Cruz and Ella Fitzgerald, astronauts Sally Ride and Ellen Ochoa, tennis champions Venus Williams and Billie Jean King, and other athletes such as Sue Bird. In fashion, the collection is represented by Anna Sui. Dolls in other categories include Wilma Mankiller, Bessie Coleman, Madam C.J Walker,  Dr. Jane Goodall,  Ida B Wells,  Maya Angelou, Isabel Allende, Maria Tallchief, Anna May Wong, Florence Nightingale, Amelia Earhart, Katherine Johnson, Helen Keller, and Frida Kahlo.