Celebrating Diwali, the Indian "Festival of Lights," the Barbie doll wears a lehenga, which comprises a flared skirt, a fitted blouse (choli), and a draped scarf (dupatta). The doll was designed by Anita Dongre, an Indian couturier who has built a global fashion empire with a mission to empower rural women artisans and sustain the country's exquisite craftsmanship. Dongre wrote that her Barbie represents the "fashion-forward modern woman who wears India on her sleeve with pride." She’s abandoned the more traditional saree for a fashionable lehenga or an ankle-length skirt, a cropped blouse, and a deep blue-and-gold vest with floral motifs from the northern Indian state of Rajasthan. Barbie has kohl-rimmed eyes, the traditional dangling bell-shaped earrings called jhumkas, and a bunch of gold bangles. The $40 doll sold out on Mattel’s website in 24 hours.

The first Indian Barbie doll was released in 1996 with an inaccurate description of Indian culture that characterized a saree as a ‘two-piece outfit with a shawl’ (sarees don’t have shawls). It also stated that Indians never ate with forks or knives because they enjoyed eating with their hands.

In 2012, another Indian doll was released as part of the 'Dolls of the World' collection. She cam…