Pieces of Her
- Curators' Team
- Nov 23
- 3 min read
Updated: 2 hours ago
Yes, Barbie can be jewelry too.
The art of beautifully dismembering an icon is not an easy task, but American artist Margaux Lange has done just that. Her Barbie jewelry line incorporates parts of the doll into ornate reliquary-style designs, producing pieces that have been showcased in galleries and museums across the United States, encouraging viewers to reflect on the ideals and expectations historically associated with the iconic doll.
Lange has stated that Barbie dolls played a pivotal role in her childhood development as a tool for acting out and exploring the human relationships in her life, as well as the fantasy lives she imagined. Barbie debuted in Lange's artwork in high school and throughout college. Her first piece in this series was a pair of Barbie hand earrings, and the ideas for more jewelry designs just kept coming.
I spent many hours crafting precious details for her and the miniature world in which she existed. Playing with dolls helped to develop my dexterity from a young age and strengthened my attention to detail - Lange said.
The artist gets the dolls she decompose in garage sales, thrift stores and eBay I enjoy the idea that the dolls are being repurposed after they’re discarded and are contributing to art in all its interpretations.
For the "Plastic Body" Series, Lange used actual doll components—such as hands, eyes, or facial segments—in metalwork settings. By incorporating literal fragments of the doll, the work occupies a space between craft, sculpture, and cultural commentary, presenting Barbie as a materially deconstructed icon and reinforcing Barbie’s role as an object of artistic reinterpretation.
She shares that she loves the different ways the public interprets her work, with everyone bringing "their own baggage, with some responding with humor, wearing it as a feminist statement, and others appreciating it because it’s unique. And there are some people who are put off my jewelry and think it’s sinister to see Barbie dolls cut up."
Shiny Collabs
Commercial jewelry lines often emerge from strategic partnerships between Mattel and various esteemed fashion brands, creating a unique intersection of playfulness and sophistication. The collections not only celebrate the iconic image of Barbie but also illustrate how her visual identity has been recontextualized to cater to adult sensibilities. By incorporating high-quality materials and contemporary design elements, these pieces reflect current fashion trends while also evoking nostalgia among those who grew up with the doll. In this context, the collaboration between Mattel and fashion brands becomes a fascinating case study in how iconic imagery can be leveraged to create products that resonate with adult audiences, ultimately demonstrating that Barbie is not just a doll but a multifaceted symbol that continues to inspire and captivate individuals well beyond childhood.
Barbie X Alex and Ani
Alex and Ani, a brand that specializes in charm bracelets that tell a story through wearable symbols, partnered with Mattel to extend Barbie’s lifestyle footprint into jewelry.
Barbie X Tarina Tarantino
In 2006, Mattel invited world-renowned jewelry designer Tarina Tarantino to create a line of jewelry and accessories inspired by the iconic Barbie doll. Drawing on exquisite vintage artwork, she crafted pieces that seem as though they could be plucked straight from Barbie's own jewelry box.
A few years later, the brands collaborated once again to release a special Barbie doll as part of the prestigious Gold Label collection. Mattel's Bill Greening posted one-of-a-kind dolls with several hairstyle variations and bejeweled Barbie cars to pair with the dolls created for the launch event at Tarantino's Melrose store on his Instagram account.
Tarina revisited the collaboration on her social media account recently.
