Mattel has launched Barbie’s first UK adult accessories program with giftware company Half Moon Bay.

Using imagery from the Barbie archive, Half Moon Bay has created bags, vanity cases, and umbrellas, as well as stationery and cards, that use some of the original 1950s and 1960s artwork.

The range, which goes into stores in May, is the first in a series of initiatives from Mattel UK’s brand licensing team to develop the adult proposition for the brand.

Claire Atherton, licensing director, Mattel Brands, explains: “In 2009 we will be celebrating Barbie’s 50th Anniversary and we feel the time is right to develop a targeted adult collection of giftware and accessories. The range really plays on the nostalgia of the brand and uses some of the great art that we have from her rich history.”