Virgin Atlantic Lands Aviation-Themed Barbies

Barbie takes to the skies in latest partnership from Mattel’s Dream Gap Project initiatives.

September 9, 2019

Virgin Atlantic Lands Aviation-Themed Barbies

Virgin Atlantic has teamed up with Barbie U.K. to create three unique limited-edition dolls aimed at encouraging girls to consider careers in the aviation industry.

The dolls have been designed to emulate real Virgin Atlantic uniforms. Different versions of the toys are aimed at showing ethnic and body diversity, reflecting the body types available in the Barbie line. The line includes:

A pilot doll with flat shoes and pilot’s uniform including wings and badge;
An engineer doll with flat safety boots, an access lanyard and noise-canceling headphones and
A cabin crew doll that pays homage to the iconic red Virgin Atlantic Vivienne Westwood uniform.

Virgin Atlantic’s line is part of Barbie’s Dream Gap Project. The Mattel initiative was launched to tackle the fact that girls, as young as 5, begin to develop limiting self beliefs and doubt their full potential. Barbie’s Dream Gap Project aims to combat the problem by highlighting role models for girls.

“We know that women are currently underrepresented across a number of careers within aviation,” says Nikki Humphrey, senior vice president of people, Virgin Atlantic. “We also know we can’t change this position overnight. Therefore, it’s imperative we play the long game, highlighting to primary aged children

that any job role is open. Our partnership with Barbie marks another milestone in our commitment to this. It’s astounding that girls start believing they can’t follow a certain career path from as young as five, and it’s our ambition we close this dream gap. By working with Barbie, it allows us to speak directly to our future generation of aviation workers, whether they aspire to be cabin crew, engineers or pilots.”

The limited-edition dolls will be on sale on board Virgin Atlantic flights and in select stores later this year. They join previously announced toys in the Dream Gap Project including Barbie’s inspired by

Rosa Parks and Sally Ride