Unboxing Kylie Jenner's BRATZ Controversy
If it's Kylie Jenner, you know it's gotta be controversial. Kylie's BRATZ collaboration, unveiled on August 1, was the doll line's first proper celebrity co-sign, perfectly angled to utilize Barbie hype as a springboard to reach enormous cultural heights.
That was achieved pretty easily but at the same time, Kylie's BRATZ collab has unboxed a bevy of blowback, as the internet takes apart the collection.
The girls with a passion for fashion? More like the girls with a passion for clashin'.
Kylie's BRATZ collab was announced on August 1 as part of a long-planned rollout first brought to the attention of the press in mid-July.
The collection includes a selection of typically tiny BRATZ figures dressed in some of Kylie's most recognizable looks, including a couple particularly salient Met Gala moments (Off-White™ baseball cap bride, anyone?).
No underwear on the outside but that'll do.
Also on hand: one of Kylie's seven Italian Greyhounds (she has 11 dogs in total), a velvet rope, pink convertible, and giant lips that presumably represent both Kylie's own filled lips and Kylie lip kits.
It's not available on BRATZ' website but Kylie's BRATZ collection is available in-store at select retailers, like Target, for under $20 apiece.
So, that's all well and good, until you get to the BRATZ dolls themselves. See, the Kylie controversy is literally skin-deep.
As some Twitter (or X) users have noted, Kylie and sister Kim Kardashian have been accused of blackfishing, or attempting to incorporate typically Black facial features or speech patterns into their own lives.
Kylie, for her part, inspired the allegations after some suspiciously dark tans.
As can be seen in the promotional imagery, Kylie's BRATZ dolls appear to also have unusually dark skin for a toy based on a white celebrity.
Obviously, Blackfishing was neither Kylie nor BRATZ' intention and it could just be unfortunate lighting in certain photos that gives the impression of the dolls' darker skin.
Another aspect of the controversy is that, as yet other commentators have suggested, Kylie is an odd choice for the first celebrity BRATZ collaboration.
Instead of teaming with Kylie, for instance, BRATZ could've uplifted a woman of color as it did by partnering with British designer Mowalola.
It's an unusual misstep for BRATZ, which has otherwise cannily navigated the Y2K boom with a sharp social media presence and timely collaborations with likeminded designers.
The Kylie Jenner collection will undoubtedly be a financial boom either way and it will likely pave the way for more inclusive future BRATZ x celebrity collaborations.
However, it's not the strongest foot to start on for the potential BRATZ movie reboot, though there's still plenty of post-Barbie goodwill to go 'round.
