Barbie Dream Night takes over State Farm Arena in pink fanfare
The Dream painted State Farm Arena pink on Monday as they faced off against the Aces.
Though the Dream suffered a crushing 109-87 loss, it didn’t stop an announced sellout crowd of more than 17,000 fans from celebrating Barbie Dream Night.
State Farm Arena morphed into a runway as magenta ensembles, glittery boots and pink tutus were flaunted throughout the arena. Fans strutted on the sidelines in Barbie jerseys and T-shirts.
Fans could get their hair bedazzled with tinsel and glitter at the Little Beauty Bus glam bar on the arena concourse.
Next door to the glam bar stood a giant Barbie box for fans to take photos.
The Dream have embraced the Barbie universe since adding forward Angel Reese in a trade with Chicago in April. Commonly referred to as “Atlanta Barbie,” Reese adopted the Barbie persona while in college at LSU.
In July, Reese released a doll in partnership with Mattel, Barbie’s parent company, making her the second WNBA player to do so, along with former Seattle Storm guard Sue Bird.
The doll, wearing a pink jersey and Reebok x Barbie: Angel Reese 1 shoes, is modeled in the likeness of the basketball player — down to the baby hair and compression sleeve.
Breaking barriers
In a news conference ahead of Monday’s game, Reese said a lack of diversity in Barbie dolls kept her from being interested in them as a child.
“I didn’t really have dolls that looked like me,” she said.
That lack of representation pushed Reese during the process of creating her own doll. She also wanted to showcase that she could be feminine and, at the same time, a powerful athlete.
As the only Black WNBA player with a signature Barbie, Reese said she was grateful for the women who paved the way.
“There are a lot of women that have come before me, that have walked so I can run,” she said.
On Monday, dozens of fans — children and adults — brought Angel Reese Barbie dolls with them. Some dolls remained in their boxes as keepsake items; others were unboxed and carried around with pride.
Dawn Parkman not only got dolls for her two daughters, but she got one for herself, too.
“Everyone has a doll because it is significant,” Parkman said, holding her Angel Reese Barbie. “(Reese) is the first African American WNBA doll made by Mattel.”
Cathy Bacon gifted her 15-year-old granddaughter the doll because she said there weren’t diverse Barbies when she was growing up in the 1960s.
She said the Reese doll is a collectors’ item.
“This is very iconic because I grew up in a time where there wasn’t Black Barbie,” Bacon said.
Her granddaughter, Riley Johnson, said the Reese doll helped amplify women’s sports.
Reese said she wants the doll to symbolize the versatility of women. She encouraged young girls to change the doll’s clothes to make her a cook or a doctor.
She hopes the Barbie inspires young Black girls to play with a doll that looks like them and reminds them there are endless possibilities in life.
“Anything I ever wanted, anything I’ve dreamed of, it’s been a dream come true,” Reese said.