Peruvian Barbie gets up very early in the morning to go to the market. She sells hand-woven blankets made from alpaca wool to keep her Andean community warm in the cold mountains of Peru.
International Women’s Day is celebrated annually on 8 March. In fact, various activities are held throughout the month of March to celebrate the work and determination of ordinary women and their extraordinary achievements on behalf of their communities and their countries. But, on this occasion, I would like to highlight the work of women entrepreneurs in the Andes Mountains, Peru. Empowered women who go out to work every day to support their family and community. Women who, with their expert weaving skills, turn alpaca wool into a colorful work of art; textiles such as clothing, blankets and rugs that are sold in the markets of Peru and that are known worldwide for their high quality and beauty.
Peruvian Barbie has inspired me to recreate the Peruvian market where women entrepreneurs from the Andes exhibit their handmade work. I love the vibrant colors, intricate designs and rich culture heritage you can see in those Peruvian alpaca wool blankets! I think that this Barbie doll is a worthy representation of that woman who sells textiles in the Peruvian market dressed in her traditional indigenous clothes! So, I thought it was a nice idea to recreate the picturesque Peruvian scene to scale.
Peruvian Barbie, made in Philippines in 1985, is part of Mattel’s Dolls of the World Collection. She has beautiful steffie face mold, pretty brown eyes, and a turquoise blue eyeshadow makeup with soft fuchsia lipstick that perfectly matches her outfit. She also has beautiful, shiny black hair with brown highlights styled in two braids that fit her Peruvian look very well.
Traditional Peruvian women’s clothing is very colorful and eye-catching, but it can vary depending on the region or village. Peruvian Barbie wears a beautiful long-sleeved fuchsia blouse with embroidered ribbon tight at the waist and the same ribbon design as a trim on the sleeve and neckline. Her traditional Peruvian clothing also includes a pollera or wide blue skirt that has a wide band of vibrant colors on the edge with a design similar to the blouse’s ribbon. The skirt has what appears to be a green skirt underneath, like the several layers of skirt worn by Peruvian women to stay warm in the cold of the Andes. She also comes with a turquoise Lliclla (also known as a manta), which is a cape to cover the back and shoulders tied with ribbons in front. To complete her look, Peruvian Barbie comes with a pretty blue hat with flowers of different colors, pink sandals, ring, and pink ribbons for her hair. This beautiful Barbie also includes doll stand, scenic poster, map of Peru, guide “book,” “money,” passport, and tickets cutouts! All in a nicely designed box with facts about Peru.
