Common Sense Media Review
By Amanda Bindel
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
One outfit, many fabrics available in limited toy tie-in.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 6+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Download
Videos and Photos
Barbie Fashion Design Maker
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's It About?
Starting with a white tank top and white skirt, kids change colors or patterns of the pieces by dragging colors into place from the sidebar. They can take pictures of items to create their own patterns and add accessories such as vests, collars, and belts as well as text and bling. They can choose different designs for the back and front and save the designs to their portfolios, earning different badges. Kids who have the Barbie Fashion Design Maker toy then can​ print their designs onto the special fabric for their Barbies to wear.
Is It Any Good?
BARBIE FASHION DESIGN MAKER is very limited compared to other design apps, but that's simply because it's designed to match up with the printable outfit available with the toy. The options for patterns, colors, and accessories -- and the option to create your own pattern -- allow for a surprising number of fun design options, but there's no way to remove the pink necklace Barbie is wearing. Diversity is not limited to the outfit choice; although kids have the option of choosing a white or an African-America Barbie, the two look exactly alike, shape and feature-wise, with only differently colored skin, eyes, and hair.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the one outfit option and the one body type featured. How do different colors, patterns, and accessories improve the looks and variety of the outfits? Though only one hairstyle, body, and face (in two skin shades) are featured, how do differences in people's looks and abilities make the world more interesting?
Sit with little designers and help them draw their own outfit designs on paper, cut them out with paper-doll tabs, and have kids color and create their own designs to tape onto pictures of themselves or pictures from magazines.
App Details
- Devices : iPad , Android
- Subjects : Language & Reading : vocabulary , Hobbies : fashion
- Skills : Creativity : imagination , making new creations
- Pricing structure : Free (The app is designed to pair with the Barbie Fashion Design toy that retails for $49.99 and allows kids to print onto special fabric the designs they create with the app.)
- Release date : July 23, 2014
- Genre : Entertainment
- Topics : Arts
- Publisher : Mattel, Inc.
- Version : 1.1
- Minimum software requirements : iOS 6.0 or later; Android 4.0 and up
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
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