Barbie causes a stir on cover of Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue

SHE’s the all-American dream girl and they’re notorious for their bikini shoots. Now Barbie and Sports Illustrated have teamed up and they’re “unapologetic”.

All-American girl ... Mattel has stirred the pot again by taking Barbie out of her fairytale dress and into a swimsuit for the cover of Sports Illustrated.

HAS Barbie lost the plot? The often-criticised toy for little girls is now the cover girl on a mag notorious for its bikini glamour shoots.

Mattel’s all-American dream girl fronts the Sports Illustrated 50th anniversary swimsuit issue as a doll-size version of the usual supermodels featured in the magazine — beauties like Tyra Banks, Christie Brinkley and Australia’s Elle MacPherson.

“The doll that started it all”, the headline screams.

The union is very deliberate — of two brands which are both regularly slammed for their “unrealistic” depictions of women’s bodies — and is part of a marketing campaign called “unapologetic”.

News_Module: Swimwear Barbie

The message, of course, is that neither brand wishes to apologise for being what they are.

However, Barbie’s placement on such an adult magazine, synonymous with sexy shoots, has sparked controversy — with questions as to whether it is appropriate given the toy’s core audience is, in fact, pre-teen children.

Barbie appears in a new version of the black-and-white swimsuit she wore when introduced in 1959.

The “unapologetic” campaign is using the hashtag #unapologetic on Twitter and even appears on a billboard in Times Square.

News_Image_File: Cover girl ... Barbie in the swimsuit issue. Picture: AP/Sports Illustrated

While the magazine doesn’t hit the stands until Tuesday in the US, it is already causing a stir online.

A post on the Mommyish blog carried the headline “The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue Will Feature Barbie, So Your Daughter Can Feel Bad Too.”

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But comments under the post were mixed. One said, “Meh,” and continued, “I never at any point compared myself to her and felt bad.” Another comment began, “It’s easy to be unapologetic about your body when it is considered to be the absolute ideal standard of beauty in the society in which you live.”

The move by Mattel comes amid falling sales of the dolls. The company reported worse-than-expected quarterly earnings last month, suffering along with some other makers of traditional toys pitted against the rising number of electronic games.