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Mattel is selling a David Bowie Barbie to celebrate the 50th anniversary of ''Space Oddity''
This is ground control to Major Ken… Barbie has gone Ziggy Stardust.
On July 11, 1969, a struggling folk singer named David Bowie released a 7" single for a new ditty called "Space Oddity." Just two years earlier, he had changed his name from David Jones, to avoid confusion with Davy Jones of the Monkees, and written a song about gnomes. But "Space Oddity" would, well, launch his career into the stratosphere. It certainly helped that his tune about Major Tom aboard a spaceship arrived in shops mere weeks before Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon.
There are countless 50th anniversary celebrations happening to mark that momentous summer. Today, Mattel revealed a "Barbie® David Bowie Doll." One icon meets another in this "adult collector" toy (sorry, kids!). Barbie is styled to look like Ziggy Stardust, complete with bright orange mullet, makeup moon on the forehead, shiny jumpsuit and platform boots.
Sure, you could nitpick and point out that Bowie did not reveal his glam Ziggy Stardust persona until 1971. A period-appropriate 1969 "Space Oddity" doll would have more of a hippie look. Like this:
Mattel has styled Barbie to look more like Bowie performing the song in his final Ziggy days in 1973.
But, whatever. It's cool.
Oh, and the cost? $50, of course. Just a buck for every year. You can purchase the doll at Mattel.
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