Barbie

Rugby star Ilona Maher is a two-time Olympian, a “Dancing With the Stars” alum, a social media favorite and now a Barbie doll.

Mattel announced Monday that it had assembled a team of four international rugby athletes to help encourage girls to embrace their confidence and stay in sports. The new “Team Barbie” campaign is to celebrate International Day of the Girl, which is Oct. 11.

“We all doubt ourselves at times, myself included,” Maher said in a statement. “If sharing my story can inspire other young girls to believe in themselves the way I have, then I’ll have truly made an impact. Being part of Team Barbie is about showing girls that confidence isn’t something to shy away from, but something to own.”

Also part of Team Barbie are Ellie Kildunne from the U.K., New Zealand’s Portia Woodman-Wickliffe and Nassira Konde from France.

A breakout star at the 2024 Paris Olympics even before the rugby sevens team’s historic bronze medal, Maher became known for her social media videos that offered a humorous glimpse into the day-to-day life of an Olympic athlete. She has also used her platform to empower women, champion body positivity and help raise the profile of rugby in the U.S.

The Barbie doll versions of international rugby stars Ellie Kildunne, left, Ilona Maher, Nassira Konde and Portia Woodman-Wickliffe.

(Mattel)

“As women, a lot of times our body has been this object to be looked at and to be objectified, and I hate that there’s girls out there that feel like they don’t have a purpose for their body, and so they want to change it constantly,” Maher told The Times last year. “To get into sports and a sport like rugby, a sport like canoe, and track and field gives your body a purpose, shows what it can do and what it’s capable of. It’s not just something that is for others to judge.”

As part of its campaign, Mattel conducted a study to try to better understand why girls tend to stop participating in sports. The research found that only 53% of girls ages 6 to 14 feel confident while playing sports and that 1 in 3 girls stops playing sports by age 14 “primarily due to body confidence concerns, self-doubt, and a lack of visible female role models.”

“At Barbie … [w]e’re committed to breaking down the barriers — from gender stereotypes to self-doubt — that hold girls back from realizing their limitless potential,” Krista Berger, the senior vice president of Barbie, said in a news release for the new campaign. “By showcasing the stories of incredible role models whose confidence has fueled groundbreaking success, we’re showing girls that the future of sports — or wherever their passion takes them — is theirs to claim, with Team Barbie cheering them on.”

The Team Barbie campaign is not the first time the company has put the spotlight on athletes. Last year, Barbie teamed up with WNBA icon Sue Bird as part of its 65th anniversary celebration. Barbie has also teamed with the Chicago Sky for Barbie-themed game days in the last two WNBA seasons.

Other female athletes Barbie highlighted last year included tennis player Venus Williams, soccer stars Christine Sinclair and Mary Fowler, boxer Estelle Mossely, gymnasts Alexa Moreno and Rebeca Andrade, paratriathlete Susana Rodriguez, swimmer Federica Pellegrini and track and field sprinter Ewa Swoboda.

RED Roses England rugby ace Ellie Kildunne is getting her own Barbie. 

The Sun can reveal that this week bosses at Mattel will announce the doll which is the first time they have ever released a rugby Barbie. 

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It comes after the brand released a Barbie careers range which included a string of sporty dolls including a football Barbie, a gymnast Barbie and a Tennis player Barbie. 

The new doll will feature a brand new Barbie body with a more athletic torso, visibly defined arms, and legs and back muscles. 

A source said: “This is a massive moment for women’s sport.  

“The Red Roses are such powerful and positive role models and the new Barbies reflect this with their athletic builds and muscle definition – a far cry from the ridiculous hourglass figures of Barbies gone by.” 

Ellie said: “We are showing the next generation of girls that you can do anything, that being strong and fast is powerful, and that you can break boundaries. 

“I thought nothing could come close to the feeling of lifting that trophy but having my own one-of-a-kind Barbie doll is a very close second! 

“She looks just like me, down to her curls, her custom boots and her Red Roses Barbie ball.  

“Now I just need to teach her how to lasso and see if she can score a few tries!” 

The Red Roses turned their World Cup dream into reality as they blew away Canada 33-10.

In front of a world record crowd of nearly 82,000, John Mitchell’s side showed why they have now won 33 straight games since their heartbreak in Auckland four years ago.

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AN ELDERLY Brit couple wrongfully jailed by the Taliban for eight months have finally been freed.

Peter Reynolds, 80, and his wife Barbie, 76, were snatched by Taliban thugs and tossed into Afghanistan’s most notorious prison.

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The parents-of-four had lived in Afghanistan for 18 years managing training projects – but were kidnapped on February 1 with no explanation.

They were locked up separately at the maximum security Pul-e-Charkhi in Kabul, and later moved to an underground cell beneath the Taliban‘s intelligence HQ.

More to follow… For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online

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England women’s rugby union side will become the first UK sports team to partner with Barbie – but the deal has been launched without any of the brand’s famous dolls.

Athlete Dina Asher-Smith and boxer Nicola Adams have previously been immortalised in plastic, but the Red Roses’ range is initially restricted to t-shirts, hoodies and replica balls.

“The collaboration aims to inspire the next generation of female rugby players through grassroots initiatives, funding, merchandise and powerful storytelling,” said the Rugby Football Union.

Toy maker Mattel, the company behind Barbie, will make a £20,000 donation to the RFU as part of the deal to increase girls’ access to clubs and coaching in England.

Mattel has recreated a host of sporting figures as Barbie dolls, including American Olympic champion gymnast Gabby Douglas, fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad, snowboarder Chloe Kim and golfer Lorena Ochoa.

London 2012 Olympic champion Adams, world champion sprinter Asher-Smith and skateboarder Sky Brown are among the Britons who have also been commemorated.

The partnership could yet expand, with England hot favourites for the Rugby World Cup on home soil. Their campaign begins on Friday, 22 August against the United States in Sunderland.

Barbie has previously been criticised for promoting unrealistic body types.

In her 2000 book Body Wars, psychologist Margo Maine wrote that, external if Barbie were scaled up to adult height, she would have a figure within the guidelines for diagnosing anorexia.

The brand introduced different body, hair and skin types to its range in 2016 and the 2023 movie Barbie, licensed by Mattel, confronted the gender norms and body image the doll had previously been associated with.

When her doll was released in 2020, Asher-Smith was pleased it accurately depicted her body.

“Most importantly for me there was the muscle tone, because I think it is really, really important the young girls see all aspects of femininity,” she said.

July 9 (UPI) — Barbie dolls have come a long way from the ultra-thin and super-blonde original doll. Now, in an effort to make the doll more reflective of the girls who enjoy them, Mattel has launched a Barbie with Type 1 diabetes.

“Introducing a Barbie doll with Type 1 diabetes marks an important step in our commitment to inclusivity and representation,” said Krista Berger, senior vice president of Barbie and global head of dolls. “Barbie helps shape children’s early perceptions of the world, and by reflecting medical conditions like T1D, we ensure more kids can see themselves in the stories they imagine and the dolls they love.”

To ensure that Barbie with Type 1 diabetes is truly representative of the community, Mattel partnered with Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF).

Type 1 diabetes is a chronic autoimmune condition that causes the pancreas to make very little or no insulin, leading to dependence on insulin therapy and the risk of short and or long-term complications.

Barbie worked closely with Breakthrough T1D to ensure the authenticity of the doll. Her attributes include:

• Continuous glucose monitor: The doll wears a CGM on her arm to help manage her Type 1 diabetes. CGMs are small, wearable devices that continuously measure a person’s blood-sugar levels. To keep her CGM in place, she uses heart-shaped medical tape and she uses a phone that displays a CGM app to help track her blood sugar levels.
• Insulin pump: Barbie has an insulin pump that allows for automated insulin dosing as needed, attached to her waist.
• Blue polka dot outfit: The doll wears a stylish polka dot top and matching skirt with ruffles. The color blue and circle print are nods to the global symbols that represent diabetes awareness.
• Purse: She has a pastel blue purse, perfect for her to carry essentials, such as Type 1 diabetes supplies or snacks.

“We were thrilled when Barbie approached us to collaborate on the development of the Barbie doll with Type 1 diabetes,” said Aaron J. Kowalski, CEO of Breakthrough T1D. “I have lived with T1D since I was 13, and my brother since he was 3, so this partnership is deeply personal — it means the world to be part of bringing greater visibility to a condition that affects so many families. It’s an honor to work with a brand that shares our commitment to showing children that a life with Type 1 diabetes can be full, vibrant, and empowering.”

In continued partnership with Breakthrough T1D, Barbie donated dolls to the Breakthrough T1D 2025 Children’s Congress in Washington, D.C.

Barbie continues to include many dolls modeled after prominent people or celebrate diversity. In April, Barbie released a Le Bron James look-alike as a “Kenbassador,” and last year it released the Barbie movie on HBO Max with an American Sign Language version. In 2024, Barbie released an athletic version, and in 2023, it released a doll modeled after Cherokee leader Wilma Mankiller as part of its “Inspiring Women” dolls.

IT’S an invasive, extremely high-risk procedure that could leave patients with a lung puncture, nerve damage and chronic pain.

But despite the eye-watering risks, more women than ever are opting for ‘Barbie rib’ surgery – that’s having one or more ribs taken out – to achieve a tiny waist.

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In the 1950s, stars of the silver screen such as Marilyn Monroe wowed with their tiny hourglass figures.

But in 2025, women are going one step further by opting for the latest surgery trend.

When Kim Kardashian graced the Met Gala’s red carpet last March wearing a tightly cinched silver corset, it sparked rumours that the A-lister may have gone under the knife.

While getting ready for the event, she told Vogue: “I’ll feel so snatched I won’t even be able to communicate to you how snatched I feel.”

She fiercely denied rumours of rib removal, later saying: “I don’t even know if that’s possible.”

Well, the shocking surgery IS possible, with many women now going under the knife to achieve the same look as their favourite red carpet celebs.

The surgery, performed under general anaesthesia, involves the surgeon detaching the rib bone and removing it or partially removing to give the appearance of a slimmer waistline.

The ribs can also be repositioned, and a rib brace is then worn to compress the midsection.

It’s an incredibly dangerous procedure that could cause the lungs to collapse or damage other internal organs, with few experienced surgeons willing to carry out the op.

Hazim Sadideen, Consultant Plastic Surgeon at the Cadogan Clinic, told The Sun: “There’s been a lot of noise around the ‘Barbie rib’ procedure, and I think it’s important to separate fact from fiction.

“First off, rib modification and rib removal are very different things.

“True rib removal, where one or more of the floating ribs are completely taken out, is an invasive and high-risk procedure. I would never recommend it purely for cosmetic reasons.

“The risks include lung puncture, nerve damage and chronic pain. There are long-term asymmetry risks too.”

Other celebs have also been rumoured to have had the surgery, including Cher and singer Prince, while other A-listers have donned corsets and tight dresses on the red carpet to achieve a cinched look – a body ideal that has seeped onto social media.

Under the knife

Despite the controversy, Essex Mum Kerry Miles, 41, still planned to spend £15,000 on the procedure after using a corset to shrink her waist to just 21 inches.

Belgian performer Jada Sparks spent over £14,000 having ribs removed. The former nurse said: “I’ve done it for the cosmetic reason, but also the thrill of it to be honest.

“I went down about 2.5 inches from the start until now.

“I think I have reached my ultimate result now. In the beginning, it felt weird, but your body is an odd thing, it can adapt really quick.

“So, I like the feeling right now of having something ‘missing’.”

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Emily James, an influencer from Kansas City, Missouri, spent £13,000 having six of her ribs removed last year – and claims it is no different to a Brazilian Butt Lift.

Emily told The Sun she’d researched her procedure thoroughly and defended her decision. 

She says: “I absolutely think that it’s important to make informed, well-thought-out decisions before you get plastic surgery.

“People should not just be going into random like garages, getting oil pumped into their bodies for like a BBL or getting veneered by some girl that you found on Instagram.

“It’s important to make well-informed decisions, and if you’re going into it with the mindset knowing the risks and the benefits, then you absolutely should do what you want to do.

“But just keep in mind that it is plastic surgery, and there are dangers involved, and there are risks and complications that can arise from getting these kinds of surgeries.”

‘Barbie waist’

The iconic Barbie doll has impossible proportions – which in real life would be 39″ bust, 18″ waist and 33″ hips.

Her terrifyingly tiny waist measurement would in reality be smaller than that of the average three-year-old.

A Google search of “Barbie rib procedure” yields over 135,000 results.

But while Mr Sadideen believes filtered images don’t reveal the truth about invasive procedures, Emily, who had post-surgery complications with a catheter, was able to get the surgery without any psychological evaluation or counselling.

“There was nothing like that,” she says. “But it was a really hard process to find someone that I felt comfortable going to.

“There were lots that were certified to do the surgery, but I didn’t feel they were qualified. I wanted someone who really understood me.” 

Emily flew almost 800 miles for the surgery in Cleveland, Ohio.

But with the trend taking off on social media and celebrities in the US, Germany and UK reportedly having it done, increasing numbers of women are attending clinics asking for their ribs to be removed.

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While Towie’s Abigail Clarke is also rumoured to have had the procedure, Emily says the invasive and risky surgery, which she’s still recovering from, was more painful than she imagined.

“I got there about 6.30 in the morning and honestly, I was really scared,” she says. “I knew my rib removal was going to be painful because I’d done a lot of research.

“I had my boobs done at the same time, but coming out of surgery, I was super swollen, and I couldn’t sit up or lay down by myself.

“I had to have someone help me stand up, lay down, pretty much do everything.

“It was a really intense surgery, and I had a lot of numbness and pain for a long time.”

‘Emotional toll’

While Emily has documented her journey online, Mr Sadideen says social media could be to blame for the increase in requests for these types of invasive procedures.

“What really worries me is how social media glamorises extreme body transformations without showing the full story – the recovery, the risks, or the emotional toll,” he says.

“The rise of these trends is often driven by filtered images and unattainable ideals, which can feed into body dysmorphia and lead people to believe something drastic is the only solution.”

While Emily had no psychological evaluation at all prior to the procedure which altered her skeleton, he believes the mental capacity of a patient should factor into every surgical evaluation.

Just because something is technically possible doesn’t mean it’s the right choice

Mr Hazim Sadideen

“Any patient considering a procedure like this should undergo a thorough psychological assessment to ensure they’re making this choice for the right reasons, not due to pressure or distorted self-image,” he says.

“As surgeons, we have a duty to protect our patients.

“Just because something is technically possible doesn’t mean it’s the right choice.”

Despite having the support of her loved ones, Emily is aware that she entered into the procedure without any long-term idea of how her rib removal might affect her body in the future.

“I knew going into surgery, the ribs I was having removed do serve some protection of my kidneys and my liver,” she says.

“I don’t think that I regret any of my surgeries, but who knows when I’m 60 if I’ll have complications from my rib removal.

“I’ve noticed already there has been one weird complication that whenever I get sick or cough, my muscles separate. So yeah, there might be complications later down the road.”

Mr Sadideen says there is a less invasive option that can be considered without needing to go to the dangerous extremes Emily has.

“There is a more conservative alternative sometimes referred to as rib reshaping or rib modification,” he says.

“In very carefully selected cases, surgeons may use a controlled mini-fracture technique to slightly bend a rib inward.

“It’s a method already used in nose reshaping – known as rhinoplasty – and orthopaedic surgery.

“But it must be done with the utmost precision, using detailed scans, ultrasound guidance during surgery, and specific tools to reduce risk and avoid complications.

“Even so, the data is still emerging, and we don’t yet have a full picture of long-term safety or outcomes.”

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While Emily – who plans to make a crown out of the ribs she’s had removed – has received a barrage of online hate for her surgery choices, she says it doesn’t bother her.

“I’ve had a lot of people say that I worship the devil, or that I’m like, controlled by Satan because I am making a crown out of my rib bones, which is really silly,” she says.

While there are plenty of celebrities who are rumoured to have had the procedure done – from Cher to Prince to Kim Kardashian and Demi Moore, Mr Sadideen says society’s obsession with filters could be resulting in the dangerous trend growing in popularity.

“Extreme procedures like rib removal should be a last resort, not a trend,” he says.

“And we should all be asking: are we doing this to feel better, or just to look better on a screen?”

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