The dolls that Gen X and younger kids grew up with are getting a makeover for their 40th birthday.
American Girl dolls that highlight historical moments are being taken out of the past and plopped into the current era.
The New York Times noted that the dolls have new Gen Z-inspired clothes and are skinnier than their older counterparts.
The Modern Era collection unveiled earlier this month takes them out of history and brings them into today, dressing them and designing them in current fashion.
The 1850s were no more for Kristen Larson, who swapped her braids to space buns. Her new clothes have a similar print and hue, but are cut short and sport ruffles.
Addy Walker, who found freedom on the Underground Railroad, has twists and no more straw bonnet.
“We want to spend the year honoring the legacy of the brand and the ongoing legacy of our characters because that’s what first ignited consumer passion,” Mattel’s global head of dolls, Jamie Cygielman, told the Times. “And so Modern Era is a creative extension, really meant to celebrate the original historical characters in a different form.”
She said the dolls were not redesigned to look like thinner teens, but they are no longer 18 inches tall. Instead, they are 14 1/2 inches, the size of other American Girl dolls.
The change in size is to make it easier for younger children to play with the toys.
The design is not the only change.
One of the dolls is “growing up” for an older audience.
Samantha Parkington, whose story started in 1904, is now an adult of the 1920s and a new book is being released with her story, CNBC reported. The book, “Samantha: The Next Chapter,” is billed as “An American Girl Legacy Novel.”
American Girl was developed by children’s textbook writer Pleasant Rowland, who introduced the world to the first three characters in 1986, through their stories from different historical periods.
The company she founded was acquired in 1998 and has vastly expanded the line of toys under the American Girl brand.
Still, it has faced challenges over the past few years.
CNBC said sales of American Girl products were more than $600 million. In 2023, it fell to about $200 million. But it has had five consecutive quarters of growth.
The 18-inch version of the doll costs about $135, and then add on accessories that can be as high as $275 for a beach cruiser, CNBC reported.
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