Barbie's Answer to the Bratz

People who do not want to have anything to do with diva fashion dolls may not know it, but even Sailor Barbie was not saved a rough time in the last few years. Prior to this, the last five years has seen Barbie being the top glam icon of global doll fashion. But in recent times, Barbie's familiar and established good looks, sports cars and candy-like mansions weren't enough to repulse the introduction of just-as-cool, if not cooler, fashion dolls.

Bratz are known the world over as the four teenage fashionista dolls who are always shown as dressed in the trendiest styles; the surprisingly positive response in the Christmas of their debut year showed the world that girls were still pro-dolls. While Barbie was a sort of contemporary princess capable of reliving Swan Lake as much as Hollyood, the Bratz girls were said to be realistic. Soon, people were talking about how Bratz seemed to have a special feature that Barbie simply did not have. After Christmas of 2001, some decades of monopolizing and essentially a monarchic rule in the fashion doll marketplace went bust. The popularity of Bratz dress up games online also did a lot to bring down the popularity of Barbie.

The story is far from over however. Barbie waited and bought time how to respond to such an attack to its dominance. So what could Barbie do anyway? To give her the benefit of a doubt, she has indeed had makeovers and overhauls over the years mirror looks that were in vogue, but nevertheless the preppier look stubbornly hung on to each of Barbie style. But not only are Bratz slightly younger, and therefore more appropriate for youthful styles, but many kid-buyers were dropping Barbie and going for Bratz to get close to the more exciting, edgier style.

The next three years were a rough thirty percent trough in sales for Barbie. But it cannot be denied that Barbie still had a huge loyal following including girls of all ages, she (and Mattel too) also had a great deal of fighting spirit. By 2004, Mattel's response to MGA Entertainment's Bratz was a publicity campaign of Barbie splitting up with Ken to check out a singles lifestyle.

The latest on the break-up is that Ken looks more handsome and stylish than ever, but publicists for Barbie are putting on hold even a near-possibility of a new relationship. Then it was suddenly Barbie's turn too for a make-over which was made public by 2007. Many say that that year was the symbol of Barbie's move towards a return to the top position.

Now the rivalry between Barbie and Bratz has grown, and its definitely a tit-for-tat battle that is being fought in toy stores, sales charts, online games, even courtrooms, as one has sued the other over alleged copyright infringements. Count on in that new doll lines from both companies are on the works now, carefully being formulated to chop down the competitor, and Barbie has no qualms of matching Bratz dress up games on online gaming. Barbie games on the internet are good ideas how to reach out to old fans and possibly those who want to try out just how fun Barbie dress up games are. Online versions of Barbie, just like Bratz dressup games, have near-countless racks of wardrobe and accessories.