Barbie Superfan Spent Over $70,000 on Collection
Barbie turns 58 years old on March 9, and the iconic doll still looks pretty fabulous. She’s forever young and ready for an adventure at any time, and her style is always up-to-date.
One person who would definitely agree is Barbie superfan Azusa Sakamoto, who goes by Azusa Barbie on Instagram.
Azusa, 35, is absolutely obsessed with Barbie — and one visit to her Los Angeles apartment definitely proves that point. Aside from spending over $70,000 on her collection (that’s right, $70,000!), the studio apartment is painted in a Barbie-appropriate hot pink, with Barbie decals covering every surface.
Pretty much everything in the apartment is Barbie-themed, from the pillows and bedding to the artwork and decorations.
Even the towels and soap in her bathroom and the glasses in her kitchen are Barbie-themed.
In the video below, you can see Azusa’s apartment in 360 view!
Growing up in Japan, Azusa says she never played with Barbie dolls, so she never thought of Barbie as something that was just for kids. She found her first Barbie item, a lunchbox, at a store in Japan when she was 15 years old. “It just looked like cool American pop culture. I didn’t think it was for kids, you know?”
From there, Azusa’s obsession grew, and she started collecting dolls, clothing, and anything else she could find. Today, about 160 Barbie dolls fill a glass cabinet in her apartment, including some rare designer editions.
Some of Azusa’s favorites include collaborations with fashion designers and a Movie Mixer Barbie doll wearing an old Hollywood-style pink gown.
And while many collectors have more dolls than Azusa does, few people fully embrace the Barbie lifestyle the way she does. She even dresses the part, with hundreds of Barbie T-shirts, sweatshirts, and other items. She rarely wears anything that doesn’t have “Barbie” emblazoned on it.
She’s also a nail artist, designing nail tips that she matches to Barbie outfits.
Why so much love for a little doll? Azusa says Barbie is a style icon — the “most fashionable girl in the world” — and a role model. In fact, she takes issue with people who think that Barbie isn’t a great role model for young girls.
“People talk about Barbie makes little kids think we have to be skinny, or like too girly, or you know, something like that,” Azusa says. “But I don’t think Barbie’s telling people that kind of thing. Like Barbie’s showing us she can be like anything, she has so many professions.
“I like her being really independent,” she continues. “Like, she has a boyfriend, but I don’t think she relies on him. I’m pretty sure she’s buying her shoes, her clothes, by herself. And I like that, you know?”
Azusa says she draws inspiration from Barbie’s quotes. Among her favorites: “Anything is possible” and “You can be anything.”
If you, too, are #Obsessed with a movie, TV series or musician, let us know your story on Facebook or in the comments below!
Still can’t get enough Barbie? Check out this superfan who spent $100,000 to look like the doll:
What’s your #Obsession? Share it on our brand-new Flickr group! You might be featured in an upcoming episode of Yahoo’s #Obsessed.
