Barbiecore Fever Inspires ThredUp’s Latest Stylist-Led Curation
ThredUp is jumping on the Barbiecore trend through a new partnership with Academy award-winning costume designer Jacqueline Durran, who developed the looks for the soon-to-launch “Barbie” feature film starring Margot Robbie. From pink-and-white gingham dresses to ‘80s-inspired neon rollerblading outfits, Durran curated a collection of apparel and accessories allowing shoppers to digitally browse a real-life version of Barbie’s closet.
While Barbie’s trademark style has been imitated for decades, the Barbiecore aesthetic has exploded across the fashion space over the past year in anticipation of the new film. The trend has amassed more than 500 million views on TikTok alone, and Robbie’s recent red carpet styling has referenced some of Barbie’s most iconic ensembles.
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According to ThredUp, the partnership with Durran aims to steer shoppers away from Barbie-themed fast fashion and offer a more sustainable way to join in on the trend. Conscious consumers appear to have caught on already—ThredUp’s data shows that searches for “Barbiecore” increased by 138 percent after the movie trailer debuted in April.
Beginning Wednesday, ThredUp users will have access to nearly 300 secondhand items hand-selected by Durran, including belts, bags, tops and dresses. “As a former vintage seller and designer known for period pieces, I’m passionate about reimagining the old and turning it into something entirely new,” she said. “That’s why I am so excited to bring my fans a 100-percent secondhand #Barbiecore collection with ThredUp.”
Durran said she’s been buoyed by Barbie mania and her vision’s impact on fashion. “I had no idea my styles would blow up as much as they have in the past year, and it’s amazing to see how resale platforms like ThredUp offer countless options that match my aesthetic,” she added. “I can’t wait for shoppers to get their hands on my thrifted picks, and I hope this shop inspires them to experiment with the trend sustainably.”
The Barbiecore Dream Shop on the ThredUp platform aggregates items from J.Crew, Kate Spade, Gucci, Chanel and other in-demand brands, with prices ranging from $6.99 to nearly $500. Consumers can expand their search for Barbie-themed styles by using ThredUp’s “Shop Similar” feature, which uses AI to serve up close matches to fuel additional product discovery.
ThredUp vice president of marketing Erin Wallace said the resale marketplace appreciates the chance to help consumers sustainably embrace the Barbiecore movement. “As trend and ‘core’ cycles get faster each year, it’s becoming second nature for consumers to turn to fast fashion to get the look of the moment,” she said. “We hope our #Barbiecore Dream Shop inspires fans everywhere to be mindful of how they participate in the latest trends without missing out on the fun.”
Brands across the board are looking to secondhand as a way to boost their sustainability profiles, and turning to ThredUp as a backend partner. This week, specialty retailer Journeys became the marketplace’s latest Resale-as-a-Service (RaaS) client, teaming with ThredUp to own Journeys Second Hand as the back-to-school season approaches. The platform will allow Journeys shoppers to browse and buy pre-owned apparel and footwear directly through its e-commerce site.
The move is aimed at courting the 60 percent of college-age students who want to shop more responsibly this year, as well as the 50-plus-percent of Gen Z consumers who prefer to buy from brands and retailers offering a resale component, according to ThredUp data.
