Whitney Houston’s iconic ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody’ look is now a Barbie doll

Dubai: Mattel has added Whitney Houston to its Barbie Signature series, with a doll recreating her look from the 1987 video for I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me).

It arrived on 8 August, priced at $60, roughly Dh220. UAE buyers can find it through Mattel Creations.

What it looks like

The doll wears a lilac ribbed knit mini dress with colourful drop earrings and the bold eye makeup from the video. The pumps are pointed-toe with tapered white heels carrying abstract red and blue splash motifs. The hair is the voluminous eighties curls.

It comes with a microphone and stand, a doll stand and a certificate of authenticity, in a window box carrying her signature. The body is articulated, which for collectors matters more than it sounds.

Carlyle Nuera designed the doll, with packaging by Priscila Bara.

Pat Houston collaborated with the Barbie design team throughout, shaping the styling and the details of the performance being referenced.

"Today, we celebrate more than the release of a doll, we celebrate the enduring legacy of an icon," she said. "May this doll remind every child and every collector that dreams have no limits, excellence leaves a lasting imprint, and true greatness never goes out of style."

Nathan Baynard, vice president and head of Barbie at Mattel, framed it as a way for fans to mark an artist whose influence has outlasted her.

Houston becomes the latest musician in the Barbie Signature series, following Miley Cyrus, Kylie Minogue, Aaliyah, Stevie Nicks, Gloria Estefan, David Bowie, Juan Gabriel, Tina Turner, Elvis Presley, Diana Ross and Elton John.