Barbie plays muse to French fashion designers

French fashion designers have given Barbie a makeover, transforming her into a fashionista sporting a collection of miniature outfits, hairdos and accessories on display in a Paris gallery.

Fifteen designers were given free rein to style the iconic doll, resulting in a wardrobe ranging from Brazilian-inspired swimwear to traditional African dresses with a modern twist. Paris-based children's clothes designer Olivia Belanger dressed her doll in a knitted orange jump suit.

Childrens' clothes designer at Petit Bec, Olivia Belanger, said: "It was a heck of a challenge, because designing for such a small thing is really hard, you have to be really careful with all the details, all the small stitching, and make things which aren't too visible. And so, for example, I sewed the blouse onto the Barbie to really make sure it fit."

Toy-maker Mattel has created more than 100 new Barbie dolls since 2015 to represent greater diversity, introducing new figurines in a range of body types and skin tones.