Barbie partners with Black in Fashion Council to celebrate Black designers

Mattel-owned Barbie has struck up a new partnership with the Black in Fashion Council (BIFC) in celebration of Black History Month to highlight three emerging Black female designers. Larissa Muehleder, Nia Thomas and Fumi Egbon have been selected to participate in the initiative, which will involve interviews with each of the talents touching on their career journeys and advice they have for the next generation.

The interviews will be held by digital content creator and TV personality Blake Newby, and are included in the custom programming by Barbie and BIFC at the 2025 ENVSN Festival, an event held in August for young people offering workshops, panels and interactive experiences. During the event, Barbie and BIFC will host various sessions for attendees aimed at boosting their confidence and encouraging self-expression. Three teens will then be selected to receive one-on-one career advice in a mentorship opportunity.

Each designer will also cover their own identified barriers in each of the interviews. Muehleder, for example, will speak on the importance of storytelling in a brand’s build up, while Thomas is to highlight a need for accessible mentorship to foster growth. Egbon, meanwhile, will touch on a desire from designers to be adequately equipped to run a business.

In a release, co-founder of BIFC, Sandrine Charles, said: “The BIFC is proud to team up with Barbie in support of their mission to inspire limitless possibilities for girls. We founded BIFC with a vision of an equal workforce across the fashion and beauty industry – knowing there are countless obstacles designers face during their careers – especially at the start.

“By using the Barbie brand’s global platform to celebrate Nia Thomas, Fumi Egbon, and Larissa Muehleder’s stories, while also providing resources to overcome the direct barriers they encountered, we hope to empower aspiring young designers and lessen those potential barriers for the next generation.”