I haven’t had the pleasure of visiting Barbie’s Shop since their move to their new location (1518 - 4th St S.W.) only a few doors down from their former location, and was instantly impressed at the accessibility of their wares. Long labeled the place for avant garde gothic and club wear, I soon discovered they were a lot more.
Barbie is the brain behind Barbie’s Shop and their entire philosophy. She has been designing and sewing all of her life, making clothing she wanted but could never find in any other store. Barbie’s Shop features a team of highly skilled designers who run the gamut of fashion from gothic to glam, punk to prom, stage to street, leather, latex and rubber. Their inspiration comes from the catwalks to the street, and everywhere in between.
The first product I viewed was also their newest leather work - belts inlaid with snakeskin, artfully crafted by Sean Hogan, resident leatherworker and all around shop expert. His dedication and workmanship was written all over the project, and shown in his own enthusiasm.
Aside from leatherwear, the clothing is a brilliant mixture of classic gothic and punk fare, club and fetish wear, ranging all the way to evening dresses and… weddings?
“It’s a huge thing!” Barbie tells me, “People get so tired of going from wedding shop to wedding shop and seeing the same thing over and over. They want something original and different, and so they come here.”
The market is ever changing, and as any retail shop knows, staying ahead of the trends is the only way to guarantee success. Barbie and company are on top of this, and constantly changing. Their latest big change is moving into more men’s wear. Boots are another item that has taken off for them; Rock boots and shoes are available for custom order.
Speaking of new, Barbie’s Shop also now offers a sure favorite: sex toys! The Toy Shop is brand spanking new (pun gloriously intended) and filled with vibrators, dildos and plugs, oh my! Sean tells me they also feature a wide array of videos – both gay and straight alike.
Aside from all of the new improvements and offerings, the continuing hot-seller are their corsets. Do corsets ever outlive their hotness, though? Barbie says definitely not.
I asked if she could define her demographic and she tells me it’s near impossible anymore, “You wouldn’t believe the street traffic we get before and after hockey games now, being so close to the Red Mile. We stay open late the night of hockey games just to capture that market.” That’s entrepreneurship at its finest.
Barbie spent a lot of time in the news this year, as you may or may not have been aware – featured in the Calgary Herald, The Calgary Sun, The Globe and Mail and CTV. Mattel took her to court over the use of the name “Barbie”, as they manufacture the famous dolls bearing the same name. Last year alone, Mattel sued 289 companies over such matters, and most roll over, unable to fight the giant. Our Barbie actually won the suit when the judge threw the case out due to entrapment. Mattel originally sued by claiming Barbie’s Shop was in their “jurisdiction” because they ordered a purse from her from New Jersey. Her case set a new precedent as, from now on, a cases cannot be made around the setting of one purchase. Score one for the “little gal” – this incident has helped to put Barbie’s Shop on the map. (More on the Mattel suit can be found at http://www.barbiesshop.com/news.htm).
Sean was gallant enough to point out that all Industry staff receives a 10% discount. So of course, I had to partake in a little shoe shopping myself… it’s all for research. At least that’s what I told my wife, and she agreed by ordering some boots!
Barbies Shop
“It is our belief that our clothing is not a fashion statement; it’s a life statement.”
1518 - 4th St S.W.
(403) 262-8265
http://www.barbiesshop.com
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