Pittsburgh-based artist Nikolay Lamm has created a “Normal Barbie” that is now available for pre-order on his website for $25. Known as the “Lammily” doll, this new Barbie is based on the measurements of an average 19-year-old American woman.
The prototype of this average-looking Barbie was launched in June of 2013 by using the measurements of a young women from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to create a 3-D model.
Lamm received enough crowdfunding to bring the doll to the market. Since then, more than 19,000 dolls have been pre-ordered.
Buyers can also order a sticker package for $6 of features found on most people. These marks include freckles, stitches, scrapes and scratches, bruises, scars, stretch marks, acne, moles, cellulite, and tattoos. Owners of the doll can add and remove the stickers.
Compared to actual Barbie dolls, the Lammily dolls differ drastically. The new doll is shorter and has a more realistic waistline, as well as other proportions. Her feet are flat, in comparison to Barbie’s feet, which are permanently built to fit into high heels.
In the future, Lamm plans on creating more average dolls, including different ethnicities and even a male version.
“I want to create other dolls. I can’t diversify my resources right now, maybe in 2015,” he told E! News, “I’m thinking an African American one, or a male doll. I don’t know, to be honest. I have to think about it some more. But maybe a boy doll, I think that would be a good one.”
“I feel like a lot of toys are all about fantasy, like we as adults, we love that as well,” he added, “Reality is cool; after all, it’s all we have. Why not we appreciate it more? Even though it’s not perfect, it’s still beautiful.”