Aaliyah’s iconic style immortalized with the Barbie Music Collector Doll Tribute

More than twenty years after her untimely passing, the princess of R&B continues to hold a solid stake in the culture.

In collaboration with Aaliyah’s brother Rashad Haughton, Mattel is releasing a Barbie Music Collector doll that embodies the essence of the late R&B icon. This commemorative release is scheduled for January 16, 2025, which would have been Aaliyah’s 46th birthday, underscoring the enduring influence of her distinctive style and acclaimed musical legacy.

The release of the Aaliyah-inspired Barbie doll was carefully planned to honor her legacy, with her birthday chosen as the perfect launch date. “During the whole process, of course, it takes a long time to get everything right and to make samples and to get the sculptures. And it’s amazing, but definitely a painstaking process,” Haughton reflected during our interview. “As time went on, we started to realize, that you know what, this is going to drop and the timing will be perfect. Let’s pick my sister’s birthday.” They emphasized the significance of the date, adding: “It’s a celebration of her life, a celebration of her legacy … for it to happen on my sister’s birthday, when she came into this world, is just perfect.”

The doll’s design is inspired by Aaliyah’s iconic look from the opening scene of her “One in a Million” music video. Rashad Haughton worked closely with Barbie’s design team to ensure that every detail accurately represented his sister’s style and what she meant to her fans. The process was painstaking and involved careful consideration of the many iconic looks throughout Aaliyah’s career.

Aaliyah’s style evolution was on full display in the “One in a Million” music video, where she embraced a more refined and feminine image that departed from her previous tomboy vibe. The video showed a striking departure from her previous sartorial choices, with a bold mix of masculine and feminine elements. Characterized by an iconic hairstyle with a deep parted swoop bang and form-fitting leather clothing, this stylistic shift set a new benchmark in 1990s fashion that has continued to exert a lasting influence.

“One in a Million” achieved moderate commercial success, reaching number 25 on the US Hot 100 Airplay chart and topping the Hot R&B Airplay chart. It also achieved international acclaim, ranking in the top 15 in both the UK and New Zealand markets. The track was nominated for Best R&B/Soul Single – Female at the 1998 Soul Train Music Awards. Directed by Paul Hunter, the accompanying music video was praised for its futuristic aesthetic and Aaliyah’s graceful, sensual dance performances. Notable visuals included Aaliyah appearing on a sleek black Cadillac, interacting with paparazzi and engaging in choreographed routines with a partner in coordinated outfits. The video’s powerful visuals and Aaliyah’s charisma solidified her status as an R&B trendsetter and fashion icon.

When creating the Aaliyah-inspired Barbie doll, the team and Haughton worked closely with her stylist, Derek Lee, to ensure that every detail accurately represented the late singer. “We actually contacted my sister’s stylist, which was great, and Barbie was right there. The team at Barbie said, let’s make it happen. So we got him on the phone and we just started going through all the clothes and saying, okay , let’s make sure, what brand were those sneakers? What brand was that?” Ultimately, they chose the outfit from the opening image of the ‘One in a Million’ music video, which symbolized a defining moment in Aaliyah’s career. “It was such an important and iconic song in her career. It kind of changed R&B music with the track of Timbaland and Missy in the background writing the song and that kind of triple beat.” The team noted how easy the outfit was to clean up for production and how it captured Aaliyah’s signature blend of empowerment, class and youthful appeal. “It just checked all the boxes of my sister with the diaphragm, but it was still empowered and kind of had that young female sex appeal, but classic. And it worked perfectly because the doll is beautiful.”

Aaliyah’s distinctive “street to sweet” signature sound garnered critical acclaim and industry recognition. Throughout her career, she received five Grammy Award nominations, demonstrating her versatility and significant influence on R&B music. Her nominations spanned various categories, including Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for songs such as “Are You That Somebody?”, “Try Again”, “Rock the Boat” and “More Than a Woman”, as well as Best R&B Album for her self-titled release “Aaliyah”. These nominations highlight how Aaliyah’s innovative fusion of street-inspired beats and angelic, melodic vocals resonated with critics and fans alike. Her ability to seamlessly blend urban edge with melodic sophistication sets her apart in the R&B landscape, earning her recognition from the Recording Academy and cementing her status as a groundbreaking artist who pushed the boundaries of the genre.

Aaliyah’s signature confidence and mystique remain central to her legacy. When I mentioned her “confident attitude” and asked her brother Rashad about aspects of her personality and artistry that are often overlooked, he reflected on her sense of mystery. “I find it interesting that many of the things that may have been overlooked in the past are now appreciated. One would be the sense of mystery,” he explained. Rashad pointed to the “One in a Million” video as an example, where her iconic swooped hairdo and eye patch sparked intrigue and even rumors. “I remember there was a rumor after that video came out, saying, ‘Oh my God, does she have a lazy eye?'” he recalled, adding that the small moments added to her allure.

Rashad also emphasized the intentionality behind incorporating these details into the Barbie doll. “We made sure with Barbie that we also added that to her hairstyle… Girls can play and put that hair in her eye and remember all these interesting little moments and rumors that came out,” he said. He noted how Aaliyah’s sense of mystery, often absent in today’s era of constant access via social media, remains a nostalgic and celebrated aspect of her artistry. “It’s become something that people look back on, this sense of mystery that artists and performers have. My sister created this kind of magic and mystery around her artistry, her films and her music.”

Haughton shared how Aaliyah’s love of Barbie dolls as a child came back when she later got her own Barbie doll — a cool full-circle moment. “Every girl has had their Barbie doll and where they go and they start their dreams about what it’s like to grow up or what it’s like to achieve your dreams. And so knowing and seeing it with my own eyes , my sister was playing in her room with her Barbie dolls and dreaming and imagining what she wanted to be when she got older,” he said. “Her career started at such a young age… and it’s for me, what empowerment is – making your dreams come true reality. For my sister to be someone that every little girl says, ‘Wow, you can do it and you can make it happen,’ is really special.”

For Rashad Haughton, managing his late sister Aaliyah’s estate and preserving her legacy has been both a deeply emotional and fulfilling journey, one that he sees as a continuation of their shared dreams, where he still works as her creative consultant, albeit in another property. . “Obviously, you know, I miss her and at times it can be challenging because she’s not here,” he shared. “We had these dreams of me being behind the camera and her in front of the camera … what fills my heart is that it’s kind of like nothing has changed in some ways.”

Aaliyah Barbie serves as a testament to the singer’s lasting impact, connecting her 1990s legacy with today’s admiration. It is poised to become an iconic item, revered not only by R&B and hip-hop enthusiasts, but also by multiple generations who were influenced by Aaliyah’s music and fashion.