Barbie Unveils Dream Team of Global Female Role Models

Mattel celebrates International Women's Day with multiple partnerships, activations and immersive experiences.

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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Mattel has announced that Barbie will celebrate International Women's Day with a variety of launches, including its first Barbie Dream Team honoring women who led the way in their industries, special Barbie Dream Days retail activations and the multi-day Barbie Dream Fest fan experience. The global Barbie Dream Team includes trailblazers like tennis legend Serena Williams, research astronaut Kellie Gerardi, and other accomplished women across sports, entertainment, and exploration.

Why it matters

By spotlighting accomplished female role models, Barbie aims to expand what girls imagine for themselves and increase representation of women who have driven meaningful change across industries. The brand believes that seeing diverse female leaders can inspire the next generation to pursue their passions and dreams without limits.

The details

The Barbie Dream Team honorees include Serena Williams, Kellie Gerardi, Regina Sirvent Alvarado, Chloe Kelly, Helene Fischer, Zoja Skubis, Stephanie Gilmore, and Smriti Mandhana. In addition to the Dream Team, Barbie is also launching Barbie Dream Days retail activations and the multi-day Barbie Dream Fest fan experience in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

  • Barbie will celebrate International Women's Day in 2026.
  • The Barbie Dream Fest fan experience will take place from March 27 to 29, 2026 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The players

Barbie

An iconic fashion doll brand owned by Mattel that has spotlighted over 100 women across industries and communities who have driven meaningful change.

Serena Williams

A tennis legend with 23 Grand Slam singles titles and an entrepreneur.

Kellie Gerardi

A research astronaut and payload specialist.

Nathan Baynard

The vice president and head of Barbie at Mattel.

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What they’re saying

“Barbie has always championed the belief that girls can be anything. From astronauts to chief executive officers, Barbie has broken barriers and redefined what's possible – igniting imagination and inspiring generations of girls to dream without limits. This International Women's Day, we're proud to build on that legacy with the launch of our Barbie Dream Team, celebrating an extraordinary group of global trailblazers who are paving the way for the next generation. By honoring their achievements, we hope to inspire girls everywhere to pursue their passions boldly and realize their limitless potential.”

— Nathan Baynard, Vice President, Head of Barbie, Mattel (licenseglobal.com)

“I have always drawn inspiration from the powerful women in my life – from my mom, sisters and daughters to the dolls in my toy box growing up. Now, I'm thrilled to be honored alongside this incredible group of female changemakers as part of the Barbie Dream Team. Just like so many, women have empowered me to turn my fear into courage and doubt into confidence. I hope we can do the same by championing girls everywhere to pick up a racquet, become an entrepreneur or do whatever ignites their passion and brings their dreams to life.”

— Serena Williams (licenseglobal.com)

“I'm so excited to join the Barbie Dream Team to celebrate International Women's Day and show girls everywhere that science and space are for everyone. After helping open the door for scientists to fly and operate their own research on commercial spacecraft and walking through it myself as a payload specialist and astronaut, it's now my mission to hold that door open wider for the next generation of girls to follow. When you're brave enough to leave your comfort zone and dream big, not even the sky is the limit.”

— Kellie Gerardi, Research Astronaut and Payload Specialist (licenseglobal.com)

What’s next

Barbie Dream Fest, a multi-day fan experience exploring the legacy, evolution and imagination of the Barbie brand, will take place from March 27 to 29, 2026 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The takeaway

By honoring the achievements of accomplished women across industries, Barbie aims to inspire the next generation of girls to pursue their passions boldly and realize their limitless potential, further expanding what's possible for girls around the world.