LIFE> Epicure
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LIFE> Epicure
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In a Barbie world
By Xu Xiaomin (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-03-10 09:42
The world's most famous blonde is settling into her new home in Shanghai. Barbie may be 50 years old but the slim and fashionable icon could never be just another middle-aged woman. The opening of her flagship store in the city caused quite a buzz. Last Friday's opening of Barbie Shanghai was by invitation only but created a traffic jam around its location in Huaihai Road. Many passing cars and pedestrians stopped in wonder at the 50-m-long line. "Anything huge happened?" asked a passing taxi driver. "I waited for almost an hour and a half before I got in," said Cao Yifan, who had her four-year-old daughter in tow. The long wait took its toll on those in the line as complaints and even arguments broke out but the passion for Barbie didn't abate.
 Cao's wait was finally over. "It's so much fun!" she said. "I promised my daughter to buy her at least one Barbie doll - they are so cute, girls love her." The mother was quite possibly more enthusiastic than her daughter, who revealed her favorite toy was not dolls but bears. The next morning, when the store opened to the public, it was crowded with adult women as well as little girls, many wearing pink, Barbie's signature color. Xu Zhengyan, a retired middle school teacher in her 60s, said she fell in love with Barbie when she was a teenager. Already the owner of more than 20 Barbies, she arrived at the store first thing to add to her collection. Seven-year-old Shen Shijing had 13 Barbies but wanted more. Ditto her classmate, who was not stopping at 25. |
