Beauty and the Beast

An instant box office smash upon its release in the summer of 2023, Greta Gerwig’s Barbie proved to be an era-defining cultural phenomenon beloved by critics and audiences of all ages. Among the film’s eight nominations at the 96th Oscars was a nod to the creative team of production designer Sarah Greenwood and set decorator Katie Spencer, marking the seventh Oscar nomination for the duo. Though neither of them had ever owned one of Mattel’s dolls, the pair set about envisioning a Barbieland at once brand new and instantly recognizable. Drawing inspiration from seventy years of Barbie Dreamhouses, 1980s interior design, and Palm Springs aesthetics, the team dove into conversations about the essence of pink and the mechanics of breathing life into a plastic world in creative and groundbreaking ways.