ENGLAND AND QUINS STAR ELLIE KILDUNNE HAS HER OWN BARBIE FOLL
Red Roses and Harlequins player Ellie Kildunne is one of four rugby stars that has been honoured as a Barbie role model with a one-of-a-kind doll in a bid to inspire girls into sport.
Toy giant Mattel has announced that Barbie is celebrating International Day of the Girl by creating Team Barbie – a coalition of four powerful role models and professional rugby players from across the globe to encourage girls to own their confidence proudly.
The brand is honouring these incredible athletes who recognise and harness their own power with one-of-a-kind dolls made in their likeness.
Representing England is champion Red Roses player Ellie Kildunne, the 26 year old star of English rugby.
Ellie is renowned for her on-pitch talent and her personality off the pitch, famously coining her signature lasso dance which has inspired fans to wear Red Roses cowgirl hats to cheer on the squad at matches.
Alongside Ellie Kildunne, three other female international rugby players – Ilona Maher (US) Portia Woodman-Wickliffe (NZ) and Nassira Konde (France) have been honoured.
Each doll has been designed in the players’ likeness, reflecting the spectrum of athlete’s bodies.
Ilona and Portia’s dolls use a brand-new Barbie body sculpt with a more athletic torso, visibly defined arms, shoulders and legs, and more sculpted core and back muscles.
The inspiring global rugby stars came together on the pitch at the historic Allianz Stadium to meet their Barbie dolls for the first time.
Ellie Kildunne, England’s Red Roses champion rugby player said: “It’s been such an incredible year for women’s sport in England, and I’m so proud of what the Red Roses have achieved; we are showing the next generation of girls that you can do anything, that being strong and fast is powerful, and that you can break boundaries.
“I thought nothing could come close to the feeling of lifting that trophy but having my own one-of-a-kind Barbie doll is a very close second.”
Krista Berger, senior vice president of Barbie, Mattel said: “At Barbie, we fundamentally believe that girls can be, and do, anything. We’re committed to breaking down the barriers – from gender stereotypes to confidence blockers – that too often hold girls back from unlocking their limitless potential. By showcasing the stories of incredible role models whose confidence has unlocked ground-breaking success, we’re showing girls that the future of sports – or wherever their passion lies – is theirs to claim, with Team Barbie cheering them on.”
As part of the Barbie Dream Gap project, Mattel is making a £20,000 donation to the RFU, supporting its commitment to increase the number of female players.
These funds will help increase access to clubs and coaching across England, ensuring that more girls get the opportunity to discover the joy and community of team sport.