Here comes Tattoo Barbie

(CBS News) 

This is not your grandmother's Barbie doll.

Meet Tokidoki Barbie, the newest addition to the iconic doll collection. She's edgy, with pink hair, sky-high stilettos, and a cactus-covered pet named Bastardino.

But it's her body art that has some parents on edge.

Tokidoki Barbie's upper body is covered with exotic-looking tattoos: A large flower covers her chest, and a tiger curls up her neck.

Tokidoki, a Milan fashion house inspired by Japanese art and anime, headed by Italian artist Simone Legno, has put out the doll, as well as Barbie shirts, hoodies and accessories.

"I don't think it's appropriate for little girls to be having Barbies with tattoos all over," parent Reye Griffith told CBS Station WCBS.

Mitti Hansen, the parent of a four-year-old daughter, said, "I think it sends all the wrong signals for young girls."

Tokidoki is not the first Barbie to sport tattoos. In 2009, Mattel unveiled "Totally stylin' Barbie," but her tattoos were stick-on and removable.

Tokidoki's are inked on.

"Maybe if a little girl sees that she also wants a tattoo, and I think it's not good," said parent Latifa Zyne.

But body art is a growing trend. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, one in four Americans ages 18 to 50 now has at least one tattoo.

Tattoo artist Pablo Jiminez told WCBS correspondent Kathryn Brown that Tokidoki Barbie is just a reflection of a more accepting attitude toward body ink.

"Tattoos right now is everywhere," said Jiminez. "It's just about art, it's nothing bad."

Tokidoki is considered a collectible and retails for $50 - much more expensive than basic Barbie dolls.

Mattel says it's marketed more toward adult collectors than to children.

Jim Silver, editor in chief of Timetoplaymag.com, told WCBS that Tokidoki is just the latest in a long line of high-fashion collector items meant for adults, not kids.

"You will not find this in any toy store," Silver said. "These are high-priced dolls, they make dolls after big time fashion designers like Bob Mackie, so these are dolls that kids generally don't see."

They may not get a chance to: According to the website tokidoki.it which is selling Tokidoki Barbie, the doll is sold out.

[warfear]

So you people are more concerned with the fact that a doll has tattoos, and not that these dolls in general create an unrealistic ideal of beauty that no real human being can achieve? These unrealistic standards drive females (and sometimes males, as well) to body dysmorphic disorders and other issues of that nature? Not only that, but these specific tattooed Barbies aren't even MARKETED to children, nor are they on sale to children. Seems like a bunch of people with too much time looking for something to ***** about because they have nothing better to do with their lives. . .

There are plenty of intelligent, beautiful people with tattoos. Including myself. And your derogatory comments are no better to me than someone who makes a racial, sexist, or homophobic slur. If you don't like tattoos personally, then that's fine. There's really no need to preach your hate and ignorant opinions.

[delihound]

As a tattooed woman, a tattoo artist, and mother, what I find repulsive is the awful derogatory comments being thrown around about what you think about people who look like me, and I am taking all of them from what you think about a freaking Barbie doll. You people would probably never know it, but most of my clients are professionals: school teachers, nurses, doctors, police and firemen make up the bulk of my clients... in that order. They keep their tattoos hidden, but you would be shocked to find out how many of your doctors have a full back tattoo under that white coat.

[Harden_Tar]

What about grandma Barbie with all those tatoos now sagging and faded into indistinguishable blobs.

[ToolMangler1]

Tattoo's are a "Permanent reminder of a moments insanity". You can blur them but they 'always' leave a scar...

[Transatlantique]

I've always felt that, for myself, tattoos were too permanent, somewhat degrading, and ugly. I've never understood the fascination, but to each their own.

[Jaylah54]

Wait....parents are "on edge" about the fact that she's got enough tattoos to qualify her as a two-bit hooker on any street corner, but they aren't "on edge" about the fact that she comes with a "pet named Bastardino"????

[delihound]

"she's got enough tattoos to qualify her as a two-bit hooker on any street corner," ... Or to be a successful tattoo artist, college art professor and mother like myself?

[zebra8835]

Barbie gets a make over...
complete with tramp stamp.

[skithebumps]

How about Prosthesis Barbie? They could give her a bionic arm or leg to replace the one that was blown off when she served in Iraq.

[TellitTrue]

Introducing OCCUPY BARBIE. She comes complete with "I Hate America" tee-shirt, pup tent and extra socks. Optional accessories include "body odor spray" for that realistic scent and "rape report kit" for those realistic nights in a tent with complete male strangers. Don't forget to buy "DEFECATE KEN" too, comes complete with police car (toilet tissue not available!)

[tsigili]

Would absolutely NOT buy this, for any child, under any circumstances.

Young people today, have really made themselves visually unattractive with tattoos. Much of that, is simply repulsive. It is almost like seeing people who have been horribly disfigured.

[TellitTrue]

I am convinced that no part of a woman's body looks better with ink on it or a bolt through it... Remember Janet Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction?" That thing bolted under her bra reminded me of a hubcap from a '69 GTO.

But I also understand that the point is making themselves visually attractive to EACH OTHER, so my opinion doesn't count.