Mattel's fab Barbie ad breaks gender stereotypes

Who says dolls are only for girls?

In what may be a first for Mattel (MAT), a recent advertisement for a limited edition Barbie features a little boy. "Moschino Barbie," outfitted in the fashion design house's signature retro-glam clothes and matching accessories, is "fierce," he declares.

Mattel said the tongue-in-cheek spot is a parody of the Barbie ads than ran in the 1980s. The boy is styled to resemble American fashion designer Jeremy Scott, who came up with the idea for the ad.

"When I dreamed up the concept for the Moschino Barbie fauxmercial, I felt it was natural to have a little boy representing for all the little boys like myself who played with Barbies growing up," Scott said in an emailed statement. "Barbie was more than a toy -- she was a muse!"

Gossip columnist Perez Hilton, among others, has praised the toy company for challenging the stereotype that only girls like Barbie. "@barbie FINALLY features a boy in a commercial!" he tweeted.

Mattel did not immediately return a request for comment.

Whatever your gender, Moschino Barbie won't come cheap, if you can get your hands on her at all. Mattel appeared to be sold out of the doll, while prices on eBay started at about $250. On Moschino's web site, a short-sleeve t-shirt featuring a Barbie on the front goes for $375.

The good news? As Mattel says in the ad, "Fabulosity is totally included!"