The triumphant return of Bob Mackie and his new Barbie Holiday Angel doll

Mackie is back and we couldn't be more excited about it. The legendary designer, who has created a host of incredibly fantastic creations for Barbie doll, returns to Barbie Signature with Bob Mackie's Holiday Angel Barbie doll. This members-only doll continues a tradition of glitz and glamor like no other in the history of our premium doll collections. (Not a Barbie Signature member? You can join and get the doll at the same time.)

“I've always loved working with Barbie and I'm thrilled to be dressing her again,” says Mackie. "She loves dressing up as her, and when I'm creating for her, she HAS to make a magical entrance."

Mackie delivers that magic with ease once again, dressing Barbie doll in a striking dress, covered with an embroidered sash and sparkling from every angle as if dipped in gold. If you're feeling a little nostalgic watching it, you're not crazy: The stunning ensemble was inspired in part by Bob Mackie's iconic golden Barbie doll, released in 1990. (That doll is also one of the most prized and still... coveted Barbie dolls.)

And by framing the fashion with soaring sparkling wings and a luminous halo, Mackie prepares Barbie for an ethereal entrance. “To me, a glorious angel doll should have beautiful, clear, shiny wings and a halo,” Mackie says. “This one has that, AND you can see the rest of the magical Christmas lights shine through them too!” Shimmering eye makeup and sculpted wristbands adorn the design with an extra touch of style, completing the look.

If he has read about our previous partnerships with designers, he knows that there is a process that each project goes through to arrive at the final doll that he will display in his collection. With Mackie, it was similar, but there was also a lot of ground to cover that doesn't typically apply to other designers. “We discussed possible new ideas and, of course, we had to think about the many things we had already done in the past and what we could do in the future,” explains Mackie. “I had many meetings with the fantastic design team at Mattel. I sent sketches and color ideas. I worked hand in hand with the team,” which was led by Barbie lead designer Bill Greening.

The result, as you can see, incorporates all the style and spectacle you'd expect from a Bob Mackie design, along with a little twist. When we asked him about his previous Christmas-themed dolls and how he views his new Holiday Angel Doll in relation to them, he responded. “I see this doll as an evolution into new territory, with inspiration from other cultures around the world.”

With Mackie returning to the design of the Barbie doll, we thought it would be appropriate to bring another team member with Mackie experience into the project: packaging designer Sal Velázquez. “This is the second Bob Mackie doll package I've worked on. The first was the Bob Mackie Countess Dracula pack that I designed in 2011,” reveals Sal. “Seeing the new doll for the first time made me excited to work on an angel-themed design and even more excited knowing it was a Bob Mackie doll. I love how he goes all out with his designs and how ironic some of his creations can be. Very funny!"

An outrageous design like Mackie's can also create interesting possibilities for a packaging designer to determine how to appropriately present the doll on the doll's box. “I start by looking at the doll's design for inspiration along with what the creative brief also calls for,” says Sal. “I took a lot of inspiration from the doll dressed in an all-gold style. We also took some of the elements from the doll's fashion sash and created an all-gold sculpted border surrounding the Bob Mackie logo. “I also felt that an accent color like red really made the doll pop with its gold look.”

He will have a hard time deciding whether he wants to keep it in the box or take it out for display. But if there is one thing we know for sure, it is Mackie's vision of the doll and his experience. “I want this new doll to celebrate many festive and glamorous occasions,” says Mackie. “When you see it, you know you're having a real celebration.”

So get into the holiday spirit by ordering the Bob Mackie Barbie Holiday Angel Doll today. This Gold Label doll is now available in our members-only online store. And if you're not a member, you can order the doll and join during checkout.