Gloria Estefan is a doll. Now she has her own Barbie — her ‘Globie’ — to prove it
Gloria Estefan is a doll.
Tell her millions of fans something they haven’t already known since “Conga” was released in 1985 — the year Coca-Cola introduced New Coke and Michael J. Fox went “Back to the Future.”
But now the Miami songbird is an official doll — a Barbie doll released by toy giant Mattel in honor of Estefan’s 65th birthday on Sept. 1.
Estefan calls it her “Globie.”
“About a year and a half ago I got a call from my office telling me the incredible news that Mattel had reached out because they wanted to create a Barbie in my image!” Estefan said in an email to the Miami Herald on Friday.
“I was so excited because she’s an American icon that I played with as a little girl and this was BIG news to me!” Estefan said.
On Thursday, Estefan announced the doll’s release via her Instagram account. The post quickly filled with “likes” — about 24,000, so far — along with birthday greetings and a rapturous response from fans like WPLG’s Louis Aguirre who simply posted fire emojis.
That said it all: still a red-hot doll after all these years.
Estefan’s honors
The $55 Gloria Estefan Barbie bases its design on the music video from Estefan’s 1989 single, “Get on Your Feet.”
According to Mattel, the Barbie doll’s black jacket has gold detailing with jeweled accents and oversized lace sleeve. A soft leopard belt is accentuated with a gold waist chain and thigh-high boots and gold accessories complete her look. “A microphone accessory and doll stand make this posable doll ideal for display. Doll cannot stand alone,” the website order form notes.
Of course, no one ever said the real Gloria Estefan could not stand alone. She’s been in “control” long before Janet Jackson made the song title a pop culture reference point.
In 2017, Estefan received the Kennedy Center Honor for her contributions to artistic culture — the first Cuban American to earn that distinction. Her 1987 song, “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You,” was entered into the Library of Congress in 2018. In February 2022, her Broadway biomusical, “On Your Feet,” which tells her life story with husband Emilio, played to sold-out houses at Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre in Coral Gables.
Watch as Gloria Estefan surprises the actors playing her life story at Miami rehearsals
Estefan’s design ideas
Estefan says she went to work with the Mattel design team who had sought her input on what “look” the Globie should have in terms of hair and outfit.
“There are two looks of mine that have become iconic with the fans, the chaps and this more ethnic look from the ‘Cuts Both Ways’ tour that I wore in the video for ‘Get On Your Feet,’ ” she said.
The timing of the doll’s release also coincided with another important event in September, Estefan said, and was incorporated into the outfit.
“Since the Barbie would come out for Hispanic Heritage month I chose the one designed by Nile Sample, who was the stylist for ‘Miami Vice’ because we purposely had incorporated my cultural heritage into that look where I’m wearing a bolero jacket and fringe celebrating my grandfather’s native Spain and other elements inspired by my Cuban background,” Estefan said.
“The thigh high boots were Nile’s contribution to the fashion of the time. I chose the song ‘Get On Your Feet’ because it’s an empowerment anthem, which is what I hope the doll is for little girls reaching for their dreams as I did for mine.”
Estefan says she chose the hair, the color and worked with Mattel’s designers on the Globie’s facial features to make sure they came closest to the real singer-songwriter, “down to the beauty mark under my right eye.”
“It was a joy to work with their amazing team and I am happy to report that she sold out in the first 24 hours. I warned them that we’d need more than the 50,000 that make up the Signature Collection but I guess that’s part of what makes them so special, they’re a limited quantity.”
