By Natalie White | Photos credit: ION Orchard
ION Orchard has partnered with Mattel and Jian Yang, an entrepreneur and avid Barbie doll collector, to create the House of Dreams, a month-long multi-concept exhibition from 19 September to 21 October 2022.
Showcasing over 600 unique Barbie dolls — each with its own unique story and purpose – this will be the largest ever public showcase of Barbie dolls in one location in Singapore.
The first-of-its-kind exhibition here, supported by the Singapore Tourism Board, will feature a stunning collection of Barbie dolls, set against the landscape inspired by the Barbie Dreamhouse. Visitors can also capture creative photographs to celebrate their unique style in the special Barbie box photo booth
There will be a section dedicated to red-carpet fashion with dresses from international renowned design houses such as Valentino, Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior and Christian Louboutin, as well as a collection of dresses created in collaboration with some of Singapore’s favourite local brands, such as Bynd Artisan, IN GOOD COMPANY, KLARRA, and Love, Bonito.
A special showcase will also feature dolls in upcycled eco-friendly creations specially crafted for ION Orchard. As a nod to inclusivity, the exhibition will also feature Barbies that come from all walks of life, with different skin tones, hairstyles, body types and careers.
Music and movie-lovers will enjoy the star-studded pop culture line-up, including music icons – from all-time favourites like Elvis and Barbra Streisand to current favourites like Shakira and Jennifer Lopez – and superheroes such as Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman. Barbies of Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe and Frank Sinatra will have visitors reminiscing about old Hollywood glamour. In addition, visitors can expect to see beautiful race-themed Barbies, a timely display with the Singapore Grand Prix season.
All the dolls in this unique showcase are from the collection of Singaporean Barbie collector, Jian Yang, who owns one of Asia’s largest collections of over 12,000 dolls. His book, #FlushableFashion, features dolls dressed in couture creations made of sustainable materials. He uses his 12,000-strong collection as a base for his proprietary craft of #FlushableFashion, where he makes doll couture out of sustainable materials.
The House of Dreams will be open to the public from Tuesday, 20 September 2022 to Friday, 21 October 2022 at ION Art gallery, L4, ION Orchard, from 10am to 10pm.