Kylie Minogue and Shania Twain among women honoured with Barbie doll tribute

Kylie Minogue, Shania Twain and Helen Mirren are among eight women that have been honoured with their own Barbie dolls for International Women’s Day.

The “global storytellers” have been chosen by Mattel to have Barbie dolls modelled after their likeness to kick off the brand’s 65th anniversary celebrations.

The toymaker said that Minogue’s “glittering career has kept her firmly rooted in the present whilst defining and celebrating much of our collective past”, while praising Twain for being one of the “renowned trailblazers breaking down barriers for women in country music”.

They added that Mirren was “one of the world’s best known and most respected actresses, along with being an advocate for embracing and celebrating self-expression, aging and fashion”.

Mirren, who played the narrator in the record-breaking Barbie movie, said she was “absolutely blown away” by the honour (via Sky News).

“It’s a very special thing and something I can add to my list of my favourite achievements – becoming a Dame of the British Empire, having an Oscar, having a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and having my own Barbie,” she said.

The one-of-a-kind doll is modelled after Mirren’s red carpet look at Cannes last year, where she wore a blue dress completed with blue hair.

The doll is also holding a mini Oscar, in recognition of her 2007 Best Actress Academy Award for The Queen.

Minogue’s Barbie is fashioned after her all-red outfit in the music video for her mega hit ‘Padam Padam‘, while Twain’s recreates the outfit and top hat from her ‘Man I Feel Like A Woman’ music video – completed by the long pink hair from her ‘Queen Of Me’ tour’.

Other women honoured include Oscar-winning actor and producer Viola Davis, content creator Maira Gomez from the indigenous community of the Tatuyo ethnic group in Amazonas, Mexican director, producer and screenwriter Lila Avilés, Japanese model Nicole Fujita and German comedian Enissa Amani.

“Barbie’s story has never been just about her. It’s about the countless young kids she’s inspired and the millions of stories she helped them imagine along the way,” said Krista Berger, Senior Vice President of Barbie and Global Head of Dolls in a press statement.

“For the past 65 years, Barbie has used her global platform to empower girls to dream big, explore their limitless potential, and direct their own narrative to shape their future. As we celebrate this milestone anniversary, we recognize over six decades of stories Barbie has helped write and the doll that continues to give everyone the opportunity to dream – and dream big.”

In other Barbie news, Ryan Gosling will seemingly perform ‘I’m Just Ken’ at the Oscars next month.