Barbie Academy, a place for little aspiring designers and fashion lovers

A total-pink laboratory originated from the collaboration between the Resort in Santa Margherita di Pula and Mattel, the company producing the famous doll, where children will be able to freely explore the world of fashion and test their creativity and imagination.

“If you can imagine it, you can do it!”: this is the best motto of Barbie, the most loved fashion doll of all time, which for over 60 years has contributed to shape the imagination of little girls and teach them that the only real limit is the imagination, and that everyone holds a gift waiting to be discovered and explored.

An invitation to undermine traditional gender roles and courageously undertake social positions and careers traditionally closed to women (even if sometimes even “only” due to cultural or economic factors), thus becoming an icon of female emancipation, inclusiveness and empowerment. Since she first appeared in 1959, Barbie has tried her own hand at over 200 different careers, including astronaut, soldier, veterinarian, flight attendant and even candidate for the US Presidency – for six times!

An extremely important and relevant message still nowadays, and the undisputed main topic of the touching monologue of the live-action movie “Barbie” directed by Greta Gerwig dedicated to the fashion doll, starring Oscar candidates Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling (in the roles of Barbie and Ken, respectively), which hit the box office in summer 2023 above all to its ability to speak directly heart-to-heart to millions of women, girls and even boys, making them feel welcomed, listened and understood.

In short, despite the several prejudices and controversies raised over the last six decades, Mattel’s doll has never been just a simple toy, but the protagonist of a separate universe made up of images, colors, values and dreams, where creativity represents the only currency and everyone can feel free to unleash their imagination and be who they really want to be, far from the stereotypes of modern society.

And it’s exactly with this kind of spirit that Forte Village, an award-winning five-star resort overlooking some of the most beautiful beaches in Southern Sardinia, wants to encourage the little ones celebrating and cultivating their creativity, with the opportunity to explore different forms of art and express themselves in a unique and personal way through the creation of jewelry, photo frames, clothes and much more. All within a total-pink academy designed specifically for children!

Creativity and imagination: why nurturing them since childhood?

Creativity is a key element in the growth and development of children: through artistic expression, they can explore their own inner world, giving voice to feelings and sensations that otherwise could remain unexpressed and potentially hinder the full development of their personality in future.

At the same time, it is also a very powerful tool in improving mental and manual skills, like precision and coordination in movements, and in building good problem solving skills, such as the ability to find and try original solutions to old and new problems, approaching the challenges of everyday life with positivity and greater confidence in their own abilities.

Not to mention that art, all sorts of art, is an excellent means of socialization: when children participate in creative group activities, such as drawing lessons or fashion contests, they can enjoy this precious opportunity to share experiences, thoughts and feelings with their peers, thus facilitating connection and mutual understanding, but also improving social skills like the ability to negotiate, solve conflicts and work together towards common goals.

Moreover, all of this also strengthens those skills necessary to explain, support and defend one’s own vision of things, but still remaining open to the judgment and opinion from the others, learning to accept constructive criticism and ignore provocations.

Anyway, perhaps even more importantly, exposing children to art and creativity helps teaching them how to appreciate the world’s beauty through diversity, forming more tolerant, inclusive and sensitive individuals interested in finding good in cultural and social differences. That’s the ultimate goal of the Barbie Fashion Academy, one of the leading academies of the Forte Village Resort in Santa Margherita di Pula.

Barbie Fashion Academy, a place designed for little creative minds

Established a decade ago from the precious collaboration between the Resort in Santa Margherita di Pula and Mattel, a company founded in 1945 by Harold Mattson, Elliot and Ruth Handler – to whom we owe the creation of the best-selling doll of all time as the first adult woman toy in her thousand roles, in a world where baby dolls dominated – the Barbie Fashion Academy is a space designed to help little creatives between the ages of 2-10 cultivating their natural talents and giving them the chance to test their imaginative abilities.

The academy is housed inside the iconic Barbie House, a laboratory furnished with some of the objects that made the history of the doll, and obviously painted in the unique Barbie pink color shade, where girls and boys will have the opportunity to try their hand in a wide range of manual and creative activities, allowing them to take their first steps into the enchanting world of fashion. And who knows if, in a few years, this will be their profession!

All this under the careful supervision of expert Barbie Designers, who will guide aspiring fashion stylists in the creation of unique jewelry, personalized photo frames and original clothing items, exploring new ways of expressing themselves and their own inimitable style. At the end of this wonderful experience, the creations will be shown to friends and parents in a fantastic fashion show on a real catwalk (total-pink, of course) immersed in the green and lush spaces surrounding the academy.

The Barbie Fashion Academy will be active from Monday to Friday, starting from May 27 up to September 6, and again from October 25 up to November 1.

The Ultimate Barbie Experience, two exclusive themed holiday packages

For true Mattel’s doll lovers, the surprises don’t end there! The luxurious Forte Village Resort, acknowledged as the best family resort in Sardinia, offers children two exclusive Barbie-themed holiday packages, the Barbie VIP Experiences: the Glamour Package and the Pink Package. Let’s find them out!

The first package includes a stay in a dream room furnished in full Barbie style, from the bed to the beauty case with a complete range of bathroom items (obviously all pink) as well as an exclusive gift…a beautiful Barbie doll! The package also includes the “Barbie Spa” experience at the Acquaforte Thalasso SPA, an oasis of peace and well-being immersed in a beautiful tropical garden, which consists of a manicure and a face mask based on natural products to enjoy with moms. The second package, instead, includes all the services of the first one, with the only exception of the access to the Barbie Spa.

Furthermore, of course both packages include access to the Barbie Fashion Academy, active from Monday to Friday in the Barbie Activity Center, arranging a wide range of different activities everyday, like the creation of jewelry, photo frames and personalized t-shirts, as well as the possibility of taking part in extra activities, for example the screenings of animated films, dance lessons and fantastic Barbie-themed parties!

For further information, please phone can to +390709218180 or write an email to holiday@fortevillage.com.

Do you want to dive into Barbie’s pink world and experience a dream holiday in a true paradise? Discover the Forte Village Resort in Sardinia