Barbiecore once swept the runways, but now another plastic doll has taken over the fashion zeitgeist. Polly Pocket, which celebrates its 35th anniversary on Wednesday, was first designed by Chris Wiggs in 1983. He created the tiny toy by fashioning a dollhouse out of a makeup compact for his daughter.
This became the basis for the original Polly Pocket toys, which featured heart-shaped plastic boxes that turned into playsets. After hitting shelves in 1989, Mattel bought the property in 1998, redesigning Polly Pocket and making her a bit bigger. They also introduced clothing, shoes, and accessories for the doll — most of which were rubber.
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Although Polly Pocket toys were discontinued in 2012, Mattel is bringing them back in 2018 to appeal to a new generation of kids while also capitalizing on retro nostalgia.
“As ’90s fashion once again finds itself at the heart of culture, Polly’s chunky heels and rubber minidresses are a moment that inspires fans to make big, bold fashion choices,” Krista Berger, Mattel’s senior vice president and global head of Barbie and dolls, told WWD exclusively. “Polly’s journey over the past three decades is a testament to the power of imagination, and we can’t wait to honor the adventure she brings to everyday life.”
To celebrate the doll’s 35th birthday, Mattel announced that Polly Pocket will be partnering with brands like Loungefly, Pacsun, and Hot Topic. The brand also has plans to release a makeover—a clear nod to the toy’s original prototype.
Even designer brands haven’t escaped the influence of these tiny babies: Moschino, Balenciaga and Miu Miu experimented with Polly Pocket-inspired designs in the 2010s, and in the 2020s these playful, playful silhouettes have resurfaced, taking on new form in edgy garments from Marc Jacobs and Loewe.
Let’s take a look at how eight luxury fashion brands are using Polly Pocket.
Moschino
While Jeremy Scott’s spring 2015 collection for Moschino is clearly Barbie-coded, the brand’s quilted Swarovski-embellished heart-shaped bag mimics Polly Pocket’s original compacts.
Balenciaga
Balenciaga introduced its own version of Crocs in 2017. The Spanish brand’s platform for rubber clogs—stuffed to the brim with Jibbitz—could easily have emerged from Polly Pocket’s elastic wardrobe.
GÇDS
Known for its kitsch interpretations of Hello Kitty, Care Bears, and Pokémon, Italian brand GCDS teamed up with Polly Pocket in 2019. The brand’s original logo was used on many of the designs, including satin bomber jackets, micro bags, and knits.
In 2024, GCDS reunited with the tiny doll as part of its fall “Toys for Grown-Ups” presentation. Invitations to the show consisted of Polly Pocket dolls wearing GCDS hoodies.
Channel
Moschino doesn’t have a monopoly on heart-shaped bags. Chanel’s late creative director Karl Lagerfeld added whimsical touches to the French fashion house’s best-selling staples, such as its quilted flap bag.
Chanel has included heart-shaped pouches repeatedly over the years, including as part of its spring 2022 haute couture collection. The candied colors in that line had a particularly viral moment, and as of 2024, they’re still considered valuable items on the resale market.
Loew
Loewe’s current creative director, JW Anderson, cited Polly Pocket as inspiration for his spring 2023 show. Leather tops, dresses, and skirts were created from 3D-printed molds and, when paired with the collection’s buttery sheepskin pieces and trompe l’oeil dresses, create the perfect doll-like wardrobe.
One of Anderson’s Loewe trademarks is her use of balloon motifs. In 2022, she also led the inflatables by sending the cartoonish Comic pumps down the runway. Available in both matte and lacquered finishes, the foam heels have been compared to Barbie and Minnie Mouse, but they wouldn’t look out of place on Polly Pocket either.
Miu Miu
For fall 2023, Miu Miu also joined in on Polly Pocket-inspired fashions. The brand created nappa leather dresses, and while they come in pale tones, the puffy dresses are reminiscent of a baby’s rubber suit.
Miu Miu put its own spin on Polly’s flexible shoes in 2016. Platform sandals with patent leather straps and scalloped heels walked the runway at the brand’s spring 2017 fashion show.
Marc Jacobs
Marc Jacobs played with dramatic proportions in both of his 2024 collections. At his spring presentation, the designer debuted puffy pieces made of leather and foam-like fabrics that evoked Polly Pocket’s formfitting garments.
Jacobs continued this whimsical theme in his latest fall collection, which featured oversized silhouettes resembling paper dolls, as he did in his spring collection.
Sandy Liang
Sandy Liang’s heart-shaped marshmallow necklace was directly inspired by Polly Pocket’s plastic compacts. The designer is launching a newer version of the resin necklace called the Heels necklace as part of her fall 2024 jewelry launch.
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