Chris Benz Designed a Pink Suit for Barbie's Presidential Campaign

12:45 PM, April 5 2012

By Elana Fishman

Not really feeling any of this year's presidential hopefuls? Why not vote for someone—a woman, no less—who's been an American icon for more than 50 years? Yep, Barbie is making a run for the Oval Office this year, and she's going to hit the campaign trail in a custom-made pink skirt suit by New York designer Chris Benz. This morning, Chris (and Barbie, of course) addressed the press during a conference at Grand Central Station, where he explained more about the doll's new "glam-paign."

"I played with Barbies all the time as a kid," he explained, "and actually Tweeted at her official account to let the Mattel team know I wanted to do something with them." And since Chris' famously colorful, ladylike designs are a favorite of Michelle Obama's, a presidential-themed doll seemed like a natural choice. For his very own presidential Barbie's neat skirt suit, the designer selected the exact fabric he once used for one of the First Lady's creations, simply changing the color from blue-green to screaming pink.

So why dress his doll in the feminine hue from head to toe? "For me, pink has always been such an inspirational, uplifting color," Chris said. "It's sort of a neutral to me at this point, actually!" The Barbie "I Can Be...President" doll even wears a scaled-down version of Chris's sky-high slingback wedges, a collaboration with Alejandro Ingelmo he's produced (in grown-up sizes) for several seasons running.

If Barbie should happen to win the 2012 vote with the help of her "B Party," we certainly hope Chris is up to designing her inaugural gown, too.

Barbie "I Can Be...President" hits toy stores this June, and will retail for $13.99.