'Our goal is to enable all children to see themselves in Barbie'
Barbie has been heaped with praise after launching its first-ever doll with Down's Syndrome.
Mattel, the toy manufacturer behind the iconic doll, said they have created the new Barbie to 'allow even more children to see themselves in Barbie', reports The Manc.
The legendary toy brand, which was launched way back in 1959, worked with the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) to make sure the doll accurately represents Down's.
The result is a Barbie with a few physical differences to the classic doll, including a new face and body shape with a shorter frame and longer torso, smaller ears, a rounder face shape, and a flat nasal bridge, plus slightly slanted almond-shaped eyes.
The beautiful new doll even has palms with one single line, a characteristic often associated with those with Down's Syndrome.
Her outfit is in yellow and blue patterns, colours associated with Down's Syndrome awareness, and she wears a pink pendant with three upwards chevrons, representing the three copies of the 21st chromosome.
The first ever Barbie with Down's Syndrome. Credit: MattelThe first ever Barbie with Down's Syndrome. Credit: Mattel
The new Barbie even wears pink ankle foot orthotics to match her outfit and her sneakers have a zip detail.
Barbie now comes in more than 175 looks, including different eye colours, hair colours and textures, body types, disabilities and fashions. There are dolls with vitiligo, dolls that use a wheelchair or a prosthetic limb, a doll with hearing aids and a doll without hair.
Lisa McKnight, executive vice president and global head of Barbie & Dolls at Mattel, said: "As the most diverse doll line on the market, Barbie plays an important role in a child’s early experiences, and we are dedicated to doing our part to counter social stigma through play.
"Our goal is to enable all children to see themselves in Barbie, while also encouraging children to play with dolls who do not look like themselves.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjw7Mi0OOVk
"Doll play outside of a child’s own lived experience can teach understanding and build a greater sense of empathy, leading to a more accepting world. We are proud to introduce a Barbie doll with Down syndrome to better reflect the world around us and further our commitment to celebrating inclusion through play."
Kandi Pickard, NDSS President and CEO, added: "It was an honour working with Barbie on the Barbie doll with Down syndrome.
"This means so much for our community, who for the first time, can play with a Barbie doll that looks like them. This Barbie serves as a reminder that we should never underestimate the power of representation. It is a huge step forward for inclusion and a moment that we are celebrating."
Aldi has confirmed it'll be closing the doors of all of its stores across the UK for 62 hours this year.
Christmas is always known to be one of the busiest periods of the year for the retail industry, and Boxing Day has a reputation for being the ultimate day for shopping deals and discounts in the UK - but this year, just like it has done on several years in the past, Aldi has made the decision to close all of its stores nationwide on this bank holiday.
The supermarket retailer says it wants to thank its colleagues 'for all their hard work' throughout the year by giving them some extra time to spend with their families.
This means that all Aldi stores will be closed on both 25 and 26 December.
That's not all though, as stores will also be closed on New Year’s Day, and will reopen once again on Saturday 2 January 2027.
Aldi has announced a 'special' 62-hour closure of all its UK stores / Credit: Aldi UK
Opening hours at different Aldi stores across the UK will vary in the lead-up to Christmas, so it's important to check the times for your local store, but the retailer has confirmed that most branches will be operating extended hours to 'ensure customers can stock up ahead of the big day'
In the interim period between Christmas and New Year, stores will reopen as usual on Sunday 27 through to Wednesday 30 December, with reduced hours also likely on Sunday and New Year's Eve.
Speaking on the decision to shut up shop for a full 62-hour period this festive season, Rachel Geary, who is the Communications Director at Aldi UK, said: "Christmas is a special time for our customers, but it is also one of the busiest periods of the year for our teams.
"Our colleagues work incredibly hard to ensure customers can pick up everything they need ahead of the big day.
"We never take that effort for granted. Closing our stores on Boxing Day is one way of saying thank you and giving colleagues a proper chance to rest, switch off and spend more time with the people closest to them."
Featured Image - Aldi UK
Shopping
Retail giant Uniqlo delays opening date for new Leeds store
Clementine Hall
It's official, Uniqlo is making its way to Leeds. Well, it's about time isn't it?
You may remember last June that murmurings of Uniqlo opening in Leeds were happening.
The news spread after planning documents appeared for new ‘Uniqlo’ signage on the Store House building on Briggate.
We've been keeping our fingers crossed that the news was actually true, and it is.
Uniqlo themselves have confirmed that three new stores will be popping up across the UK over the next two years, with one of them being right here in Leeds.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Their first store of the roll-out opened in Birmingham's Bullring, followed by a new store in Bristol this year.
Leeds was also meant to open this year, but unfortunately, Uniqlo has announced things are delayed and its opening will be pushed into 2027.
The Leeds store will be 1,100 square metres and will be located on Briggate in the old House of Fraser site.
CGI mockups from firms Thirty One Design and Ink Associates include the glass fronted store with Uniqlo’s signature red signage hanging above the door and off the building.
These will be made from sheet metal with a “sprayed finish” – sounds pretty swanky if you ask us.
Uniqlo UK COO Alessandro Dudech stated: "Uniqlo remains committed to strengthening its presence within the UK retail sector by expanding both our physical store network and ecommerce capabilities nationwide.
"As part of this strategic initiative, we look forward to introducing Uniqlo to the communities and visitors in the North of England, at the new Leeds location and simultaneously reaching customers in the South West in Bristol's Cabot Circus.".
Uniqlo is known for its affordable and minimalist clothing, stocking everything from raincoats and puffer jackets to jeans and a wide range of accessories.
We’ll keep you updated on the timeframe, as to be honest we’re just as excited as you are to be welcoming Uniqlo to the high street.
The Hoot -
27th April 2023 
