Barbie World

Barbie Targets Shanghai Women

Flagship store attracts grown-ups.

Not only can Chinese girls aspire to unrealistic body proportions, thanks to the opening of a six-story Barbie flagship store opening in Shanghai, but so can their mothers: The Washington Post reports that Mattel is countering Barbie's flagging sales by pushing into new markets in China. The store is targeted not simply at children, but also at young urban professionals with disposable income. The 35,000-square-foot space includes a spa and restaurant and sells clothing and gourmet chocolate in addition to the dolls. “I just thought, ‘Wouldn't this be great if this was my home?’” said Jiang Xioayun, a 23-year-old administrative assistant