Kylie Jenner's new Bratz dolls collaboration is being accused of Blackfishing

Earlier this week, Bratz took to social media to reveal that they had collaborated with Kylie Jenner to design her own collection of dolls, all inspired by the reality star and makeup mogul. In a press release announcing the news, the 25-year-old gushed over her new business partnership, revealing that she's "been a fan of Bratz since childhood," and has "always wanted" her own Bratz doll.

"I have loved every step of the process this past year in creating these dolls alongside the Bratz team. I'm so excited they are here!" she enthused.

ICYMI, the Kylie dolls - which are adorned in "Bratzified looks and accessories" - are all based on The Kardashians star's most famous looks from the past couple of years. Most notably her 2019 and 2022 Met Gala looks (the lilac Versace feather dress and white bridal look in tribute to the late designer, Virgil Abloh). Plus, her 2022 Mugler Exhibition Maleficent-vibe fit and her CFDA Fashion Awards one-shoulder piece from the same year.

While this was obviously an exciting moment for Bratz and its manufacturing company, MGA Entertainment (Kylie's collection is their first-ever celebrity collaboration), this "seminal moment in Bratz history" has since been overshadowed by a slew of backlash.

The criticisms in question are claims of Blackfishing after fans questioned the skin colour of the dolls, pointing out that they are noticeably darker than Kylie's own. This comes after the official press release stated that the figurines "reimagine the pop culture queen herself as a Bratz doll" - clearly suggesting that the dolls were designed to look just like Kylie.

For those unaware of the harmful term, Blackfishing describes non-Black people who purposefully attempt to appear as Black or mixed race. In some cases, it also refers to people profiting from the adopted guise. It's something that the Kardashian-Jenner family have been accused of before - Kylie (who is white) in particular - after she shared a video to Instagram back in 2021 in which her skin tone seemed darker than her natural colour.

In terms of the Bratz dolls, there have been plenty of negative comments surrounding the issue circulating online, with one person penning: "Why is Kylie Jenner Bratz my skin colour??? Very very confused."

"Honestly those Kylie Jenner Bratz dolls being BLACK is the most disrespectful sh*t I’ve seen this year," another said, as a third added: "Why tf are Kylie Jenner’s Bratz dolls black?????!!"

However, it's currently unclear as to how involved Kylie was in the design and manufacturing process of the dolls, so it's important to avoid placing blame straight away. As of now, neither she nor MGA Entertainment have addressed the accusations.

Cosmopolitan UK has reached out to Bratz and Kylie's team for comment.

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