I'M WEARING CARLYLE NUERA

11.01.24 - 10.03.24

Carlyle Nuera

Hi Barbie! Kickstarting the iconic doll’s 65^th anniversary year, the Naughton Gallery is delighted to present I’m Wearing Carlyle Nuera, a solo exhibition by Barbie Signature lead designer Carlyle Nuera. Created by Mattel founder Ruth Handler – a game-changing feminist visionary – Barbie defied the conventions of the 1950s, establishing a role for women other than a wife and mother. With an identity outside of her family, Barbie represented an astounding modern departure, opening the imagination for what a doll – and a woman – could be. 

Whilst countless people have contributed to the unrivalled success that Mattel’s Barbie doll has enjoyed since her debut in 1959, this exhibition focuses specifically on the work of Nuera, a Los Angeles-based queer Filipino-American artist who has been designing for Barbie for over a decade. A graduate of Otis College of Art & Design, Los Angeles, Nuera’s personal art practice is primarily fashion and textile-led, expressing themes of identity and connecting his personal narratives to those of the larger groups he identifies with. This exhibition explores the ways in which this personal work has come to influence and inspire Nuera’s approach to designing for Barbie, not only through fashion, but in his approach to the likes of skin tone, hair texture, and body type.

I’m Wearing Carlyle Nuera sees a selection of Nuera’s personal fashion designs, drawings, and writings on display alongside a wide variety of Barbies – from collector’s items to playline dolls – offering a unique insight into his design process. In addition to the dolls themselves, early sketches and design illustrations demonstrate the fascinating journey that each doll goes through from initial concept to final product.

This exhibition offers a glimpse into the portfolio of designs Nuera has produced for Barbie throughout his career, yet this relatively small selection of dolls strongly exemplifies his passion for making the Barbie of today a true reflection of the world in which we live. Nuera embraces current trends and pushes the boundaries of who Barbie is and what she can be, whilst also educating us about both celebrated and often overlooked visionary women from the past. Nuera is undoubtedly an individual who has contributed significantly to the Barbie we know, love, and are often surprised and challenged by today, helping to shape and evolve the brand in innovative and exciting ways.