Brits have been picking up paint brushes and transforming their homes into Barbie-esque pink-topias – in a home makeover trend sparked by Greta Gerwig’s new film.
According to latest data from home and garden retailer wilko, sales of pink paint have surged by 53% over the past month, coinciding with the much-anticipated release of the new Barbie movie.
The film, which was released on Friday, features Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as the bleach blonde Barbie and Ken duo who get a shock when they leave Barbie Land for the real world and discover the perils of living among humans.
The comedy-fantasy Hollywood creation, much like its popular dolls and countless animated films, is characterised by its trademark bright pink colour tone.
The endless chatter around the long-awaited remake of the childhood classic, complete with its star-studded cast, has seen the world go Barbie – and pink – mad in recent months.
The media has been illuminated with the trademark Barbie colour, with endless snaps of glam celebrities wearing fuchsia gowns at international premieres and brilliant pink billboards advertising the film.
This has clearly taken root in Brits’ home décor choices, causing a huge 211% spike in searches for ‘Barbie’ on the wilko website over the past two weeks.
One specific paint – Candy Cane Matt Emulsion – has been deemed the perfect shade of Barbie pink and has been flying off the shelves, causing a 103% sales surge on wilko.com in the lead up to the release of the blockbuster movie.
Nik Fowden, Senior Buyer at wilko, said: “Barbie-mania has definitely taken hold of lots of wilko customers and influenced one of our favourite home makeover trends to date – the all-pink look – causing this boom in searches for and sales of pink items and paint.
“We’re really pleased to see customers daring to break away from everyday home décor and creating their own vibrant Barbie Land space – who doesn’t love a bit of pink to brighten a room!
“wilko has everything from paint, furniture, furnishings and décor in Barbie-esque pink to help create your dream Barbie-inspired home look.”
To shop wilko’s full decorating and DIY range, visit: https://www.wilko.com/en-uk/decorating-diy/c/464
