Barbie has apparently changed her look. When I saw this striking window display at the MAC cosmetics store at 113 Spring Street in SoHo, I felt a little foolish. I went inside and asked a salesperson what the theme was, and she said incredulously, “Why, it’s Barbie!” Barbie Loves MAC is one of the looks they are now featuring. Barbie is big right now – the current March 2007 Vanity Fair has a Q&A interview with the new MAC Barbie doll.

I’m fascinated with this country’s fascination with Barbie – she is a major icon with her share of controversy. This is way too large a subject to get into here – Barbie is a doll, a collectible, an idol, a role model, an industry, and a syndrome (Barbie Syndrome). She has a full name (Barbara Millicent Roberts), a birthday (3/9/1959), a birthplace (Willows, Wisconsin), a fascinating history, different looks and wardrobes, plenty of ethnically diverse friends, occupations, pets, and cars. And, of course, there have been parodies and lawsuits. There are Black and Hispanic Barbies. And pink is her color. For the first time, it appears she has some competition – Bratz is closing in…

There has been a spate of articles recently covering the growing vegan movement and its fashionability. The New York Times alone has run two articles in just the last few weeks (one on vegan chef Isa Moskowitz). There are several stores in Manhattan catering to the movement, such as Organic Avenue, Mooshoes, Kaight, and NY Artificial.

Vegans have been around for a long time – the Vegan Society (and the word itself) originated in 1944. The philosophy involves dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals. This includes more than the obvious – purists eschew animal products, including meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, dairy products, fur, leather, wool, pearls, and mother of pearl, by-products, such as gelatin, lanolin, rennet, and whey, and items derived from insects, such as silk, honey, beeswax, shellac, and cochineal. Some even avoid items which use animal products in the manufacture even though none is in the product itself (cane sugar that has been filtered with bone char; beer or wine clarified with albumen, animal blood, or isinglass).

What’s new in all of this is the new chic ethic surrounding the whole movement. It’s being embraced by a number of groups – the fringes (punks, goths, etc.), college students, and an upscale market with celebs such as Natalie Portman, Alicia Silverstone, Woody Harrelson, Joaquin Phoenix, and Stella McCartney.

The collage of photos was taken at Mooshoes, a new shop on the Lower East Side featuring vegan shoes, clothing, cosmetics, books, and videos/DVDs. In a way, I am not surprised at all, since everything seems to be about pushing the envelope, thinking out of the box, and living on the edge. Things are just getting more and more extreme. But there is still a little ways to go – I actually have a few older books on fruitarianism and breatharianism…