Barbie has Cankles?
CBS Early Show, October 14, 2009
CBS goes to the expert, Dr. Michelle Copeland, to consult Barbie's "cankles" after accusations made by French shoe designer Christian Louboutin.
But one big name in fashion is calling Barbie's physique into question.
CBS NewsCorrespondent Michelle Miller stopped by The Early Show on Wednesday, to share the latest Barbie controversy.
The man known for five-inch stilettos, French shoe designer Christian Louboutin, is now reportedly taking on an 11 1/2-inch doll, saying that Barbie needs a little work, before she can get into a pair of his shoes.
After suffering decades of ridicule for having the perfect body, in human dimensions 39, (bust) 18' (waist) and 33'(hips), Barbie may have met her toughest critic in Louboutin.
The stiletto king made news this week in Women's Wear Daily when his spokesperson was quoted as saying that Louboutin found Barbie's ankles to be "fat."
Rumors swirled that Louboutin, who is designing three special collection Barbies, due out early next year, is reshaping Barbie's gams to slim down their appearance.
"She really doesn't have a full curve to the calf and it goes straight down to the ankle," said Dr. Michelle Copeland, a Board certified plastic surgeon, whose specialty is cankles. "In Barbie's situation there might be something that on the inner side that we might be able to improve, but Barbie looks pretty good."
The company said that it was just a misunderstanding and released a statement, saying: "My dear friend, Christian loves my ankles. It was my arch that he wanted to give a little lift to, so I can rock those high heels."
Apparently even a fifty-year-old doll is dying to get her heels a pair of red-soled shoes.
"Barbie was quick to point out that her ankles are only 22 millimeters around, so it's pretty hard to say that she needs some work in that area," Miller added.
Meanwhile Christian Louboutin told CBS that he adored designing for Barbie, and his camp pointed out that maybe the original comment was taken out of context and a little lost in translation.