Ballet dancing and Barbie dolls are not uncommon interests for a little kid, but Amber was always more committed than most. After dedicating years of her young life to becoming a professional dancer, an injury thwarted her career dreams. But her Barbie fascination has never faltered…
“When I was three years old I watched a Barbie movie where she was a ballerina and straight after that I begged my mum to let me do ballet. She was reluctant and said, ‘Every little girl does ballet and no one sticks at it.’ But I did!”
Determined right from the outset, Amber quickly proved to her mum that this was more than a passing phase. She threw herself into the world of dance and as she got older, she continued to clock up many hours in the studio, building her strength and honing her craft.
“With ballet, once you get to a certain age it becomes less of a hobby and more of a lifestyle,” explains Amber. “You’re basically training for 15 or 20 hours every week. I wanted to go professional but it’s a very hard industry. If you get injured you’re considered unreliable.”
Unfortunately, the physical exertion took its toll and by the time she was 14, Amber was having the first of what would end up being two hip surgeries, and her dreams of dancing full-time started to fall away.
“I realised then that I’d have to rethink my future, so I decided to teach ballet instead. I was all set to travel to the UK and study through the University of Bath but then Covid hit and suddenly that was off the table. I ended up doing the whole course long distance and I’m now a registered teacher through the Royal Academy of Dance.”
Photography by Emily Chalk
But alongside her dancing commitments, Amber’s other obsession was also in full swing.
“In the beginning, my mum was a bit the same about Barbie as she was about ballet. But I got my first Barbie when I was four and now I have over 1000. I guess you could say that if I really like something, I go all in!”
Amber managed to build her collection through her childhood, receiving different Barbies for every birthday and Christmas. And while many kids might happily chop Barbie’s hair or just generally inflict wear and tear on their toy, Amber would gently play with her dolls and then return them to their stands each time in pristine condition.
Much like the ballet, her family had to concede that their little girl was yet again seriously committed to her cause. “Once my parents realised how much I loved them, they bought me a whole display unit,” says Amber.
These days, Amber is less focussed on grabbing the latest Barbie in the toy shop and has shifted her focus to acquiring the rare and special edition versions of the brand. “I’ve tried to get all the dolls from the recent movie, but they sold out really quickly, so I’m still on the lookout for two more. All my teammates at Honda know if they ever spot them anywhere, they have to buy them for me!”
And it’s not just her colleagues who are supporting the cause… “My dad is really invested now too,” says Amber. “Often, he tells me about the Barbies he’s found online. He was the one who suggested that I should get all the One Direction dolls, because the band would split up one day and they’d be worth a lot!”
Not alone in her fandom, Amber joins many other Barbie enthusiasts across the world as a member of Mattel, which means she now gets exclusive early access to the dolls when they come out.
“There are different tiers,” she explains. “For the Silver editions they make between 1000 and 2000, but for Gold, they make less than 500 worldwide. I’ve got one Gold one but she’s so precious that she has to be kept boxed inside another plastic box. In fact, lots of my collection is still stored in the loft at my parents’ house. I think my mum wishes I would move them into my own house now - but I don’t have room for them yet!”
And although her collection has brought her great joy over the years, she’s also had to put up with the odd critic along the way. “I definitely got to the age - probably when I was about 17 or 18 - where people were judgemental and told me to grow up. But I didn't let them bother me. You can worry about what others think, or you do what makes you happy! And that’s what I’m choosing to do.”
You can worry about
what others think, or you
do what makes you
happy! And that’s what
I’m choosing to do.
“My favourite Honda would probably be the S660, for the simple reason that it’s small, sporty, unique, and cute. Now that I think of it, if there were a pink one, it would totally be the Honda that Barbie would drive!”
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