Four people were killed in an accident on Sunday, July 27, on the A4 highway between the Novara Est and Marcallo Mesero toll booths. A head-on collision caused by a car traveling in the wrong direction, inside which was an 82-year-old man who also died. Also among the victims were Amodio Giurni, 37, who was driving the car that was run over (his wife, who was traveling with him, is hospitalized in serious condition), and two internationally known figures in the world of collecting and fashion: Mario Paglino and Gianni Grossi, founders of the Magia2000 brand, known for creating customized Barbie dolls inspired by art and pop culture. Paglino and Grossi, united in private and professional life, had founded Magia2000 in 1999, a project that began as a creative expression in the world of fashion and graphic design and quickly established itself internationally. Based in Novara, their business had consolidated over time a close relationship with Mattel, the parent company of the fashion doll, until it became a point of reference for collectors and fans worldwide.
Their style, recognizable for its elegance and richness of detail, helped redefine the image of Barbie from a simple toy to a collector’s item, a bridge between pop culture, high fashion and art history. Their creations have often been featured in charity auctions, such as in 2015, when a Barbie doll they made was auctioned for $15,000 at the National Barbie Convention in the United States. Their dolls have also been sold by Christie ’s and Sotheby’s auction houses in events promoted by Mattel Italia.
But the most distinctive aspect of their work has been the cycle of Barbie dolls inspired by the great masters of art, the result of recent work that transformed the dolls into true three-dimensional tributes to 20th-century masterpieces. One of the most popular designs is the Barbie dedicated to Composition with Red, Blue and Yellow (1930) by Piet Mondrian. The doll fully reflects the aesthetics of modernism through the calibrated use of primary color blocks, white surfaces and black lines, translating abstract harmony and formal simplicity into a wearable creation.
Also added to the collection was a creation inspired by Andy Warhol’s Marilyn Diptych (1962). In this case, Barbie wears a dress decorated with sequins and ruffles in pastel tones, embellished with graphic motifs that recall the iconic image of Marilyn Monroe. The background and visual layout are directly inspired by theWarholian aesthetic, with repeated portraits and color variations synthesizing the dialogue between celebrity, art, and mass culture. The decision to pay homage to Warhol and his Marilyn stemmed from a desire to pay homage to the revolutionary encounter between art, fame and fashion, an alliance that has profoundly influenced contemporary visual culture, and which Warhol was able to take to new heights, elevating pop icons to eternal symbols.
Another creation by the two designers is inspired by Frida Kahlo’s painting The Two Fridas (1939). The doll wears a traditional Mexican lace dress, evoking the Tehuana costume featured in the work. Red embroidery, heart motifs and floral decorations allude to the double register, strength and fragility, that runs through the artist’s poetic universe. The dress restores the emotional intensity and narrative dimension that make Le Due Frida an identity manifesto and a symbol of resilience. Through the choice, the value of introspection and cultural pride that permeate Kahlo’s self-portrait is emphasized, while highlighting themes such as diversity, inner strength and the fusion of personal experience and creative language.
Another homage is the Barbie inspired by Jackson Pollock’s Convergence (1952). The doll’s dress faithfully echoes the drip painting technique that made the artist famous: threads of color intertwine in a visual dynamism that conveys the pulsating energy ofAbstract Expressionism. Pollock’s choice reflects a desire to exalt a free, bold and experimental art form capable of breaking traditional canons and transforming the dress into an expressive surface.
Also belonging to the collection is a Barbie inspired by Pablo Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d’Avignon, a work that marked a momentous turning point with the birth of Cubism in 1907. The doll, with its geometric clothing and broken lines, evokes the disjointed forms of the five female figures depicted in the painting. The bold look recalls the work’s revolutionary energy, celebrating the break with academic rules and the birth of a new vision of art.
The Barbie dedicated to Gustav Klimt ’s Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I is an ode toArt Nouveau. The doll’s dress echoes the painting’s gilded opulence and ornamental refinement: lustrous fabrics, geometric decorations, and precious details restore the Viennese artist’s aesthetic universe. The homage to Klimt and his Adele reflects the desire to celebrate the encounter between art and luxury, where every glow tells a story of style, passion and genius. The portrait, transformed into a dream dress, embodies the perfect fusion of symbolism and modernity.
Poetic creations also include the Iris-inspired Barbie (1889) by Vincent van Gogh. The dress, featuring intense purple and yellow tones, echoes the painting’s vibrant palette. Embossed floral details and the play of transparency in the fabrics translate the emotional power and inner light of the work into a three-dimensional vision. A tribute to the chromatic sensibility of post-impressionism and the evocative power of Van Gogh’s art. The collection also features a Barbie dedicated to Van Gogh’s own Sunflowers. The dress reworks the brightness and vitality of the famous painting in a sartorial key, with warm tones and olive green accents that evoke the radiant beauty of the flowers. All elements of the ensemble reflect the painter’s visual passion and desire to translate his poetics into a wearable form. The collection, born from the desire to merge art and fashion, is thus proposed as a visual tribute of creativity and style.
Over the years, Mario Paglino and Gianni Grossi have also made Barbie dolls inspired by numerous showbiz personalities, including Madonna, Cher, Victoria Beckham, Lady Gaga, and Sarah Jessica Parker. In particular, their production dedicated to Madonna has become one of the most famous. After taking part in the 2009 Simply Madonna show in London, Paglino and Grossi had the opportunity to meet the pop star during a taping of the Graham Norton Show. Their work has also found its way into major international publications such as Vogue, Elle, Vanity Fair and Cosmopolitan.
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| Farewell to Mario Paglino and Gianni Grossi, creators of Barbie dolls inspired by art history |
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