Move over Barbie, Ludacris is getting into the toy game in a big way. We recently spoke with the rapper/actor/entrepreneur about his popular Netflix children’s series, Karma’s World. Now, in a partnership with toy giant, Mattel Inc. Ludacris’ media company, Karma’s World Entertainment, has just launched a line of Karma’s World dolls and accessories featuring designs by students at the Fashion Institute of Technology DTech Lab.
Inspired by the animated Netflix series, now in its third season, the new Karma’s World toy collection includes a styling head doll, an assortment of fashion dolls and a singing Karma doll. The toys are available at Amazon, Target, Walmart and other retailers.
If you’re wondering where Karma and her friends get their drip, it’s because a group of students from the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) designed a 50-piece collection including jumpsuits, jackets, dresses, swimsuits, and footwear for the collection. The design team included a diverse group of current students and 2021 graduates from FIT’s Fashion Design program. The partnership is part of the school’s ongoing commitment to social equity for people of color in the industry. FIT also recently launched the Social Justice Center at FIT, which plans to address diversity issues in the creative industries by building a pipeline to support BIPOC students on their career paths.
Dr. Joyce F. Brown, president of FIT, expressed the school’s commitment to diversity in a statement:
“It is very gratifying that our students have been part of Karma’s World, a series intended to inspire and connect with BIPOC youth,” she said. “That they were inspired to use their design talent to develop products for this market underscores their exposure to what is possible through FIT’s own commitment to social equity and inclusion—not only for this audience but for the advancement of BIPOC professionals in the creative industries. And we are thankful to Chris Bridges, 9 Story Media Group, and Mattel for their vision and partnership.”
Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Creator and Executive Producer of Karma’s World, said the FIT students understood the importance of style to Karma and her friends and came up with designs he loves.
“Fashion plays a huge part in Karma’s World; it’s one of the many ways that Karma and her friends express themselves,” he said. “When designing these pieces, it was important to us to partner with creatives who share our commitment to diversity. FIT has really gotten behind our story of empowerment by creating fashionable pieces that are authentic to the characters. I am so proud of what we have done together and I am thrilled that Mattel is featuring these designs in such a big way.”