American Girl — a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mattel — revealed its newest Historical doll with a little help from The Go-Gos this morning on Today.
The new character Courtney Moore celebrates a historic era of high hair and neon leggings with her ‘80s theme. Her bright clothes match her bright ideas as she aims to become a video game designer. Courtney is all about girl power and looks to real-life heroes (her mom, the women of the Space Shuttle Challenger, and more) for inspiration. She also celebrates the pop culture of the day with several licensed accessories iconic to the decade.
Courtney spends her days in the arcade, so her 18-inch, sandy-blonde doll wouldn’t be complete without a separately sold Pac-Man Arcade Game that actually works. Other licensed necessities include Care Bear pajamas (also in kids’ sizes), a Care Bear Sleeping Bag Set, pretend Lip Smacker lip balm, a real mini Caboodle, and a miniature American Girl Molly doll — the first Historical doll to launch in 1986 — in original packaging.
To empower modern girls like Courtney, American Girl is partnering with Girls Who Code, a nonprofit that specializes in closing the gender gap in the field of tech. Until Dec. 31, American Girl will match customer donations up to $50,000 to support the organization outreach to girls, especially those from underserved and underrepresented communities. Four Girls Who Code members will also receive a $5,000 scholarship from the company.
Courtney’s collection is available online now and will be in American Girl retail stores on Sept. 25.
