Louvenia ‘Kitty’ Black Perkins is a trailblazing African American fashion designer known for her groundbreaking work at Mattel, the giant toy company behind the iconic Barbie doll.
Born in 1948 in South Carolina during a time of segregation, Louvenia attended an all-Black high school in the 1960s. She later graduated with an associate’s degree in fashion design in 1971 and began her career as a designer for children’s clothing.
In 1976, Louvenia responded to a blind newspaper ad for a clothes designer that turned out to be for a job at Mattel. After impressing the vice president of the company with her designs, she was hired on the spot and began creating classic silhouettes and haute couture for Barbie dolls.
It wasn’t until 1980 that Louvenia was tasked with creating an outfit for the first Black Barbie doll to use Barbie’s name. This momentous occasion marked the first time a Black doll with Barbie’s name was available in stores, featuring short, curly black hair, a red bodysuit, a wrap-and-snap disco skirt, and red heels.
Louvenia’s vision for Black Barbie was to showcase a doll that could do everything the White doll did, but with added spice and flair.
Louvenia ‘Kitty’ Black Perkins retired from Mattel in 2004 as the Chief Barbie Designer after 28 years at the company. Since then, she has launched a line of embellished jeans and continues to do custom alterations.
Her groundbreaking work in creating the first Black Barbie doll is highlighted in Shonda Rhimes’ documentary “Black Barbie,” which premieres on Netflix on June 19. Louvenia’s story serves as a reminder of the importance of diversity and inclusion in the world of fashion and toys, showcasing the impact of representation on a global scale.
