Bratz has issued an apology for the bad optics of leaving out Sasha, the Black doll in its signature line-up, from a collaboration with Hello Kitty.
Bratz and Sanrio, the owners over Hello Kitty, released the collector’s edition of the dolls Sept. 30. The collaboration’s theme of “celebrating individuality” meant to spark joy in fans of both beloved toy brands.
“At its core, this collaboration is about celebrating individuality and the joy of expressing yourself in your own unique way,” Jill Koch, the SVP of Brand and Marketing at Sanrio, Inc., said in a press release.
“Hello Kitty has always inspired friendship, kindness, and creativity, while Bratz encourages bold style and confidence. Together, they bring a playful energy that invites fans of all ages to embrace their true selves and share the fun of fashion and friendship.”
Upon the initial news of the high-profile partnership, fans noticed that Sasha was not part of the media rollout. The marketing photos featured the other mainstay dolls, Yasmin, Chloe, and Jade, in head-to-toe Hello Kitty gear. However, none of the photos released featured Sasha, for seemingly no reason behind the exclusion.
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The comments section began to question why only one of Bratz’s core four dolls was missing from the photoshoot.
“No Sasha is kinda sus,” typed one disgruntled fan.
An additional user wrote, “Hmmm no Sasha ? Thats shady…”
One commenter also suggested that this marked another time they left Sasha out the new collaboration.
They wrote, “Another collab without Sasha.”
Debuted in 2001 by MGA Entertainment, Bratz’s initial four-product lineup celebrated girls of diverse skin tones and racial backgrounds. As a funkier alternative to the traditional Barbie doll, each of the original dolls brought their own style and racial difference to the space. With Sasha representing African Americans, many felt her recent exclusion had shadier intentions.
However, after fans called out the toy company for not including her, Bratz corrected the issue and apologized to customers. The company confirmed that Sasha would join the rollout, as well as heavily feature in upcoming collaborations.
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“We’ve heard your feedback about Sasha not being part of the Bratz x Hello Kitty collab. Sasha is forever a core Bratz girl,” Bratz wrote in a statement. “The lineup for this release was determined on the Bratz side. Our friends at Sanrio have been incredible partners throughout, and together we’re thrilled to share that Sasha is joining the collaboration — more info to come soon.”
The apology addded “Your passion made it clear how much she means to you all, and we are excited to give her the spotlight she deserves. Sasha has headlined some of our biggest collaborations, and she will continue to shine in upcoming projects. Thank you for keeping the Bratz spirit alive.”
Some fans appreciate the swift correction. However, others still had questions on why Sasha was not part of the initial line-up, especially as an “OG” doll.
“Usually I love bratz, but admitting Sasha is an afterthought to y’all gives me the ick ngl,” shared a naysayer.
Another questioned, “This doesn’t suffice for me. I’d like to know the reason she was excluded to begin with?”
While Bratz has remained mum on why Sasha was not originally included, fans have made clear that they expect to see all four of the dolls included in the A-list collaborations.
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