Virgin Atlantic - Dream Gap Project

From as soon as they are five years old, many girls start to develop self-limiting beliefs. Because of their gender, they stop believing that they can do or be anything.

This was the thinking behind the ‘Dream Gap Project’ by Barbie, a global initiative that gives girls the encouragement and resources to believe they can be anything.

As part of this initiative, Virgin Atlantic has teamed up with Barbie UK to create three special edition dolls.

Virgin Atlantic says that the dolls have been designed in the likeness of real Virgin Atlantic uniforms and show ethnic and body diversity, reflecting the body types available in the Barbie line.

The pilot doll has articulated ankles and flat shoes and wears a pilot’s uniform, complete with wings and badge. The engineer doll wears flat safety boots, an access lanyard and noise cancelling headphones. The cabin crew doll wears the red Virgin Atlantic Vivienne Westwood uniform.

The pilot and cabin crew dolls will be on sale onboard and in select stores later this year.

Virgin’s collaboration with Barbie is part of a wider initiative at the airline to encourage more females in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and aviation careers.