# DIY Swiss Army Barbies This DIY Project Transforms Barbie into a Knife-Wielding Bombshell By Cadhla Gray | Published 2015-08-20 | Pop Culture Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/army-barbie References: [metro](http://metro.co.uk/2015/08/18/make-barbie-badass-by-turning-her-into-a-swiss-army-knife-5348017/) & [instructables](http://www.instructables.com/id/Swiss-Army-Barbie/) While there have been countless Barbie spin-offs, this Swiss Army Barbie may be the most practical role she's taken on yet. 'Instructables' user Mike Saurus shows off how he made his DIY Barbie into a knife that is both fashionable and functional. To turn Barbie from pretty to pretty scary, all that's needed is a multi-blade knife, a doll and a hand saw. Whether this Swiss Army Barbie is really a good toy for children or not is debatable, with Saurus believing it can "empower young girls to expand their horizons beyond playing with stereotypical gender-reinforcing toys." Since considered too dangerous to entrust to a child, it can feature as a comical addition to an adult's toy or tool collection -- be it of barbies or knives. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.7/10 - Popularity: 42% | Activity: 62% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 30% men, 70% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Pop Culture](https://www.trendhunter.com/popculture) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Customizable Dolls:** The trend of creating DIY modifications to dolls, like turning Barbie into a Swiss Army knife, allows for unique and personalized play experiences. - **Empowering Toys:** The demand for toys that challenge traditional gender roles and inspire children to think outside the box presents an opportunity for toy manufacturers to create more diverse and inclusive products. - **Functionality in Fashion:** The merging of fashion and functionality, as demonstrated by the Swiss Army Barbie, opens up possibilities for innovative designs that serve practical purposes. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Toy Manufacturing:** Toy manufacturers could explore opportunities to create customizable dolls and toys that empower children and break away from gender stereotypes. - **Fashion Industry:** The fashion industry can tap into the trend of incorporating functionality into clothing and accessories, offering stylish designs with practical features. - **DIY and Craft Market:** The DIY and craft market can cater to the demand for kits and materials that allow people to personalize and modify existing products, such as transforming dolls into functional tools. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Miniaturized Doll Collections](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mini-barbieland.md) - [Inclusion-Focused Doll Collections](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/barbie-2.md) - [Modeling Dough Fashion Dolls](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/playdoh-barbie.md) - [Glamorous Collector Dolls](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/barbie-by-american-girl.md) - [Functional Swiss-Army Toy Tools](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lego-multitool.md) - [Inclusive Fashion Dolls](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/autistic-barbie.md) - [Architectural Toy Publications](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/barbie-dreamhouse-an-architectural-survey.md) - [Doll-Inspired Jewelry Collections](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/barbie-professions-collection.md) - [Doll-Inspired Beach Bottles](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/path.md)