American Girl released ‘historic’ 1990s dolls. Elder millennials aren’t taking it well.
Congrats, American Girl is calling ‘90s kids old now
Have you checked on your elder millennial friends recently? Because a historic doll company has just deemed them vintage relics.
American Girl — the company best known for creating historic doll tributes to decades past — unveiled its highly anticipated 1990s collection this week. And it’s not even from the early ‘90s, but set in 1999. Pain.
The collection features Nicki and Isabel, a set of twins who give strong Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen vibes.
American Girl tweeted the reveal with the caption: “Weren’t the ‘90s just yesterday? As if!”
On social media, childhood fans of the dolls are taking it about as well as you can imagine.
Different from their American Girl of Today line, which features contemporary characters, the doll company’s Historical Characters collection launched in the 1980s and was intended to give young children an insight into historic eras. But now, the idea of dolls like Samantha, who represents 1904, and Kit Kittredge, who was “born” in 1923 being joined by these pseudo-Olsen Y2K twins who were born later than some who used to play with the dolls has proved to be a hard pill to swallow.
The collection also features a series of “historical” accessories, including a doll-sized Pizza Hut BOOK IT! set, memorializing the program that rewarded kids reading with personal-sized pizza vouchers. The accessory is priced higher than the actual pizza would be, at $32 (blame inflation, I guess).
There’s also a miniature pretend Tamagotchi — so your doll can also forget to feed their digital pet — and some miniature versions of American Girl merch from the ‘90s to really drill home the fact that the group that comprised the doll company’s loyal fanbase now has its own collection.
According to American Girl’s website, the “historic” dolls — their words, not ours — Nicki and Isabel are growing up in the ‘90s with their current adventure taking place in 1999. Their exact birth year isn’t clear. They live in Seattle and Isabel enjoys preppy fashion and pink frills, while Nicki loves “alternative rock music, skateboarding, and making zines. Isabel listens to the Spice Girls while Nicki enjoys No Doubt. There’s a walkman available in an accessory package.
There’s also a miniature computer, which plays fake dial-up internet sounds. Just brutal.
Philadelphia has been a part of American Girl’s story in the past.
In 2017, the doll company welcomed Gabriela McBride — a 10-year-old dancer and poet from Philly who runs a sandwich shop — to its doll world. For more than 20 years, American Girl annually features a doll with a story that reflects what it means to be an American girl today. The company’s 2023 doll, Kavi Sharma — the brand’s first South Asian doll — is from Metuchen, N.J.
Nicki and Isabel are available for purchase online starting at $115 per doll before accessories. While there aren’t any American Girl stores in Philadelphia, there are locations in New York and Washington, D.C.