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The Real Barbie RV Is an All-Pink Daybreak Motorhome, a Fabulous Dream Come True

“Pink, it’s my new obsession,” Aerosmith sang in the 1997 song of the same name. For professional ballet dancer Ariana Dewing, there’s nothing new about her obsession with pink, which ultimately led to the creation of what is known as the Real Barbie RV.
The Real Barbie RV is a Damon Daybreak after a fabulous and very pink glow-up 24 photos
Photo: Instagram / Ariana Dewing / Real Barbie RV
The Real Barbie RV is a Damon Daybreak after a fabulous and very pink glow-upThe Real Barbie RV is a Damon Daybreak after a fabulous and very pink glow-upThe Real Barbie RV is a Damon Daybreak after a fabulous and very pink glow-upThe Real Barbie RV is a Damon Daybreak after a fabulous and very pink glow-upThe Real Barbie RV is a Damon Daybreak after a fabulous and very pink glow-upThe Real Barbie RV is a Damon Daybreak after a fabulous and very pink glow-upThe Real Barbie RV is a Damon Daybreak after a fabulous and very pink glow-upThe Real Barbie RV is a Damon Daybreak after a fabulous and very pink glow-upThe Real Barbie RV is a Damon Daybreak after a fabulous and very pink glow-upThe Real Barbie RV is a Damon Daybreak after a fabulous and very pink glow-upThe Real Barbie RV is a Damon Daybreak after a fabulous and very pink glow-upThe Real Barbie RV is a Damon Daybreak after a fabulous and very pink glow-upThe Real Barbie RV is a Damon Daybreak after a fabulous and very pink glow-upThe Real Barbie RV is a Damon Daybreak after a fabulous and very pink glow-upThe Real Barbie RV is a Damon Daybreak after a fabulous and very pink glow-upThe Real Barbie RV is a Damon Daybreak after a fabulous and very pink glow-upThe Real Barbie RV is a Damon Daybreak after a fabulous and very pink glow-upThe Real Barbie RV is a Damon Daybreak after a fabulous and very pink glow-upThe Real Barbie RV is a Damon Daybreak after a fabulous and very pink glow-upThe Real Barbie RV is a Damon Daybreak after a fabulous and very pink glow-upThe Real Barbie RV is a Damon Daybreak after a fabulous and very pink glow-upThe Real Barbie RV is a Damon Daybreak after a fabulous and very pink glow-upThe Real Barbie RV is a Damon Daybreak after a fabulous and very pink glow-up
The Real Barbie RV is, as its very name implies, real. It bears no association to the actual Barbie or to Mattel, the company that’s been making the uber-famous doll for 63 years (and counting), but it is a real motorhome and, most importantly, one that Barbie would love to live in, if she herself were real.

For the time being, though, the Real Barbie RV is home to Ariana Dewing, a U.S.-born professional ballet dancer. It is more than a home: it is her dream home, one she imagined herself traveling as an adult, once she became a ballerina. Ironically, it came to be only because Ariana’s husband, Eric, had run out of options to convince her to give vanlife a try.

In early 2020, a short while after the world had come to a near-complete stop because of the international health crisis and the first wave of lockdowns, Ariana and Eric decided to hit the road. They owned a 35-foot (10.6-meter) Damon Daybreak RV from Thor Motor Coach, and he promised he would turn it into a home she would be comfortable in on the road. Pink was a must, since it was her favorite color.

The Real Barbie RV is a Damon Daybreak after a fabulous and very pink glow\-up
Photo: Instagram / Ariana Dewing / Real Barbie RV
In just four weeks, Eric completely transformed the “boring” and bland RV into something right out of fantasy land. Eric works as a prop master and set designer, and while Ariana never details his skills beyond saying he can “make anything,” it’s easy to see that he’s good with his hands. The couple did most of the work themselves, thus cutting down costs: the initial remodel cost them just a hair over $2,000.

The original layout of the RV wasn’t modified, but everything was given a good clean before the fabulous glow-up. Every surface inside, including the driver and passenger’s seat, and the toilet seat in the bathroom is covered in fuzzy fabrics in an array of pink shades, from vibrant Barbie pink to a more mellow, almost white pink. What is not fuzzy is either glittery or bedazzled, from the steering wheel to the pillows.

Behind the front seats, there’s the lounge area, housing a couch and a coffee table. The floor is painted like a summer blue sky with pinkish clouds, but these days, Ariana prefers it covered in pink shag carpeting. The shag helps with turning the entire floor in the living into a lounge, with Barbie and unicorn throw pillows, and dim but neon-colored lights.

The adjacent kitchen comes with its own dining nook, with seating for four and rainbow-colored drapes at the window. The kitchen block opposite the dining area is small but complete, and the couple often prove on social media that it’s enough to put together delicious and indulgent meals. It goes without saying that the Real Barbie RV has its own channels on social media, don’t be silly.

The Real Barbie RV is a Damon Daybreak after a fabulous and very pink glow\-up
Photo: Instagram / Ariana Dewing / Real Barbie RV
The central area is occupied by the bathroom and storage, with the bedroom at the rear. Here too you see nothing but pink and glittery plush fabrics, but the idea is that this RV is a proper home. It might be a pain to clean up considering the feline resident (with spectacular black fur, which must go perfectly with all that pink), but it is a home.

For Ariana, it’s her dream come true. “When I was younger, I would tell my dad I wanted to be a ballerina and tour around in a pink RV, I was so serious about it and here I am,” she tells British publication Metro.

Eric didn’t set out to convert it into a Barbie home, but once that association was made in people’s minds, they invited it by adding Barbie touches. For instance, the exterior was painted pink only after they completed their first trip around the U.S. Speaking of which, they’re at number three right now and have gotten used to living and performing on the road.

Ariana admits that vanlife isn’t as glamorous as it looks on social media, at least not on a daily basis, but she wants to help others live a dream as fabulous as hers. After the Real Barbie RV became an online celebrity and following feedback from the people they met with on the road, the couple are now considering buying land and opening a Barbie-themed RV park, with more such units available for rent.

If you can stomach what could be described as an RV that’s been swallowed whole and glitter-barfed by the most magical of magical unicorns (and we say that with due respect for the commitment involved and the attention to detail), here’s the Real Barbie RV up close.

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About the author: Elena Gorgan
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Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends.
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