CTV News reports, “Mattel promised it would be “unapologetic” when it announced that its iconic  Barbie doll would be gracing this month’s Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition.  Perhaps the toy company was already anticipating a bit of backlash; it seems  that’s precisely what it’s getting.

(Image: AP Photo/Sports Illustrated)

A promotional image circulated by Mattel this week showed Barbie, dressed in  her original black-and-white swimsuit, smiling confidently on the cover of the  swimsuit issue’s 50th anniversary edition, which hits newsstands next week.

The Barbie cover is part of a four-page photo and advertising feature inside  the mag to promote the dolls as well as a limited-edition “Sports Illustrated  Barbie” to be sold exclusively at Target.com.

The actual cover of the swimsuit issue will feature three supermodels — Nina  Agdal, Lily Aldridge and Chrissy Teigen — dressed in barely-there bikini  bottoms. But the Barbie cover will be wrapped around 1,000 select copies of the  issue.”

(Image: James Macari for Sports Illustrated)