Barbie belt order was 'in many shades of pink' for Essex firm

Actors Ryan Gosling, who plays Ken, and Margot Robbie as Barbie, at the UK premiere of the film on Wednesday

An accessory maker has spoken of his pride that his belts and buttons will appear in the new Barbie movie.

Neil Stock said his firm, Harlequin, in Little Bromley, Manningtree, Essex, fulfilled a "very specific order" for the film's producers.

He said the firm created 24 belts "in as many shades of pink as you can imagine".

"Little tiny businesses like mine are benefiting from the custom and the employment," Mr Stock added.

Harlequin made a number of belts for the Barbie move that is released on 21 July

Staff also made a number of bespoke buttons for the movie.

Mr Stock said he made fabric buttons for the ITV period series Downton Abbey and liked to watch the series to spot them, but would invariably "get engrossed with what Lady Mary was up to".

During the Coronation he also noticed his work on show to the nation.

"One of the great outfits that Pippa Middleton was wearing had a single button, one button on this jacket - that we'd made.

"I couldn't have been prouder of that one single button," he said.

Neil Stock said "we make belts for some of the top fashion designers"

The much-hyped movie features Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken, and follows the pair as they leave Barbie Land behind and travel to the human world.

"We've made belts for the Barbie movie, in as many shades of pink as you can imagine", Mr Stock said.

"Obviously we started making these quite a while ago, when it was first mentioned there was going to be a Barbie movie and we had no idea what it was going to be like."

The company, which makes bags and clothing as well as accessories, was contacted by the producers with "very, very specific, very, very detailed, precise" demands.

"They knew exactly what they wanted and we made it exactly as per their specifications," he said.

Mr Stock added: "The costume industry in this country is quite phenomenal. It's fantastic for the UK economy."