LOS ANGELES (AFP) - A limited-edition David Bowie Barbie was unveiled on Thursday (July 11) by toymaker Mattel to honour the 50th anniversary of the release of his hit single Space Oddity.

The doll, sporting a striped metallic jumpsuit with matching platform red boots and cosmic accessories, symbolises Bowie's bisexual alien messenger alter-ego Ziggy Stardust.

"In a definitive celebration of two pop culture icons, Barbie honours the ultimate pop chameleon, English singer, songwriter and actor, David Bowie, whose dramatic musical transformations continue to influence and inspire," Mattel said in introducing the US$50 (S$68) doll.

It added that the collectible is a tribute to "the cultural legacy of the musical genius who redefined rock and roll".

The singer, who died in 2016, said his 1969 single Space Oddity was inspired by film-maker Stanley Kubrick's epic film 2001, which was released a year earlier.

Mattel this week also launched a doll of astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, the European Space Agency's only active female astronaut, as part of a project to inspire more girls to explore careers in science and technology.