Durran tells PEOPLE that she wanted the costumes to span decades so they would “touch different people’s memories at different times”

One of the main reasons Oscar-winning costume designer Jacqueline Durran agreed to work on the Greta Gerwig-directed Barbie was so that she could develop an outfit that would inspire joy in viewers.

It’s ok to remark that she was successful.

Barbie transports viewers to Barbieland full of vibrant colors and sumptuous ensembles, all dreamed up by Durran and her team of costumers, and stars Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken, among a long number of other great actors as Barbies, Kens, and beyond.

The sentimental movie, which draws inspiration from every Barbie era from 1959 to the present, brings viewers together to share a common love of the Mattel doll. Durran had plenty of resources to work with when making the wardrobe because to the lengthy history of Barbie and the several dolls she has owned.

Here, she talks to PEOPLE about starting the enjoyable project and the overwhelmingly good reception to her work.

PEOPLE: We adored Chanel’s inclusion in the Barbie wardrobe, especially as Chanel played a significant role in Barbie’s own history of fashion. Tell us a little more about how Chanel was included into the movie.

Jacqueline Durran: I’ve previously collaborated with Chanel on a number of motion pictures. I collaborated with them for the first time on Atonement before doing the same for Anna Karenina and Spencer. Working with them is fun for me. They are incredibly supportive of the director’s vision, as well as of filmmakers and cinematic storytelling, in my opinion. Where they can, they will assist.

We wanted to make the partnership work for several reasons, not the least of which was the fact that Margot is a Chanel ambassador and therefore already had a relationship with the fashion house. One of them was the fact that there used to be a Barbie Chanel doll, and we also knew we wanted to start the movie with some of the iconic Barbie looks. All of this allowed for the discussion of wearing a Chanel suit.

I learned that Karl Lagerfeld had created a Barbie collection in the 1990s with Claudia Schiffer and all the supermodels modeling Barbie when I traveled to Paris and visited the Chanel archive. We decided to incorporate one of Karl’s costumes into the film as the ideal Easter egg.

Margot is seen at one point donning Claudia Schiffer’s original, unaltered costume from the archive. She did also wear a pink suit from that collection that was replicated; Chanel stole their design and made a copy, which we subsequently used in the film. The genuine suit, however, was the one worn by Claudia Schiffer. What Chanel had already created and what we wanted to feature in the movie were a wonderful match.

When Barbie Margot dressed up to go back and hoped that Ken still loved her, we also had the entire top-to-toe Chanel ensemble. And he does. That’s the complete Chanel.

The clothing seems to be rooted in several different eras, not just one. Was that what you meant to say?

My aim was very, very clear. I didn’t want to follow this order of appearances perfectly or anything, but I did want to begin at the beginning and end at the end. However, in the middle, it becomes a little disorganized because I don’t always follow the order of events exactly.

I definitely begin with 1959, followed by the beach, which was greatly affected by the early 1960s. Finally, there is the minidress, which also has a slight 1960s vibe. As a result, I sought to create the impression that we were traveling through time, but I also wanted the passage of time to be connected to Mattel’s past. I was trying to include themes from Mattel, fashion, and the plot while looking at what Mattel had done in 1962, 1965, or 1970.

Because it seems evident when you watch the movie now, I felt passionately about it as a path into the Barbie story. But at first, you might wonder, “How do we make Barbie real? What are we to do? Do we start out in high fashion and stick with it?

Because of this, it took some time for someone to kind of say, “Okay, no, let’s do it to the history of Mattel and let’s do it through time.” Then, perhaps, it will bring back memories for fans of all ages. And it will undoubtedly be a memorable event for everyone. That it would evoke various memories in various people at various times was the goal. It never dates.

Barbie thought that everyone else had a Barbie.

Exactly. When creating a costume, it’s common to consider the personality of the wearer and their profession. However, Barbie’s backstory is truly what gives her character. Her past would be revealed if you looked at how she had appeared over the years. It’s the method we decided to use.

All of these Barbies are mostly based on real-life Barbies, but Weird Barbie (Kate McKinnon) is purely fictional. How did you choose what clothes to put her in?

Weird Barbie actually generated a lot of conversation because there were several possible outcomes. She might have arrived literally dressed in an unorganized mass of burned, torn, and filthy old garments. Or she could have chosen this elegant route. She’s not too Barbie because she’s stranger, and I believe that everyone wants to move in that direction in the end. Thus, a high-fashion but oddly peculiar blend of elements served as our inspiration.

[Pre-orders for Weird Barbie are currently being accepted by Mattel.]

Have you been surprised by the reaction to the outfits and things that have gone viral?

I’m thrilled, because you just don’t know. You make things, and you have this whole world-building idea. I just wanted it to connect with people so much and I didn’t want to disappoint anyone. If you love something and then you go and watch a live-action version of it, it’s terrible if you’re deflated by it. I had so much that I wanted people to like. I wanted people to like it, but I’m actually surprised by how much it’s taken on.