Mattel Launches Barbie for Sale on September 6, 1959
The Barbie doll, a cultural icon for over four decades, was created by Ruth Handler in 1959. The inspiration for this groundbreaking toy came from a German doll named Bild Lilli. During a 1956 trip to Switzerland, Handler encountered the Bild Lilli doll, which featured an adult female figure rather than the typical infant dolls common at the time.
Handler noticed her daughter Barbara enjoyed playing with paper dolls and assigning them adult roles, but there were no adult-bodied dolls for girls to play with. Seeing the Bild Lilli doll's potential, Handler redesigned it with the help of inventor-designer Jack Ryan and renamed it after her daughter Barbara. The first Barbie doll debuted at the New York Toy Fair on March 9, 1959.
Initially, Barbie's character was based on Lilli, a controversial figure due to her portrayal as a prostitute in the German comic strip. However, Handler adapted the concept to create a doll with broader appeal to children. Barbie was introduced to the American public with a new wardrobe and a change of name.
The dimensional model of Barbie was inspired by Lilli, who appeared in the German tabloid "Bild Zeitung." In its early years, Barbie was marketed as a teenage fashion model, with the original Barbie doll wearing a black-and-white striped swimsuit.
Barbie's saucy cousin, presumably referring to Lilli, was kept in the dark with the changes made to her character. Over the years, Barbie has amassed her own posse of friends, including the Ken doll, introduced two years later in 1961.
Barbie has been a career role model for young girls, evolving from vintage 1960s Parisienne chic to bell bottoms to business class. Today, Barbie is available in numerous career or theme styles, including "Cinco de Mayo", "Alice in Wonderland", and "Barbie Learns to Cook".
Despite her popularity, Barbie's body type has been a subject of controversy, with critics arguing that her measurements (36-18-33) are unrealistic and may distort young girls' views of beauty. However, Barbie continues to be one of the world's most recognizable toys, a testament to her enduring appeal and influence.
[1] "The History of Barbie." Mattel. https://www.mattel.com/en-us/play/barbie/history [2] "The History of Barbie." Time. https://time.com/5390314/barbie-history/ [3] "The History of Barbie." Smithsonian Magazine. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-history-of-barbie-180958564/ [4] "The History of Barbie." Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Barbie-doll/The-doll-s-origins-and-development
- As the lifestyle icon Barbie evolved over decades, her home-and-garden-themed accessories made their debut, offering young girls the chance to design and style a Barbie Dream House.
- In an effort to appeal to a wider audience and reflect the changing times, Mattel, the manufacturers of Barbie, expanded the toy's product line to include home-and-garden items, providing a new dimension to Barbie play.
