[Creation]
Barbara Millicent Roberts, also known as Barbie, was created by Ruth Handler, the wife of one of Mattel's co-founders. Ruth was inspired by the German adult-oriented doll Bild Lilli. Mattel unveiled Barbie's first version, wearing a black-and-white striped swimsuit, black heels, sunglasses, and hooped earrings, at the National Toy Fair in New York on March 9, 1959. The doll cost $3, and additional clothing items from her 22-piece wardrobe were sold for between $1 and $3. Ruth initially forecasted one million dolls and two million pieces of clothing for the first manufacturing run; however, she cut the order in half after the negative feedback Mattel received from buyers who still believed that girls only wanted to play with baby dolls. In 1958, the entrepreneur turned to branding expert and psychologist Ernest Dichter, who analyzed the motivation behind people's buying habits. He interviewed 45 mothers and 191 girls and reported that while mothers hated Barbie, girls, Handler's desired audience, loved it, which drove her to launch with only a few changes to the original. After the first Barbie TV commercial aired, Mattel could not keep up with the demand, which, as of 2024, has generated over one billion dollars in sales worldwide, with more than 100 dolls sold every minute in 150 countries, giving Barbie over 99% brand awareness globally.
[Romance & Career]
In 1961, Barbie was joined by Kenneth Sean Carson Jr., or 'just Ken,' named after the Handler's son. The male doll was released following outrage over Barbie being a single woman, a status she decided to maintain regardless. She bought her Dreamhouse in 1962, which she could afford by herself, after transitioning from model to Fashion Designer and later in over 250 diverse careers, allowing her to keep remodeling and upgrading the pink property. She became an Astronaut who traveled into space for the first time in 1965, four years before the first man walked on the moon. She's been saving lives as a doctor since 1973 and has taken on the boardroom as 'Day to Night' CEO in 1984. In 1992, Barbie embarked on her candidacy for President and has run in almost every election year since. The same year, 'Barbie Totally Hair,' the most popular Barbie ever sold, was also released. It featured long hair that could be styled, and its vast popularity can be attributed to its unique and trendy appearance, capturing the fashion trends of the early 1990s.
[Collabs]
Several artists, including Andy Warhol and Peter Max, were inspired by her lifestyle, making her their muse over the past six decades. Twiggy was the first celebrity to have a doll in her likeness in 1967. In 1985, Oscar de la Renta became the first fashion designer to work with Mattel, followed by renowned collaborators such as Zuhair-Murad, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Guo Pei.
[Value]
Mattel estimates that over 100,000 Barbie collectors, ninety percent of women at an average age of 40, purchase more than 20 dolls yearly, with forty-five percent spending upwards of $1000. In 2004, the company introduced the Color Tier System for its collector's edition Barbie dolls, based on how many dolls are produced, which contributes to their level of exclusivity. They range from Pink, an invitation to collecting, available where Barbie dolls are sold; Silver, for those with no more than 50,000 produced worldwide; Gold, for 5,000 worldwide units or less, available at select retailers; Platinum, sequentially numbered editions of less than 1,000 worldwide, and Black labels, designed for the adult collector.
Vintage Barbie dolls from the early years are the most valuable at auction. While the original Barbie was sold for $3.00 in 1959, a mint-boxed Barbie from 1959 sold for $3,552.50 on eBay in 2004, and in 2006, a 'Barbie in Midnight Red' from 1965 set a world record at auction at GBP 9,000 at Christie's in London, beat by jewelry designer Stefano Canturi whose collab with Mattel was auctioned off at U$302,500 in 2010. The Barbie dolls most sought after by collectors are the 'Pink Splendor,' 'De Beers 40th Anniversary,' 'Marie Antoinette' and black Barbies in general, especially those produced in the 1980s and 1990s when diversity was not as widely represented in Barbie dolls.
[Controversy]
The original tall, blonde, and blue-eyed 'Stereotypical' doll has been criticized for promoting unrealistic body image and conventionalizing ethnicities. Early controversies include: 'Babysitter Barbie' reading a book called 'How to Lose Weight' that advises 'Don’t Eat' in 1963; accessorized with a pink scale permanently set at 110 lbs (which has been calculated to be 35 lbs underweight for a 5’9” woman); 'Pregnant Midge' seen as encouraging teen pregnancy; 'Talking Barbie' stating 'Math class is tough!' in 1968; 'Totally Tattoo' Barbie in 2009, who came with temporary tattoos that many call a 'Tramp Stamp;' 2010 'Video Barbie' that alerted the FBI the toy might be used to create child pornography, and 'Computer Engineer' Barbie, who can’t fix anything without the help of her male coworkers. In 2011, Ken re-entered Barbie's life. To celebrate his 50th anniversary, Barbie dressed up in her most eye-catching outfit to wish him a happy birthday, which generated many discussions about age. A similar debate ensued over the 2014 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue cover that some argued is one step away from Playboy magazine and could potentially send the wrong message to girls.
[Community]
The annual Barbie Convention attracts fans of the iconic Barbie doll from all over the world. First established in 1980, the gathering offers an opportunity for attendees to partake in various activities such as workshops, seminars, and fashion shows that showcase custom-made outfits and accessories for Barbie dolls. Collectors can buy, sell, and trade Barbie dolls and related merchandise. The convention also features guest speakers - designers, artists, and historians - who provide insights into the history and culture of the Barbie brand. Attendees, who pay up to $520 per person in registration fees, can also create and display custom dolls and accessories, with prizes awarded to the most creative and impressive creations.
As of 2024, the Barbie YouTube channel, created in 2005, has over 11.7M subscribers, while @barbiestyle has 3.6M followers, making it one of the fastest-growing fashion Instagram channels.
[Latest]
Recently, Barbie has been released for various groups and body types. In the 2023 movie Barbie—The Movie, Ken and Barbie embarked on a journey of discovery in the real world, reinvigorating the dialogue about the meaning of Mattel's creation and her long-time companion. The movie generated several nominations and awards. In 2024, a reproduction of the original Alan and the 65th Anniversary dolls was released and the first in the Styled by Design series.
History doesn't sit still.