Barbie facts for kids
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| Type | Fashion doll |
|---|---|
| Inventor(s) | Ruth Handler |
| Company | Mattel |
| Country | United States |
| Availability | March 9, 1959–present |
| Materials | Plastic |
Barbie is a super popular toy doll. It started as just a doll, but Barbie quickly became a huge brand. It's most famous in the United States. The doll was named after Barbara, the daughter of the toy maker. Even though the doll is the most well-known, the Barbie brand also includes games, movies, videos, clothes, and books. Her clothes and accessories let kids explore the world of fashion.
For many years, Barbie has shown how women's roles in the workplace have grown. She has also been a small model of women around the world. Some people have said Barbie caused body image problems. But other companies still make similar dolls.
Barbie and her friend Ken are known as two of the most popular dolls ever. In 2020, Mattel sold $1.35 billion worth of Barbie dolls and accessories. This was their best sales growth in 20 years! The movie Barbie, released in 2023, is expected to make the brand even more popular. The movie also started a fashion trend called "Barbiecore."
Contents
History of Barbie
Ruth Handler watched her daughter, Barbara, play with paper dolls. She noticed Barbara liked to give her dolls adult roles. At that time, most toy dolls for kids looked like babies. Ruth realized there was a chance to create something new. She suggested making an adult-bodied doll to her husband, Elliot. Elliot was a co-founder of the Mattel toy company. But he and Mattel's leaders were not excited about the idea.
How Barbie Was Invented
In 1956, Ruth Handler went on a trip to Europe with her children, Barbara and Kenneth. There, she found a German toy doll called Bild Lilli. This doll had an adult figure, exactly what Ruth had imagined! She bought three of them. She gave one to her daughter and took the others back to Mattel. The Lilli doll was based on a popular character from a funny comic strip in a newspaper called Bild. The Lilli doll was first sold in Germany in 1955. Kids loved dressing her up in outfits sold separately.
When Ruth returned to the United States, she redesigned the doll. She got help from a local inventor, Jack Ryan. The doll was given a new name, Barbie, after Ruth's daughter, Barbara. Barbie first appeared at the American International Toy Fair in New York City. This happened on March 9, 1959. This date is also celebrated as Barbie's official birthday!
Barbie's First Look
The very first Barbie doll wore a black-and-white zebra striped swimsuit. She also had her famous high ponytail. You could buy her as a blonde or a brunette. She was sold as a "Teen-age Fashion Model." Mattel's fashion designer, Charlotte Johnson, created her clothes. The first Barbie dolls were made in Japan. Japanese workers hand-stitched their clothes. About 350,000 Barbie dolls were sold in the first year!
In 1961, another company, Louis Marx and Company, sued Mattel. They said Mattel copied their doll. Mattel fought back, and they settled the case outside of court in 1963. In 1964, Mattel bought the rights to the Bild-Lilli doll.
Changes to Barbie's Appearance
Barbie's look has changed many times. In 1971, her eyes were changed to look straight ahead. Before that, they looked to the side. This was the last change Ruth Handler made to her doll. Three years later, Ruth and her husband Elliot left Mattel. This happened after an investigation found problems with their financial reports.
Barbie was one of the first toys to use a lot of TV advertising. Many other toy companies copied this idea. By 2006, over a billion Barbie dolls had been sold worldwide. They were sold in more than 150 countries. Mattel says that three Barbie dolls are sold every second!
Standard Barbie dolls and their accessories are about 1/6 scale. This is also called playscale. The dolls are about 11+1⁄2 inches (29 cm) tall.
Barbie's Fictional Life
| Barbie | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | March 9, 1959 |
| Created by | Ruth Handler |
| Information | |
| Nickname(s) | Barbie |
| Occupation | See: Barbie's careers |
| Family | See: List of Barbie's friends and family |
Barbie's full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts. In some old books from the 1960s, her parents were named George and Margaret Roberts. They lived in a made-up town called Willows, Wisconsin. In those books, Barbie went to Willows High School. Later books from 1999 said she went to Manhattan International High School in New York City.
Barbie's Friends and Family
Barbie has an on-again, off-again relationship with her boyfriend, Ken. His full name is "Kenneth Sean Carson." Ken first appeared in 1961. In 2004, Mattel announced that Barbie and Ken had broken up. But in 2006, they hoped to get back together after Ken got a new look. In 2011, Mattel started a campaign for Ken to win Barbie back. They officially reunited on Valentine's Day 2011. In the 2018 show Barbie: Dreamhouse Adventures, they are shown as just friends or next-door neighbors.
Mattel has created many friends and family members for Barbie. She has three younger sisters: Skipper, Stacie, and Chelsea. Chelsea was called Kelly until 2011. Her sisters have been in many Barbie movies. Some of Barbie's friends include Hispanic Teresa, Midge, and African American Christie. Steven is Christie's boyfriend. Barbie was also friends with Blaine, an Australian surfer, when she and Ken were broken up.
Barbie has had over 40 pets! These include cats, dogs, horses, a panda, a lion cub, and a zebra. She has owned many vehicles, like pink Beetle and Corvette convertibles, trailers, and Jeeps. She even has a pilot's license! She flies commercial airliners and has worked as a flight attendant. Barbie's careers show that girls can have many different jobs. She has been sold as Miss Astronaut Barbie (1965), Doctor Barbie (1988), and Nascar Barbie (1998).
Barbie's Impact and Legacy
Barbie has become a cultural icon. She has received special honors that are rare for a toy. In 1974, a part of Times Square in New York City was even renamed Barbie Boulevard for a week! The Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris at the Louvre museum had a Barbie exhibit in 2016. The exhibit showed 700 Barbie dolls and other items.
In 1986, the artist Andy Warhol painted a picture of Barbie. This painting sold for $1.1 million at an auction. In 2015, The Andy Warhol Foundation and Mattel worked together to create an Andy Warhol Barbie doll.
In 2013, the first Barbie-themed restaurant opened in Taiwan. It was called "Barbie Café."
The Economist magazine has talked about how important Barbie is for children's imagination. They said that Barbie has been an astronaut, surgeon, Olympic athlete, doctor, and many more. When Barbie first came out, most dolls were babies. These were for girls to cuddle. By creating a doll with adult features, Mattel helped girls imagine they could be anything they wanted to be.
Mattel Theme Park
In 2023, Mattel started building a theme park near Phoenix, Arizona. The park is set to open in 2024. It will feature Mattel's toys, like a Barbie Beach House. There will also be a Thomas & Friends ride and a Hot Wheels go-kart track. The theme park will be part of the VAI Resort complex. This is located about 15 miles (24 km) west of Phoenix, Arizona.
"Barbie Syndrome" and Body Image
The term "Barbie syndrome" has been used to describe wanting to look like the Barbie doll. This is often linked to pre-teen and teen girls. But it can apply to anyone. A person with "Barbie syndrome" tries to look like the doll. However, the doll has body shapes that are not possible in real life. This can lead to problems like eating disorders or wanting too much cosmetic surgery.
In 2016, Mattel introduced new body types for Barbie. These included 'tall', 'petite', and 'curvy' dolls. They were part of the Barbie Fashionistas line. The 'Curvy Barbie' got a lot of attention. She even appeared on the cover of Time magazine! This showed Mattel was listening to concerns about body image.
Notable Designers
- Kitty Black Perkins, who created Black Barbie
- Carol Spencer, a Barbie fashion designer from 1963 to 1999
See also
In Spanish: Barbie para niños
- Barbie (media franchise)
- Barbenheimer
- Creatable World
- Kitty Black Perkins
- Lammily - a doll created by Nickolay Lamm
- List of Barbie animated films
- List of Barbie video games
- My Scene
- Sindy
- Totally Hair Barbie
