Barbie doll: history, who created it and when, analogues of Barbie, how Barbie became a fashion icon and a role model for a million girls

The doll, which later became the world’s best-selling toy, was created by Ruth Handler of Mattel. The presentation of a doll named Barbie took place on March 9, 1959 at a children’s toy fair in New York. In the first year alone, the company sold over 300,000 toys and barely kept pace with new toys as demand outstripped supply. Plus, it wasn’t expensive at all – only $3.

Barbie was 11 inches tall, had red lips, blonde hair tied in a ponytail and a black and white swimsuit. Many newspapers described the doll as a real innovation in the world of toys, because it did not look like a child, as many were used to, but like a young girl. Barbie became a real simulator of adult life for many girls, they wanted to be like a beautiful blonde and took their cue from her.

In honor of whom did Barbie get her name and what date is considered the birthday of the famous doll? When did Barbie have Ken and why is she considered the “eternal bride”? A popular blogger will tell about all this and much more. Arina Danilova in your video!

The popularity of Barbie gave rise to the emergence of its “competitors”. Blogger Olya Krasnova will tell you how the British Cindy differed from the American Barbie, what doll Japanese girls play with and what analogues existed in the USSR. More in the video!

Over the years, Barbie has collaborated with famous designers and fashion houses – Dior, Burberry, Versace and Calvin Klein. If we talk about Barbie outfits, they have always met fashion trends. If in the 1960s the blonde was no less elegant than the style icon Jacqueline Kennedy, then, say, in the 1980s Barbie somewhat “revised” her style, which fully corresponded to the trends of the era.

Photo: Instagram (The social network is recognized as extremist and banned in the territory of the Russian Federation)