ĭuring a trip to Europe in 1956 with her children Barbara and Kenneth, Ruth Handler came across a German toy doll called Bild Lilli. He was unenthusiastic about the idea, as were Mattel's directors. Realizing that there could be a gap in the market, Handler suggested the idea of an adult-bodied doll to her husband Elliot, a co-founder of the Mattel toy company. At the time, most children's toy dolls were representations of infants. Ruth Handler watched her daughter Barbara play with paper dolls, and noticed that she often enjoyed giving them adult roles. History Development Barbie creator Ruth Handler with an assortment of Barbie and Mattel products (1961) Writing for Journal of Popular Culture in 1977, Don Richard Cox noted that Barbie has a significant impact on social values by conveying characteristics of female independence, and with her multitude of accessories, an idealized upscale lifestyle that can be shared with affluent friends. Mattel generates a large portion of Barbie revenue though related merchandise - accessories, clothes, friends, and relatives of Barbie. The brand has expanded into a multimedia franchise since 1984, including video games, computer-animated films, television/web series and a live-action film.īarbie and her male counterpart, Ken, have been described as the two most popular dolls in the world. Mattel has sold over a billion Barbie dolls, making it the company's largest and most profitable line.

Barbie has been an important part of the toy fashion doll market for over six decades. The toy is the figurehead of an eponymous brand that includes a range of fashion dolls and accessories. Barbie is a fashion doll created by American businesswoman Ruth Handler, manufactured by American toy and entertainment company Mattel and introduced on March 9, 1959.

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