The Barbie story
Barbie, in full Barbara Millicent Roberts, made her debut at the American International Toy Fair on March 9, 1959. Created by businesswoman Ruth Handler, who cofounded Mattel with her husband, Elliot, to show little girls that they could be anything they wanted to be, Barbie quickly became a global icon.
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In 1959, the first Barbie was fully made up with red lips, black eyeliner and perfectly arched eyebrows. She wore a strapless zebra striped swimsuit and came with either blonde or brunette hair done up in a perky Audrey Hepburn ponytail.
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To ensure that Barbie wasn't lonely, in 1961 Mattel introduced her boyfriend, Ken. (The Handlers’ children were named Barbara and Ken.)
A Barbara Millicent Roberts Creation
”Every little girl needed a doll through which to project herself into her dream of her future. If she was going to do role playing of what she would be like when she was 16 or 17, it was a little stupid to play with a doll that had a flat chest. So I gave it beautiful breasts.”
~Ruth Handler to the New York Times
From the get-go, Barbie was destined to be a fashion icon. No less than 22 outfits were offered in 1959, from a collarless Chanel-style jacket with matching sheath skirt to a satin-and-tulle bridal gown.
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After that initial year, Barbie’s style changed annually and came to represent a living catalog of the most popular fashion trends of the second half of the 20th century.
Since she stepped onto the world stage, Barbie has tried her hand at over 150 professions. She was an astronaut before Neil Armstrong made “one giant leap for mankind” and a presidential candidate in 1992. Barbie has also been a vet, a flight attendant and an entrepreneur. Of course, she modeled for Oscar de la Renta, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Maison Margiela, Ralph Lauren, Anna Sui and Burberry.
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Whether you’re a collector, admirer, or you simply have a few items from your own childhood, you know that vintage Barbie Doll clothes are not children’s playthings; they are a statement of history.
