The History of Barbie
Barbie is everything. She’s been a blonde bombshell, a sartorial superstar, and a close companion to children and adults alike for over sixty years. Since making her way onto toy store shelves (and into our hearts), Barbie has had a storied, stylish legacy.
We’re unboxing the history of Barbie — everyone’s favorite fashionista, plastic playmate, and celebrated career woman. C’mon, everyone, let’s go party!
1959: Introducing Barbara Millicent Roberts
Barbie creator Ruth Handler believed that little girls wanted more than baby dolls; they wanted a figure that could represent their dreams for the future. Apparently, she was right — Mattel sold over 300,000 Barbies within the first year.
- Full name: Barbara Millicent Roberts
- Age: 19
- Height: 11”
- Birthplace: American International Toy Festival
- Occupation: Model
Vintage Barbie dolls
- 1959 Barbie sold that year: $3
- 1959 Barbie sold today: $25,000
1961: He’s just Ken
Mattel introduced Barbie’s longtime beau, Ken Carson, in 1961. There isn’t much to say about Ken. He has great hair.
1962: Barbie’s Dreamhouse
Barbie got her personal, posh Dreamhouse twelve years before women could even open their own bank accounts in the U.S. Since then, the Dreamhouse has become an iconic staple of the Barbie brand.
1967: Famous friends
Mattel released its first Barbie based on a celebrity: British supermodel, Twiggy. Other famous figurines in the Barbie line include Cher (1976), Kate Middleton (2012) and Zendaya (2015).
1980: Barbie breaks the mold
Mattel had introduced dolls of color — like Christey, a Black doll — as early as 1967, but these dolls had always been friends of Barbie. 1980 saw the first “Barbies” of color: A Black and Hispanic Barbie were both created to make the brand more inclusive.
The Barbie brand has made huge strides in diversity in the last forty years. Now, Mattel features:
- 9 different body types
- 35 skin tones
- 97 hairstyles
1992: Barbie for President
Barbie has reminded countless girls that they can do anything, which includes holding the highest office in the U.S. Ms. Barbie Roberts has run for president every election year since 1992.
1992 also saw the creation of Totally Hair Barbie — the best selling doll of all time. Mattel sold over 10 million Totally Hair dolls in just three years.
2004: Heartbreak Barbie
Tragedy struck when everyone’s favorite couple went their separate ways. Mattel announced that Barbie and Ken broke up, and they’ve been off-again, on-again ever since.
We can’t say for sure, but Barbie’s career ambitions may have had something to do with the big split. Since her introduction in 1959, Barbie has held over 200 job titles, including McDonald’s cashier, Canadian Mountie, and robotics engineer.
2009: Barbie turns 50 in style
To celebrate Barbie’s 50th birthday, Mattel partnered with the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Show in New York City to bring Barbie to the runway. Designers like Vera Wang and Christian Louboutin collaborated to recreate iconic Barbie looks.
2016: Representation matters at Mattel
Following its years of increased diversity in skin colors and hair types, Mattel finally introduced Barbies of varying body shapes. The Barbie “Fashionistas” included four different sizes, seven skin tones, and 24 hairstyles.
2018: Inspiring Women
Barbie created doll versions of inspiring female role models from the past and present in an effort to empower kids everywhere. The Inspiring Women doll line first featured artist Frida Kahlo, mathematician Katherine Johnson, and pilot Amelia Earhart.
2023: The summer of Barbie
July 21, 2023, saw the release of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie film (yes, film) starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, marking Barbie’s first foray into live action movies.
Today, the Barbie brand has an estimated $6.42 billion net worth. Mattel estimates two Barbies are sold every second.
