Barbie

Posted on April 10, 2013 By Eva Robinson Brands, Toys

About

Creator or better said “mother” of a Barbie doll, Ruth Handler, was one of the richest women in the United States. Born on November 4th, 1916 to Jewish-Polish immigrants, Ruth, despite her conservative parents, went to college and after married Elliot Handler. The marriage proved to be fruitful not only for having two children, daughter Barbara and son Kenneth, but also in terms of successful business collaboration. In the mid-forties, the Handler couple founded a company and concentrated on making wooden frames for paintings. After a while, a family friend Harold Metson, joined the business and MATTEL company was born.
While watching her daughter Barbara playing with cardboard dolls dressed in paper dresses, Ruth saw many disadvantages to this and wanted to make a tri-dimensional plastic doll. She told her idea to her husband who supported her but because few Mattel executives were not warming up to the idea of doll with a voloptuous figure. During Handler’s vacation in Switzerland in1956, Ruth saw a doll exactly like the one she has imagined; bought it and used it as a model. First Barbie, named after Ruth’s daughter, debuted on March 12th, 1959. Mattel company showed the world, for the first time, their newest creation – the long legged doll with mature form, makeup, bright nail polish and pearl earrings. Doll’s beauty was in elegant swimwear emphasizing her breasts and open-toed heels. However, it wasn’t until Disney’s ‘The Mickey Mouse Club’ TV show for children that Barbie gained all the faim and customer acclaim she enjoys today.

Products

After the initial huge success, Mattel company continued conquering the world with many Barbie additions. In the ’70s, first talking Barbie doll was created. She soon began to appear in various clothing depicting certain profession such as skier, gymnast, doctor, nurse, ballerina, stewardess. Ruth soon decided to give Barbie afriend. A shapely muscled young man, named Ken after Ruth’s son, was introduced to the world. In 2001, Barbie starred in her first movie “The Nutcracker” making her a true revolution in the world of toys.

Barbie’s friends – Ruth did not want Barbie to stay alone, so she created 4 sisters, a brother, two cousins, a friend and many pets. Nowadays you can find all kinds of Barbie accessories such as earrings, neckless, car bed, iron, unicorn, ironing board, guitar, music box, house, video games, dress studio, bags, sweets etc. The dream of your little girl can come true with many Barbie products. She can have big doll house with separate rooms, dress studio, closet, make up room. Playing with Barbie will remain forever in every girls’ memory even when they grow up. Even today, in most of us still lives that little girl who spent time playing with her Barbie.

Video Commercials & Ads

The first Barbie movie “The Nutcracker”

Watch the video below for the first Babrie commercial which debuted in 1959.

Interesting facts & Events

* The first pet of Barbie was a horse named Dancer
* The first Barbie doll was $3.00
* Ken and Barbie broke up in 2004 on Valentine’s Day after 43 years
* Ken and Barbie reconciled on Valentine’s Day 2011
* The first orders for barbie were given to the designers Givenchy and Dior