Who was the first Barbie modeled after?
The first Barbie doll is displayed at the American Toy Fair in New York City on March 9, 1959. Barbie was the first mass-produced toy doll in the United States with adult features, standing eleven inches tall and sporting a waterfall of blond hair. Ruth Handler, who co-founded Mattel, Inc. with her husband in 1945,…
The first Barbie doll is displayed at the American Toy Fair in New York City on March 9, 1959. Barbie was the first mass-produced toy doll in the United States with adult features, standing eleven inches tall and sporting a waterfall of blond hair. Ruth Handler, who co-founded Mattel, Inc. with her husband in 1945, was the inspiration for Barbie. Handler recognized an essential market niche for a toy that allowed little girls to envisage the future after observing her young daughter disregard her baby dolls to play make-believe with paper dolls of adult women.
Who was the first Barbie modelled after?
Barbie’s appearance was inspired by a doll named Lilli, who was based on a German comic strip character. Originally promoted as raunchy humour presented to adult males in tobacco shops, the Lilli doll ultimately proved highly popular with children. Mattel bought the rights to Lilli and created its own version, which Handler named Barbara after her daughter. Mattel became one of the first toy companies to broadcast advertising to children when it sponsored the “Mickey Mouse Club” TV show in 1955. They exploited this media to sell their new product, and by 1961, the great public demand for the doll prompted Mattel to release Barbie’s boyfriend. Ken was named after Handler’s son. Barbie’s best friend, Midge, debuted in 1963, followed by Skipper the following year.
