Barbie turns 60Almost 60 years ago, on March 9, 1959, Barbie was born at

the New York Toy Fair. Lee Yu Hui traces the history of the famous — and fashionable — doll.

1965Astronaut Barbie goes to

the moon four years before Neil Armstrong - the first man on the moon in 1969.

1971Malibu Barbie has

a forward gaze and an open smile for

the �rst time.

1980First African-American

Barbie with her own mould is produced.

1961Ken meets Barbie

on TV and the pair fall in love.

1992Presidential Candidate

Barbie campaigns for presidency for

the �rst time.

1992Totally Hair Barbie is

the best-selling Barbie with 27cm of

crimped hair.

1999Generation Girl Barbie is ready for Year 2000 and

never leaves home without her denim jacket.

1982Pregnant Midge is a

controversial doll with a detachable bump containing a foetus.

2001Princess of the Incas Barbie is launched as part of the “Dolls of the World” series.

2010Shaving Fun Ken sports facial hair removable with

warm water.

2011Tokidoki Barbie, now a

collector’s item, is initially unpopular as

parents feel her tattoos set a bad example.

2000Jewel Girl Barbie

sports natural make-up and Barbie’s

�rst belly-button.

2012Presidential Candidate Barbie sports wedge

heels instead of pumps and stands upright for

the �rst time.

2016Barbie Fashionistas

come in four body types, seven skin tones, 22 eye

colours and 24 hairstyles.

2016The four body types are original, petite,

curvy and tall. These are the tall (above left)

and curvy (above) Barbie versions.

2011Pantone Barbie wears Pantone

colour swatches in her own signature

pink.pink.

2017The three body types are original, broad and

slim. These are the broad (above left) and slim (above)

Ken versions.

2018The Yves Saint

Laurent doll honours the French designer

in his iconic Mondrian dress.

2018The Frida Kahlo doll

celebrates the extraordinary life and art

of the Mexican artist, activist and feminist icon.

2017Ken Fashionistas

come after Barbie Fashionistas with

15 new dolls in three body types.

1959Teenage Fashion ModelBarbie is introduced to the world at the New York Toy Fair after Handler spent years convincing Mattel management that Barbie would be a winner.

2019Proudly PinkBarbie celebrates her 60th anniversary and the timeless elegance of classic couture in her signature pink.

My whole philosophy of Barbie was that, through the doll, the little girl could be anything she wanted to be. Barbie always represented the fact that a woman has choices.

’’

IMAGINE THE FUTURE

RUTH HANDLER, creator of Barbie

The Official Barbie Pink Colour is owned by Mattel and used for the doll’s branding.

The first Barbie doll

DESIGN PROCESSOF A NEW BARBIE

Supposedly, more than 91 million metres of fabric have been devoted to Barbie clothes. This is approximately 497 times the length of Singapore’s coastline.

The prototype is sent from the California workshop to factories in China and Indonesia for production.

100 designerstake12 to 18 months

2019Proudly PinkBarbie celebrates her 60th anniversary and the timeless elegance of classic couture in her signature pink.

The Official Barbie Pink Colour is owned by Mattel and used for the doll’s branding.

Bild Lilli Comic

Bild Lilli DollBild Lilli Doll

• The design of Barbie is inspired by the Bild Lilli doll (meant for adult collectors), which is created after the character Lilli by cartoonist Reinhard Beuthien for the German tabloid Bild Zeitung. Lilli is worldly, single and in search of a rich boyfriend.• Mattel acquired the rights to Lilli in 1964.

• Barbie’s creator is Ruth Handler, the former president of Mattel, who wanted to create a doll for her daughter who was playing with paper dolls in the 1950s.

• Barbie’s full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts, named after Handler’s daughter, Barbara.

• Ken is named after Ruth Handler’s son, Kenneth.

• Barbie is the �rst mass-produced doll in the United States with adult features.• Before Barbie, there were only baby dolls which supposedly taught little girls how to be nurturing.

The Official Barbie Pink Colour is owned by Mattel and used

PANTONE219CBarbie Pink

HEIGHT OFBARBIE29.21cm

Approximatesize of a Barbie doll

Playscale1:6 (doll:human) SOME OF

BARBIE’SFASHION DESIGNERS• Giorgio Armani• Christian Dior• Bill Blass• Oscar de la Renta• Ralph Lauren

• The �rst Barbie doll sold for US$3. With in�ation, it would be US$25.89 today.• Today, a mint-condition #1 (1959 Barbie) can fetch as much as US$27,450 (S$37,319).

OVER 200 CAREERS

Sources: MATTEL INC, THE GUARDIAN PHOTOS: MATTEL INC, BILD ZEITUNG, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS STRAITS TIMES GRAPHICS: LEE YU HUI

S$37,000 #1 doll

Bild Lilli Comic

Bild Lilli Doll

inspired by the Bild Lilli doll

German tabloid Bild Zeitung.

Mattel acquired the rights

Eyes look forward instead of to the side, unlike Lilli and the early Barbies.

Fashion illustrators sketch several out�t ideas.

The body of the doll is translated into 3D.

3D models are printed and assembled.

The beauty department paints the face.

The stylist roots and styles the doll’s hair.

The doll is then �tted with her out�t from the sketch.1 2 3 4 5 6

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1959Teenage Fashion ModelBarbie is introduced to the world at the New York Toy Fair after Handler spent years convincing Mattel management that Barbie would be a winner.

The first Barbie doll

daughter who was playing with paper dolls in the 1950s.

Approximatesize of a Barbie doll

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