It's hard to be next to a Barbie and not feel the physical need to pick her up, put her on those little high heels, do her hair and adorn her with trendy dresses and handbags. And yet, this need never passes even to an adult woman… Why do we like these handbags and these heels so much?
Barbie was born in 1959 to Ruth Handler (founder of Mattel), an American daughter of Polish immigrants. Seeing her daughter Barbara playing with a cardboard doll, she had the idea of creating a "teenage fashion model". In fact, Barbie's name comes from her daughter Barbara. Barbie was also the result of inspiration from the German Lilli doll. Two years after the launch of Barbie Ken was born (1961), his name instead comes from his other son Kenneth.
Until then, girls only had the opportunity to play with "baby dolls" by imitating what a mother does. At first everyone thought it was crazy, no one would have ever imagined that a doll with adult and provocative features could have been so successful among little girls of the time, and not just little girls... Maybe this is why we like it too when we grow up.
Video from Warner Bros. Pictures
The film "Barbie" is expected to be released in theaters in July 2023. A comedy starring Margot Robbie who will embody the iconic doll. In fact it has all the characteristics of Barbie, it could only be her. His Ken will be Ryan Gosling.
The price of the first Barbies was very competitive because they aimed to make money with her wardrobe: clothes and accessories sold separately and following fashion trends. Each look equipped with bags, shoes, hats, etc.
The first stylist for Barbie clothes was Charlotte Johnson. The most famous however was Carol Spencer designing the most iconic looks between 1960-1990. Carol was responsible for the world's best-selling Barbie look (Totally Hair Barbie) with over 10 million Barbies sold.
Photo Charlotte Johnson by Nelson Tiffany, Los Angeles Times - https://digital.library.ucla.edu/catalog/ark:/21198/zz0002tc3s, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index. php?curid=121952836
Mattel has followed the stylists and fashion trends of each period, but there have also been great fashion designers who have followed Barbie, like Jeremy Scott with his Barbie collection for Moschino, wonderful:
Videos from Moschino
I wonder if today's moms lack an elegant and special bag that doesn't just represent mom, just as little girls before 1959 lacked a doll that doesn't just represent motherhood.
Keep following us
@nivariamom (Instagram)
info@nivariaclub.com
www.nivariaclub.com