Barbie®

"Doll Construction" Barbie Patent Print - J. W. Ryan, July 24, 1959 Barbie, named after Barbara Handler daughter of creator Ruth Handler, was born on March 9, 1959.  She is a fashion doll produced by Mattel, Inc.  Ruth, a co-founder of Mattel, took note of her daughter’s love for paper dolls and dressing them, and observed that she often played out make believe story lines for the dolls as if they were adults.  As most dolls at this time were baby dolls or small children, Ruth felt there was a gap in the market for dolls that were adults.  So with the inspiration from a German doll named Bild Lilli, Barbie was born.  Barbie is typically 11.5 inches tall and is set to a scale of 1/6.  She is made to look like an adult and has many sold-separately accessories such as clothing, shoes, homes, vehicles and friends and family members.  Today, 60 years later, Barbie is considered to be a global icon.  She has the ability to inspire girls across the world to become anything they can dream