Barbie History: The Real Story Behind The Barbie

12. She now blurs gender lines

Barbie has never held back when it comes to her look. Designer cars, formal gowns, and stilettos are just a normal day for her. Perhaps that is why she jumped at the chance to collaborate with an unlikely pair. The Blonds are glamorous and androgynous fashion designers who have always loved Barbie. Now it’s safe to say that Barbie loves them back. Mattel released a Barbie inspired by the designers.

“One of the great things about Barbie is that she continues to push the envelope,” Mattel Vice President Cathy Cline told the New York Times. “Barbie doesn’t worry about what other people think.”

The Blonds are all about glamour, so Barbie was a perfect fit. “Fashion is a form of self-expression and we believe that everyone should feel glamorous every day,” Phillipe Blond said.

13. Her designer defends her crazy proportions

Barbie has long been criticized for how thin she is. She now comes in a few new sizes, but the majority of the dolls still look like the traditional model and this doesn’t seem to be changing anytime soon. Kim Culmone, vice president of design for Barbie, sees nothing wrong with her figure. “Barbie’s body was never designed to be realistic. She was designed for girls to easily dress and undress,” Culmone told Co-Design. “And she’s had many bodies over the years, ones that are poseable, ones that are cut for princess’ cuts, ones that are more realistic.”

Culmone revealed that while Barbie’s figure is ” a continual evolution,” there is also a historical component to keep in mind. “This is a 55-year-old brand where moms are handing clothes down to their daughters, and so keeping the integrity of that is really important,” she said.

Culmone also isn’t buying the fact that Barbie affects young girls and their body images. “Girls view the world completely differently than grown-ups do. They don’t come at it with the same angles and baggage and all that stuff that we do,” said Culmone. “Clearly, the influences for girls on those types of issues, whether it’s body image or anything else, it’s proven, it’s peers, moms, parents, it’s their social circles.”

14. She can make young girls feel bad about themselves

Despite Kim Culmone’s best attempts at defending the ultra skinny doll, the research disagrees.  From a very young age, girls want to feel thin and beautiful. According to a study in the journal Paediatrics & Child Health, playing with an unattainably thin doll does affect how girls see themselves. In this study, girls were given Barbie dolls to play with, then asked questions about their self-esteem. Their self-esteem levels were significantly lower. However, when the girls played with average or plus size dolls, there was no effect on self-esteem.

15. Her sales are down

Perhaps studies like the one linking Barbie to lowered self-esteem are one of the reasons why Barbie isn’t selling like she used to. As a mom to a five-year-old daughter, I don’t plan on buying her Barbie dolls. There are just so many better options out there. It’s clear that I’m not the only one who feels that way. Mattel’s stock is down in 2017, and decreased Barbie demand is partly to blame. In July 2017, Barbie sales were down five percent, despite the new Fashionista line.

Then again, the best-selling Barbie of all time was the “Totally Hair Barbie” from 1992, suggesting that maybe Mattel is just taking the wrong approach for keeping Barbie fans interested. I was obsessed with crimping her hair, and I wasn’t the only one. According to the Guinness World Records, more than 10 million “Totally Hair” Barbies were sold. Maybe it’s time for Mattel to go back to the basics. That neon pink dress, those awesome earrings? She was irresistible.