Collectable dolls, like real life baby dolls, are as popular today as they have even been. Dolls that depict grownups too are popular – the classic which springs to mind is Barbie. First created by Ruth Handler in 1959 after noticing that all dolls around at the time were babies not teens or young women, Barbie was born and went on to take the world by storm.
In the 1960′s Barbie achieved success as a fashion doll, depicting the modern day trends from the catwalks of Paris and her hairstyle was just like that of First Lady Jackie Kennedy. As the fashions changed so did Barbie, as she moved from an elegant style to mod to American Girl, which came complete with a rotatable midsection and bendy legs.
As the swinging 60′s changed to the flower power 70′s, Barbie changed too. Her fashions became more exciting, as she channelled disco chic, prairie and maxi-dress looks. She even got into the spirit of the 1976 Olympics with special editions showcasing ice skater, skier and gymnast Barbie.
The 1980′s saw the first black and Hispanic Barbie’s being produced with the Dolls of the World collection. Barbie collecting as we know it today started in this decade, with the first collecting convention taking place in 1980. In 1984, Barbie’s 25th anniversary, the occasion was commemorated by famous jewellers Tiffany who created a sterling silver doll in her honour.
As the 1990′s dawned, Barbie’s outfits became increasingly extravagant. World class design hero’s like Christian Dior and Vera Wang created glamorous pieces for the iconic doll, whilst 1996 saw the creation of a digital treasure trove of Barbie related information with the launch of Barbie’s very own website.
The 2000′s came in, and Mattell continued to produce Barbie in limited quantities to preserve her collectability. Barbie even starred in her very own film called Barbie In The Nutcracker, thanks to advancements in 3-D animation technology.
These days, Barbie is still evolving. Modern day designers like Christian Laboutin continue to put their own stamp on the iconic doll, and keep her moving with the times.
*Facts taken from Barbie’s Collector website
Philip Youngwood writes on lots of different doll related topics; everything from Barbie dolls to real life baby dolls.
