Barbie Doll with brown hair, wearing a coral dress with a fur-lined cape.

980.1.352

Collection:

Barbie Doll

The Barbie doll was introduced in 1959 by Mattel. She was created by Ruth Handler who used Bild Lilli, a German doll, as her inspiration.

The first Barbie doll had a black and white striped swimsuit, a topknot ponytail, and came either brunette or blonde. Barbie not only has a wide range of clothes, cars, pets, and occupations, she is also in movies, books, apparel, video games, and cosmetics.

Her full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts.