| Barbie is a children's toy, predominantly for girls between 3 - 12 years of age and the vocation, according to founders, to develop the beginning of femininity and style. For the first time, the doll was launched in 1959 in Wisconsin state America. Barbie's "Mummy" is Ruth Handler. The full name of Barbie is Barbara Millicent Roberts.
History:
The American firm Mattel manufactures the Barbie dolls. These dolls are sold in 150 countries worldwide. Barbie has a friend Ken and a sister Stacie etc. Large numbers of girls all over the world play with Barbie dolls. In Europe, the sale of Barbie dolls was started in 1961.
Barbie has many careers — from doctor and rock-singer to presidential candidates. Supermodel Twiggy became the biggest "celebrity" in Barbie's family. It was sold in 1967. In 1992, Barbie started a career as a military physician and the company Mattel manufactured Barbie in Khaki clothes in a “Military style”. Many prototypes of Barbie dolls are sold worldwide — "pirated" and officially manufactured. The Muslim prototype is Fulla.
Barbie's height is 29 cm. Its proportions with respect to “our”, real world is 1:6. The Mattel Company manufactures a complete set of clothes for Barbie, but many proprietresses of Barbie prefer to stitch clothes for Barbie themselves. Till 2000, Barbie had a rotating waist and had no navel. After 2000, Barbie's body underwent certain changes. Her chest became smaller, her waist stopped rotating and it is possible to pull apart the hands to the sides and her shins were narrowed. Her hips became wider and now, the feet, like the hands, can be pulled apart to the sides. And the navel has also appeared.
Barbie also has domestic favorites — from cats and doggies to a panda, giraffe and zebra.
Worldwide, many collections of Barbie are available: “12 dancing princesses"," Princess of the world", "Fashionable fever”, dolls with Indian, Latin American and Negro features. And these all are just a small portion of the entire range of the collection.
Opponents accuse manufacturers for introducing an "impracticable" beauty standard doll into the market of children's goods since all girls try to be like the doll.
Facts:
American Cindy Jackson hated her body structure and had undergone 29 plastic surgeries so as to look like her favorite idol the “Barbie” doll. As a result, only her lower lip was not subjected to plastic surgery.
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Toy giant Mattel Inc. has just launched Barbie Spain - a model of the famous doll in designed in Andalusian culture and flamenco fashion. Spanish Barbie doll has black hair and is dressed in the typical black and red dress similar to traditional dresses worn by Spanish women during celebrations and holidays.
Meanwhile Iranian government has banned Barbie doll, claiming that the long-legged big-breasted Western blond doll is destructive for Iranian culture.
Barbie doll will turn 50 in 2009. Perhaps Mattel should come up with a middle-age version of Barbie that is more realistic.
