Barbie

toys · fashion · pop culture · business

Created by a woman. Ruth Handler, an American businesswoman, invented Barbie and introduced it to the world on March 9, 1959. She wanted to create a doll that showed girls they could be anything they wanted to be.

Inspired by another doll. Handler got the idea for Barbie from a German doll called Bild Lilli that she saw while traveling in Europe. She bought one and used it as inspiration for her own design.

Huge sales success. Mattel has sold over a billion Barbie dolls, making it the company's biggest and most profitable toy line ever. That means one out of every few people on Earth might have played with a Barbie at some point!

Expanded into entertainment. Since 1984, Barbie grew from just a doll into a whole entertainment franchise with video games, animated movies, TV shows, and even a live-action film. The brand went from the toy aisle to movie theaters and streaming services.