Barbie

Barbie is a fashion doll created by American businesswoman Ruth Handler and manufactured by the American toy and entertainment company Mattel. Launched on March 9, 1959, at the American International Toy Fair in New York, Barbie was inspired by the German Bild Lilli doll. Ruth Handler noticed her daughter Barbara playing with paper dolls and imagining them in adult roles, which sparked the idea for a three-dimensional adult-bodied doll that could serve as a canvas for children's dreams and aspirations.

The doll quickly became a cultural icon and a global brand, expanding far beyond the original 11.5-inch plastic figure. Over the decades, Barbie has been presented in hundreds of careers, from astronaut to president, reflecting and sometimes shaping societal conversations about women's roles. The brand grew to include a diverse range of dolls with different body types, skin tones, and abilities, as well as a vast universe of friends, family, vehicles, playsets, and accessories.

Barbie's cultural significance is immense, representing both an aspirational figure and a subject of controversy regarding body image and consumerism. The brand has permeated nearly every form of media, including books, video games, music, and a long-running series of direct-to-video animated films that began in 2001. These films established a distinct animated universe, often placing Barbie as the heroine of original fairy tales, classic literary adaptations, and fantasy adventures, making the character a staple of children's entertainment for generations.