The World Of Barbie Dolls

Full-color, illustrated photographs profile over 1,000 foreign Barbie and Barbie family dolls from around the world.

Barbie is a strong, independent doll. But is she a feminist icon? It’s complicated. Since her introduction in 1959, Barbie’s impact has been revolutionary. Far from being a toy designed by men to oppress women, she was a toy invented by women to teach women what was expected of them, for better or for worse. Whether tarred-and-glittered as antifeminist puffery or celebrated as a feminist icon (or, at any rate, an important cultural touchstone in understanding feminism) Barbie has undeniably influenced generations of girls. In Forever Barbie, cultural critic, investigative journalist, and first-generation Barbie owner M. G. Lord uncovers the surprising story behind Barbie’s smash success. Revealing her low origins as “Bild Lilli,” a risqué doll for adults sold as a gag gift in postwar Germany, Forever Barbie traces Barbie’s development and transformation, through countless makeovers and career changes, into an international pop culture icon and now “traditional toy.” Though not every doll in the line has been a hit—with pregnant Midge and Growing up Skipper among the more intriguing disasters—Barbie’s endurance, Lord writes, speaks as much to Mattel’s successful marketing as it does to our society’s overall ambivalence toward femininity. With new accessories, including a preface on the latest developments in the Barbieverse, Forever Barbie “will make you think of America’s most celebrated plastic doll in ways you never have before” (Susan Faludi).

With over 100 full-color images, Barbie: Her Inspiration, History, and Legacy is a beautiful tribute to the one and only beloved icon that continues to evolve throughout time to spark imaginations of young girls all around the world.

Provides comprehensive coverage of the history and manufacture of the popular dolls, describing and photographing numerous dolls in the Barbie collection

Barbie changed what a doll could be. Before her, many dolls were baby dolls. Girls would care for these dolls and practice being mothers. But Barbie let girls imagine other futures. The iconic doll had many careers, inspiring girls to dream of new possibilities for themselves and for women. In the early 1950s, Ruth Handler was watching her daughter, Barbara, and her friends play with paper dolls. The dolls resembled women. Handler saw how the girls imagined themselves as the dolls. But paper dolls were flimsy and delicate. Handler thought the kids’ imaginations could take off even more if they had durable dolls. This led her to create Barbie dolls. These days about two Barbies are sold every second. Barbie has her own movies and TV series. The 2023 blockbuster Barbie dominated the box office. Learn more about Barbie and her impact.

Hundreds of dolls pictured in full color along with cases, houses, furniture, and accessories. This handy, pocket-sized guide is perfect for the collector on the go.

Traces the history of Barbie dolls and related toys, including changes in faces, bodies, and hairdos, costume design, Ken, Midge, and other dolls, versions for collectors, and international adaptations

Collector Books is proud to release the second edition of this book, now including all Barbie exclusives produced and discovered by collectors since 1997. This all-in-one resource features over 1,800 vibrant color photos of Barbie exclusives with close-ups of each doll and descriptions. This encyclopedia includes the unusual and rare ultra-limited Jubilee series of dolls, the porcelain and vinyl dolls produced for Disney, the complete Barbie Festival collection, every national Barbie doll Collectors' Convention set, a spectacular collection of one-of-a-kind Barbie dolls auctions by Mattel for charity, and much more. 8.5 x 11. 2002 values.