Barbie turns 65 in a world of vast doll diversity

At 65 years of age, Barbie shows no signs of retiring from her 250 different jobs as a plastic and fantastic doll whose small feet have left a big cultural mark on the human world.

The original Mattel Barbie with her iconic blonde hair, black and white bathing suit and eyes angled to the side, was inspired by creator Ruth Handler’s daughter, Barbara, in 1959.

However, in 2024, as Barbie celebrates her 65th anniversary, the dolls are produced in a diversity of colors, hair textures, body shapes and more.

“Barbie used to be a more singular reflection of beauty and more one-dimensional. Today, there are many Barbies, and we’ve got multiple views of the brand,” Executive Vice President and Global Head of Barbie & Dolls, Lisa McKnight, told Reuters at the Mattel Design Center in Los Angeles.

Barbies come in 35 skin tones, 97 hairstyles and nine body types, including dolls with wheelchairs, Down Syndrome, vitiligo and plus-sizes as well as gender neutral dolls.

The doll has also become the fashion icon recently inspiring Barbiecore and helping many renowned hair stylists and clothing designers, like Karl Lagerfeld, get their start.