Barbie turns 60! Happy birthday, doll!
She’s been a surgeon, an astronaut, a news anchor and President, the Duchess of Cambridge, several characters in Mad Men and every member of Destiny’s Child.
But everyone has a past. Did you know before all those positions, that our girl Barbie had rather sexy start?
Who’s judging but, Barbies original design was based on a German adult gag-gift, an “escort” doll named Lilli.
Barbie actually started out life in the late 1940s as a cartoon character created by artist Reinhard Beuthien for the Hamburg-based tabloid, Bild-Zeitung in Germany. The comic strip character was known as “Bild Lilli”, was a post-war gold-digging gal who seduced wealthy male suitors. She became so popular, the newspaper decided to market a three-dimensional version in 1953, which was available at bars, tobacco kiosks and adult toy stores. She was given out as bachelor party’s and hung from a car’s rearview mirror.
Lilli had a wide range of outfits and accessories that you could buy for her too, and eventually little girls began wanting her. Ruth Handler, one of the founders of Mattel was travelling to Europe in the 50s and bought a few Lilli dolls to take home. She had an idea, and began to re-worked the design of the doll. and she debuted Barbie at the New York toy fair on March 9, 1959. Mattel acquired the rights to Bild Lilli in 1964, and production of the German doll ended.
Yepo, Barbie started out as a fast-talkin’ good-time girl. Kinda like everybody forgets that Pretty Woman was about a call girl because Julia Roberts was so likable and cute. And the rest is doll Herstory.
Wonder who or what she’s doing to celebrate?
Lilli on display at the Barbie Museum in Prague
Mattel’s, Ruth Handler with the reborn Lilli as Barbie
Dolls added to the “Barbie Fashionistas” line introduce Barbies with disabilities.
(Photos, Mattel archives, clippings; via MessynessyChic)
