In A Barbie World
The Iconic Doll Reaches Milestone Birthday
It’s hard to believe, but this year Barbie is eligible for Medicare.
The iconic doll was first introduced March 9, 1959, and this month turns 65. During that time, she’s had countless careers — from glamour girl to doctor to astronaut to rocker — but just one boyfriend, Ken.
What you might not know is that her full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts and when she was introduced to the world, she sported a striped, strapless swimsuit, a perky blonde ponytail and gold hoops — a bit risqué and ahead of her time.
She and Ken were the brainchildren of Ruth Handler, who co-founded Mattel with her husband Elliott. She designed Barbie to serve as a role model for her daughter, different from all the other dolls on the market at the time. Not surprisingly, the couple had two children named, you guessed it, Barbie and Ken.
Despite her age, Barbie shows no signs of slowing down. Last year, she made a big splash with a feature-length movie that grossed $1.44 billion and achieved several milestones, including becoming the highest-grossing film of 2023 and the 14th-highest-grossing film of all time.
This year, London’s Design Museum is hosting a Barbie retrospective, looking back over the last six and a half decades and the cultural movement that followed. The exhibition takes place July 5 through Feb. 23, 2025.