toys
Barbie celebrates her 65th birthday – stars become dolls
A Barbie doll was also dedicated to the British actress Helen Mirren. photo
© Ryan Schude/Mattel Inc/PA Media/dpa
It’s been 65 years since the first Barbie doll was introduced. To mark the anniversary, the toy manufacturer Mattel is turning some stars into dolls – including an Iranian-German comedian.
Around 65 years after the first Barbie doll, the US toy manufacturer Mattel Stars such as British actress Helen Mirren, Australian singer Kylie Minogue and German-Iranian comedian Enissa Amani were transformed into dolls.
The company announced that US actress Viola Davis, Canadian singer Shania Twain, Brazilian online celebrity Maira Gomez, Mexican director Lila Avilés and Japanese model Nicole Fujita are now available as Barbies. However, these are individual pieces and there are no plans for mass production for retail.
In March 1959, the first Barbie doll was presented at a toy fair in New York. The toy became a global success and was also successful as a film in Hollywood last year. However, there has always been a lot of criticism due to the lack of diversity and excessive sexualization in the representation. The manufacturer has been responding to this for several years with new doll models, for example with physical limitations.