On March 9, after a mother observed her daughter playing with paper dolls more than 60 years ago, an American icon was born and forever changed how children play.
Perhaps no other doll is more famous than Barbie. While many know the statuesque modern version, many don't know the origins of the popular toy. The woman behind the invention of Barbie was Ruth Handler, the wife of Elliot Handler, the founder of the Mattel toy company. She noticed that their young daughter Barbara would always play with baby dolls because there were no adult dolls on the market. On a trip to Germany, she spotted the Bild Lilli doll, which was an adult doll based off a comic strip. She pitched the idea to her husband and designed an adult doll named Barbie after her daughter Barbara.
In the decades since Harold Matson and Ruth and Elliot Handler launched their leading global toy company from a garage in 1945, according to Mattel, the company has created a variety of beloved franchises sold to children and families around the world.
Inspired by her daughter, Barbara, Handler is credited with the creation of the first Barbara Millicent Roberts — AKA Barbie — who wore a black and white striped swimsuit and ponytail.
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