No doll outshines Barbie’s celebrity. If all the Barbies and her family members-Skipper, Francie and the rest-sold since 1959 were placed head to toe, they would circle the Earth more than seven times. And sales are sure to boom in 2009, when the fashion doll celebrates her 50th birthday on March 9th.
Barbie will star at an array of global events honouring her milestone, possibly including a glitzy affair at New York’s Fashion Week in February (most of the world’s top fashion designers, from Givenchy to Alexander McQueen, have designed haute couture for her). On her birthday, Mattel, the company that makes her, will launch a souvenir doll honouring the original Barbie in her black-and-white striped swimsuit and perfect ponytail. It will be available for purchase only that one day. Another Golden Anniversary doll targets collectors. Barbie fans have planned hundreds of events, including the National Barbie Doll Collectors Convention in Washington, DC, which is already sold out.
When Ruth Handler created Barbie in 1959, a post-war culture and economy thrived but girls still played with baby dolls. These toys limited the imagination; so Handler introduced Barbie the Teen-Age Fashion Model, named after her daughter, Barbara. Jackie Kennedy soon sashayed onto the world stage and Barbie already had a wardrobe fit for a first lady. Barbie bestowed on girls the opportunity to dream beyond suburbia, even if Ken at times tagged along.
Barbie entranced Europe in 1961 and now sells in 150 countries. Every second three Barbies are sold around the world. Her careers are myriad-model, astronaut, Olympic swimmer, palaeontologist and rock star, along with 100 others, including president. Like any political candidate, controversy hit Barbie in 1992 when Teen Talk Barbie said "Math class is tough" and girls’ education became a national issue. She has been banned (in Saudi Arabia), tortured (by pre-teen girls, according to researchers at the University of Bath’s School of Management) and fattened (in 1997).
Feminists continue to bash Barbie, claiming that her beauty and curves treat women as objects. But others see her as a pioneer trendsetter, crashing the glass ceiling long before Hillary Clinton cracked it.
High-tech entertainment now attracts girls and Barbie also faces fierce competition from various copycats including the edgier, but less glare, Bratz dolls. The Bratz suffered a setback in 2008．Mattel sued MGA Entertainment, Bratz’s producer, for copyright infringement. A judge awarded Mattel $100 million in damages.
Mattel has smartly ensured that Barbie products reflect current trends. Through two Barbie websites, girls can design clothes, network and play games. The pink Barbie brand is licensed for products from DVDs and MP3 players to bicycles and even 24-carat gold and crystal jewellery. Barbie collectors fuel an entire global industry on eBay and at conventions. To entice collectors, Mattel regularly releases pricey limited-edition dolls based on characters in films and popular culture.
Industry analysts believe Barbie will remain a bestselling and lasting icon regardless of competition. "Barbie’s been out in the world and had fun, and she’s ready for her second career," says Rachel Weingarten, a pop culture expert. "I don’t see her adopting five children from five different countries, but I could see Barbie with a conscience, activist Barbie. " At 50 Barbie will also be a marvel of plastic surgery and eternal youth. And she still knows how to party.
What is Ruth Handler’s motivation of creating Barbie（）
A. Physical scarcity after World War II
B. Unavailability of dolls for teenagers
C. Incapacity of education institutions in post-war Europe
D. People’s desire for a new doll
