25th Birthday Party Invitations

Barbara Millicent Roberts's world ...

As a child I had an unbridled passion for Barbie, I have collected many, from those with which I played every day, to those collectors of the line "The Barbie Collection."
dusting my room I decided to photograph some of the best in my collection.
First of all, here is a fast history of the birth of Barbie:

Barbie's story begins in 1938, when a young couple, Ruth and Elliot Handler, go to live in Los Angeles. The various professional events involving the lead pair in 1945, the birth of the name "Mattel" where "Matt" Mattson and stands for "el" for Elliot. Hardol Mattson, a friend of Elliot, works with him in the garage of the house, turned into a real laboratory. Here produce products of wood and later furniture for dollhouses. Ruth worked through his ideas, starting the Mattel turned increasingly toward a production ù the world of toys. Would also like to start making dolls.

you had in mind the image of 'modern' ideal of the doll: long legs, slim waist, bust and florid facial detail. But even in the face of such precision, none of his ideas are taken into account. In 1956, Switzerland, Ruth Handler saw in a shop window of a toy doll that matches the one you intended. The doll in question is called Lady and measuring 29.5 cm high, made of plastic, depicts a woman who recalls the famous Brigitte Bardot. Lilli has a history and enjoys a huge success when it is discovered by Ruth. Lilli was born in Germany, first as a comic book character and was designed by OM Hausser. Was a carefree and mischievous girl, then appears on the German market on August 12, 1955, wearing a specific dress among many of her wardrobe, but these clothes are not sold separately. This encounter between Ruth and Lillian finally start the project and convince Mattel to make it happen. It bought three copies, and once back in America, reworked the doll to give birth slowly Barbie, that is the exact opposite of the original Lilli, but very similar. Mattel decides to use the vinyl as a material for production and that the door to find a good ally in Japan, where he resided a number of industries specializing in the processing of this material. In the years 1957 to 1964 the production of Barbie will expand from Hong Kong to Korea. The name was suggested by one of the Handler's daughter, Barbara. On March 9, 1959, (this' the official date of the birth of Barbie) released the first Barbara Millicent Roberts (full name of Barbie). Barbie debuted officially at the Toy Fair in New York. The doll is shaping up already as a commercial phenomenon without precedent: in 1959, sold more than 350 000 Barbie priced at $ 3 each. Such a triumph is due in large part to the brilliant idea of \u200b\u200bRuth Handler, that is marketing a doll with a large wardrobe made of clothes and accessories sold separately. In 1961 appears Ken, the boyfriend Barbie (Kenneth is the name of the son of Handler). The growth of the family is added, in 1963, Midge, Barbie's friend. 1964 is the year that Barbie arrived in Italy. In 1964 Barbie ò completely change the appearance of the face and the type of makeup, the eyelashes appear in synthetic fibers applied on painted eyes, the bigger, the hair begins to grow, loose on her shoulders and is held by a ribbon to the top of head. A new patent allows the articulation of the torso rotation sense, this new doll is called twist 'n turn. In 1968, Barbie began to speak: the new talking Barbie surprised his fans with three different sentences. Ruth and Elliot Handler have so began the history of Barbie, who came to this day.

And now here are my wonderful Barbie Collector: