The Making of a Doll

With over 15 makeup artists and hairstylists working on each doll, more goes into making a Barbie® doll than you might think.

Meet Skipper®

Take a trip back to 1964 when Barbie's cute little sister, Skipper®, first joined the stage.

Welcome to the Doll House

Go back to take a peek at the original, retro chic Barbie® Dream House® from 1960.

Explore 50 Years

Check out 50 years of Barbie® history and highlights.

An Original Doll

"I'm humbled by the thought that we could have had that much influence, and yet I know that we did." – Ruth Handler

How did one woman bring an American Icon to life? Watch as Ruth Handler and her husband Elliott reveal the inspiration for Barbie®, and what the doll means to them today.

Let's Get Retro

We've gathered some of the hottest looks from over 50,000 Barbie® doll makeovers and created a gallery showcasing the very best blasts from the past. Check it out here.

A Model Family

Who says roots aren't chic? From Ken® to Skipper® to Midge®, there's a lot more to the Barbie® friend and family tree than you might expect.

Charlotte Johnson

Ruth Handler hired Charlotte Johnson to be the very first Barbie® designer to create the doll’s fashionable wardrobe. Always working closely with Mrs. Handler, Charlotte created an incredible Barbie®  wardrobe.  She drew inspiration from the design houses and runways of Paris, traveling often to the fashion capital to view spring and fall collections.  She then re-interpreted European trends, in tiny detail that included linings, zippers, buttons—even cloth labels that marked these fashions "Barbie® Mattel".  Charlotte worked closely with the seamstresses in Japan who often sewed these Barbie® clothes by hand!