On March 9, 1959, Barbie debuted at the New York Toy Fair. The first Barbie wore a black and white striped swimsuit and her signature ponytail. Toy buyers were skeptical because Barbie was unlike the baby and toddler dolls that were popular at the time.

Barbie's official birthday is March 9, 1959, the day she was unveiled to the toy industry during New York Toy Fair.

Barbie (and all of her plastic “friends” and accessories) are made with at least five types of fossil fuel-based plastics: polyvinyl chloride (PVC), ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), and hard vinyl - plus additive chemicals.

Taffy, the puppy adopted by Barbie, has the second lightest fur color of the four puppies (just like how Barbie has the second lightest hair color of the Roberts-sisters) and Taffy also spends most of the movie away from her sisters (just like Barbie does).

Barbie officially debuted on March 9, 1959, at the American International Toy Fair in New York City as a creation of Mattel, Inc.'s Ruth Handler. Handler got her inspiration from the German Lilli doll in 1956, and development of the Barbie doll began soon after. Barbie was first sold in 1958.

Barbie was created by Ruth Handler of Mattel who was the principal architect of the doll's campaign. Handler was inspired by watching her daughter play with paper dolls that resembled adult women. At the time, baby dolls were the popular toy.

Since 1959, Barbie's purpose has been to inspire the limitless potential in every girl. We have always known that a small doll can make a big impact. Today we bring power to our purpose, not only as a global icon, but as an advocate for real social and environmental change.

Recognizing a gap in the market, which only offered baby dolls for girls to imagine themselves as caregivers, Ruth invented the fashion doll category with a three-dimensional doll that girls could use to imagine their future selves.

Mattel shut down its last U.S. factory - in Murray, Ky. - in 2001. Barbie, Hot Wheels and other Mattel toys are now made in China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico and Thailand. It's a familiar narrative.

They're made out of a polyethylene plastic similar to the material that's used to make plastic carrier bags. This type of plastic is cheap flexible. And fire retardant.

In 2008, Barbie's world expanded to include Taffy, a Yellow Lab, and Tawny, a horse, in 2011. Taffy, a playful and fun-loving dog, was often seen with a pink bow and matching leash. Tawny, on the other hand, was a symbol of Barbie's adventurous spirit and love for the outdoors.

Barbie and the Diamond Castle These dancing Barbie dogs are a whole mood The clip comes from a scene in the 2008 movie Barbie and the Diamond Castle.

Ruth Handler's Inspiration Behind the Barbie Doll. Barbara, Handler's daughter, served as the muse for Barbie's creation after Handler observed her playing with paper dolls. Driven by a desire to inspire children to envision their future dreams, she sought to innovate beyond the common plastic baby dolls of the time.

But unlike her baby-doll counterparts, Barbie “would help girls imagine themselves as autonomous adolescents.” While women had joined the workforce in droves during World War II, donning overalls and other classically mannish clothes, Barbie represented a call to traditional femininity.

Barbie hit shelves in March of 1959 and was manufactured by Mattel, Inc. Business woman Ruth Handler is credited with creating Barbie, she drew her inspiration for the doll from German doll Bild Lilli. A German doll called the Bild Lilli that itself was based off a character in a German newspaper cartoon.

Ruth Handler's daughter Barbara inspired her to create Barbie when she saw her play with paper dolls. Most dolls available then were plastic baby dolls, and Ruth wished to create a doll that would inspire children to "dream dreams of the future."