The Mattel Catalogue stated, new for 59, the Barbie Doll
A shapely Mattel introduced the Barbie doll at the New
York Toy Fair in February of 1959. teenage fashion Model!
Retail price $3.00. An exciting all-new kind of doll (she s
grown -up!) with fashion apparel authentic in every detail.

The catalogue added that girls of alL ages will thrill
to the fascination of her miniature wardrobe of fine-fabric
fashions: tiny zippers that really zip... coats with luxurious
linings... jeweled earrings and necklaces... and every girl can
be the star. There has never been a doll like Barbie, they
exclaimed. Barbies universe in 1959 was one that took
only the graceful highlights of reality and made
them a symbolic world of fantasy.

Some Believe that Barbie was fashioned after Lilli, a
German doll produced in the mid-1950s. Lilli was
a cartoon created by Reinhard Beuthien and was
transformed into the three-dimensional doll version
in 1955. Her success was short-lived and eventually
she was sold to Mattel.

Barbie had a wardrobe that seemed to be the center of
her life-style. Her clothes were based on the actual
haute couture of the fashion leaders. Mattel staff
designer, Charlotte Johnson travel to Europe to watch
the Paris collection. Barbie, as she evolved, changed
with society and the roles little girls would emulate.