Barbie (Barbara’s nickname)
Ruth Handler, the creator of Barbie
Barbie culture
April 27, 2006 Ruth Handler passed away suddenly in Los Angeles, and more than 1 billion Barbie dolls distributed in more than 150 countries around the world lost their mother. These skinny, long-legged, bushy-haired beauties are not only the most famous dolls in the world, they are equally famous cultural symbols.
Ruth Handler's daughter's name was "Barbara" and her daughter's choice of toys was the inspiration for her invention, so she gave her daughter's nickname to the new plastic dolls . Barbie, born in 1959, is 43 years old this year. She has lived longer than the Cabbage Patch Dolls and Teddy Bears that were once popular. No one knows why, not even her creator, Ruth Handler, can explain it. Whether in the toy world or in real life, longevity is a matter of mystery. Someone once asked Ruth Handler: Why is Barbie so good? She just smiled and replied, "I'm a marketing genius." Maybe she was. However, Mattel Toy, the company she co-founded, also produced many other types of toys, but not only did none of them perform as well as Barbie, but many of them died young.
From dolls to cultural symbols
The United States likes to celebrate success, even if it is not clear why. Amidst the cheers, Barbie finally transcended the definition of a toy and became an immortal symbol. She caught the attention of Pop master Andy Warhol, and his fascination with her was no less than his fascination with Marilyn Monroe; for a period in the late 1990s, she lived in the United States almost every day Although the person singing "Barbie" on people's radios was the Danish singing group "Aqua"; as a representative of 20th century life, she was placed in the time container of the US government. Some cultural critics call Barbie one of the archetypes of womanhood, a modern-day Mona Lisa, while in the eyes of feminists, she is a slut and harmful to the minds of children. Even the academy, which prides itself on being serious, has to condescend to study the "Barbie phenomenon." Students in social studies class were asked to complete an assignment like this: What criticisms have been made of Barbie as a role model? Do you think manufacturers should consider these criticisms? There is no “right” answer to these questions, but a series of reasoning must be passed before making a value judgment.
No matter how divergent opinions are, one thing is certain: Barbie is the first living woman born in the doll design industry, and is no longer a passive baby. Barbie's adult design opens up the horizons of little girls. They can perceive the world outside kindergarten through Barbie, allowing them to experience all aspects of adult life with Barbie. From beach girl to politician, Barbie's ever-changing image sparked the imagination of children who wanted to be like her when they grew up. As Ruth herself said: Through this doll, little girls can realize that they can achieve any dream.
The Birth of Barbie
Ruth Handler is another classic example of the "American Dream". Her parents emigrated from Poland to Denver, Colorado, in the steerage cabin of a steamship to avoid military service. Her father was a blacksmith, and her mother was exhausted from raising ten children, but the hardships of life did not seem to have caused much harm to this large family, Ruth Handler wrote in her memoirs, As the youngest child, she had no shortage of pampering growing up.
At the age of 19, Ruth came to Hollywood alone. She did not want to enter the film industry, but went there to study industrial design. She met Handler at school and married him shortly after. In 1942, the couple founded Martel in a garage. Their main product at that time was picture frames, and later added a business designing and manufacturing furniture for children's playrooms. After a few years, the company began to make money and its main business shifted to producing toys. Good business conditions allowed Ruth Handler to afford a trip to Europe.
She discovered a doll called "Blonde Beauty Lily" produced in Germany in Switzerland (it is said that the prototype is a stripper). She has an impeccable figure, all kinds of physical signs, and is very "revealing" in her clothes. Designed with the desires of young men in mind.
Despite some shyness, Ruth bought three "Lilies" and brought them back to the United States. She said she has been thinking about designing a "mature" doll for children, but her male colleagues in the company said there was no such demand: children like dolls that look like children. But the temptation of "Lily" was too great, and Ruth finally couldn't help but design her American version-Barbie. This doll is an "adult" with plump breasts, but it is tightly wrapped in beautiful clothes. The first Barbie dolls were made in Japan and debuted at the 1959 American Toy Fair under the title "Barbie - A Role Model for Girls." Barbie was a success that Ruth had not expected. 350,000 were sold in the first year. Today, Barbie has sold more than 1 billion dolls around the world.
According to statistics from Martel, an 11-year-old American girl may own 10 Barbie dolls, while a French girl of the same age owns 5. But millions of adult women also buy Barbie. “To them, no matter their age, she’s more than just a doll,” Ruth Handler said. “She’s become a part of them.” And Barbie’s collectors are even more It's unisex: A Barbie doll priced at $3 in 1959 might be worth $5,000 today if it were in good condition.
Eternally innocent?
The "Beauty with a Thousand Faces" is one of the reasons why Barbie remains popular. She can be a dancer, a policeman, a doctor, an astronaut; she can be a Chinese doll, an Indian doll, a black doll, Anything, except her ancestor "Lily". Although Barbie has an attractive figure, except for her plump breasts, she has no other sexual characteristics on her body. Children who are knowledgeable often ask questions like: "Why does Barbie have no belly button?" At this time, mothers will say: "That's enough, kid, if you ask me again, I will put Barbie away."
Faced with questions from feminists, Ruth Handler said her Barbie was a career woman, not an empty-headed vase. But Barbie seemed to have too many careers, and at 43 her marriage prospects remained bleak. She had a childhood sweetheart named Ken, named after Ruth Handler's son. Barbie and Ken have been in a relationship for years, and who knows what Ken is thinking? Barbie, who was born in the innocent 1950s, may have found it difficult to cope with such a changing era, and Barbie's friends of all ages are equally confused.
Barbie Legend
◆Barbie represents 45 ethnic groups.
◆Barbie has 43 kinds of pets, and her first pet is a horse named Dancer.
◆Barbie has endorsed more than 80 professions.
◆The length of all the Barbie family sold, head to foot, exceeds the distance of 7 circles around the earth.
◆Since 1959, more than 1 billion pieces of clothing have been produced for Barbie and her companions, and about 100 new Barbie outfits are launched every year.
◆Barbie’s appearance has gone through more than 500 revisions and improvements to become what it is today.
◆The best-selling Barbie is the "Long Hair Barbie", with hair that extends from the top of her head to her toes.
◆Barbie*** has three sisters, namely Chobby, launched in 1964, Stacy, launched in 1992, and Kelly, launched in 1995. (yiming)