Assouline - Barbie - Coffee Table Books

About this product

This volume celebrates the sixty-fifth anniversary of Barbie, the world’s most iconic doll. Readers will explore not only Barbie’s rich history but also her unique magic: she is a doll through whom girls can project their own dreams and fantasies – whether as a doctor, rock star, paleontologist, Olympic gold medalist, Major League Baseball player, virologist, or ecologist.Created by Mattel co-founder Ruth Handler, a pioneering feminist visionary, Barbie defied the conventions of the 1950s by establishing a role for women beyond that of wife and mother. With an identity independent of family life, Barbie represented a modern and revolutionary figure, opening up imaginations to what both a doll – and a woman – could be.This book offers a decade-by-decade exploration of Barbie’s evolution from 1959 to today, filled with fascinating facts, insights and never-before-seen imagery. From Marilyn Monroe to Margot Robbie, fashion designers to first responders, Barbie offers a comprehensive look at this American cultural phenomenon. To date, more than a billion Barbie dolls with over 250 careers have been sold worldwide, offered in a diverse range of nationalities, ethnicities, and body types.English edition.