While we are still digesting the significance of Felix Mendelssohn’s 200 th birthday it’s time to look at a more contemporary icon of the female gender – the one, the only, “Barbie” by Mattel.
This year the childhood goddess turns 50! Can you believe it? We should all look that good! And, in fact, most women today at age 50 look great… just gaze at photos of your grandmother and you will definitely notice the difference!
Barbie entered the toy fray in 1959, after many years of Revlon holding sway over female childhood dreams.
She is a time capsule of current relevance. Whatever society reflects, Barbie has risen to the call.
First and foremost she has been considered a “fashion doll,” but Barbie has also reflected societal trends in everything from motherhood and balancing a career – with workplace options providing aspirations in everything from being a doctor, or an astronaut to President of the United States.
Time to salute a symbol of female childhood that adjusts to the times. For a fascinating look at Barbie through the last five decades and how the doll is actually made, Designboom has a complete retrospective at:
http://www.designboom.com/snapshot/cat/24/designboom-mart-seoul-2008.html
This year it will be difficult for Mattel and Barbie as concern prevailed over their 2008 fourth-quarter profit, which fell 46% reflecting the current tenuous economy.
At the recent unveiling of the new Barbie at the Nuremberg Toy Fair, industry talks surfaced of having Barbie reflect the current economic times. Could this mean “Resale Shop Barbie?”
Doubtful, as dreams die hard.
Happy birthday Barbie – keep inspiring girls to go beyond the glass ceiling!
This year the childhood goddess turns 50! Can you believe it? We should all look that good! And, in fact, most women today at age 50 look great… just gaze at photos of your grandmother and you will definitely notice the difference!
Barbie entered the toy fray in 1959, after many years of Revlon holding sway over female childhood dreams.
She is a time capsule of current relevance. Whatever society reflects, Barbie has risen to the call.
First and foremost she has been considered a “fashion doll,” but Barbie has also reflected societal trends in everything from motherhood and balancing a career – with workplace options providing aspirations in everything from being a doctor, or an astronaut to President of the United States.
Time to salute a symbol of female childhood that adjusts to the times. For a fascinating look at Barbie through the last five decades and how the doll is actually made, Designboom has a complete retrospective at:
http://www.designboom.com/snapshot/cat/24/designboom-mart-seoul-2008.html
This year it will be difficult for Mattel and Barbie as concern prevailed over their 2008 fourth-quarter profit, which fell 46% reflecting the current tenuous economy.
At the recent unveiling of the new Barbie at the Nuremberg Toy Fair, industry talks surfaced of having Barbie reflect the current economic times. Could this mean “Resale Shop Barbie?”
Doubtful, as dreams die hard.
Happy birthday Barbie – keep inspiring girls to go beyond the glass ceiling!
1 comment:
Nice perspective on this Grand Dame of childhood. Growing up as a snotty nosed boy, Barbie was just another goofy girl thing... god, we were so clueless. Thanks!
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