-min.jpg)
Bringing back Barbie at the Design Museum
Continuing the doll's cultural moment, The Design Museum marks 65 years of Barbie with their latest exhibition...
By
Rhea Mathur
September 19, 2024
Celebrating the 65th anniversary of the brand and the iconic toy, the Design Museum brings the focus back to Barbie and the many iterations of her life. Curated by the Design Museum in collaboration with Mattel, this exhibition features over 180 Barbie dolls, including a rare first-edition Barbie from 1959 and the Barbie taken into space by astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti. Ruth Handler, co-founder of Mattel, created Barbie a few years before its debut at the Toy Fair in New York City in 1959, inspired by her daughter Barbara’s play with paper dolls. Handler envisioned a doll that would help ignite the imagination of young girls, motivating them to discover the endless possibilities available to them; this exhibition not only explores the various careers Barbie has had over 65 years but also showcases changes in her shape, facial structure and hair, all reflecting the evolving society around her.
Walking into this exhibition, the viewer is expectedly greeted by a burst of light and dark pink walls and a shiny, neon sign of Barbie’s name. On a plinth, placed in the centre of the room, is also the first ever Barbie, marketed in 1959 as a ‘Teen Age Fashion Model’. This Barbie has a light-blue shadow around her eyes and hair tied back into a ponytail with tiny curls at the forehead and dons a black and white striped swimsuit. Her clothing and accessories fully evoke the 1950s, in particular the famous photograph of Dorian Leigh in black and white swimwear, captured in 1952 by Josey Walker.
In the second room of the exhibition, a video projection showcases the manufacturing process of the very first Barbie dolls. Filmed in a factory in Japan, it highlights the skilled hands behind the creation of the original design, from sewing Barbie’s tiny clothes to assembling Barbie’s face and applying her makeup. The 52-minute film, shot by Elliot Handler, co-founder of Mattel and provided by the company specifically for this exhibition, offers a detailed snapshot into the intricate creation of the dolls, from the initial concept to the meticulous process of sewing each strand of hair onto Barbie’s head. While the footage is almost an hour long, the wooden bench in front of it is frequently used by viewers, intrigued by the interesting process of creating the doll. Watching each garment being sewn also showcases the initial product that was designed with intention and care. The footage also features a new technique called rotational moulding that allows for a higher level of detail in the production of plastic products, further capturing the evolution of such technology.
Over the next few sections, the exhibition discusses Barbie’s fashion and accessories, including lightweight fabric samples and information about the sewing patterns for her outfits over the years. The section labelled ‘Head and Hair’ looks closely at 3-dimensional moulds of the doll’s head, with a display containing several different Barbie heads with varying skin tones, eye shapes and face lengths. It also showcases the difference these small decisions make to the doll’s look and identity.
-min.jpeg)
The glass display also contains hair samples for Barbie’s hair; made from synthetic saran fibre, the hair is implanted into the doll’s head by a machine designed specifically for that purpose. To design the prototype, the make-up is also hand-painted onto multiple models with varying designs. Finally, the selected prototypes are then mass-produced with the stamping method replicating makeup techniques onto each Barbie’s face. This entire process is said to take almost eighteen months from the beginning of the concept to its launch. This section elaborates on these processes through multiple displays of Barbie’s face moulds, hair and make-up as well as films about hair rooting, 3D sculpting and face-painting.
The exhibition then slowly moves from ‘Designing the Doll’ to ‘The World of Barbie’, featuring Barbie’s Dreamhouse (1962) which is part of the Design Museum’s collection alongside a list of fun objects from the Barbie universe. This includes the Barbie Townhouse - the 1979 version, which was the first to use photographic backdrops - and the Barbie Dream Pool Playset from 1980. The various Barbies and their equipment utilised in this section, all paint a picture of the era in which they were brought to life. While fun to explore, it is the detail in the creation of the doll that really sets this exhibition apart. The emphasis on the packaging and its aesthetic and functional purpose offers a look into the Barbie prototypes and the many hair samples that Mattel had to go through to create the doll. These ensure that the viewer understands the doll not just as a product with history but as one that has rigorously evolved over the years to satiate the desire in the market for a product that remains reminiscent of Handler’s mission.
-min.jpeg)
Barbie: The Exhibition is showing at The Design Museum until 23rd February 2024.
Celebrating the 65th anniversary of the brand and the iconic toy, the Design Museum brings the focus back to Barbie and the many iterations of her life. Curated by the Design Museum in collaboration with Mattel, this exhibition features over 180 Barbie dolls, including a rare first-edition Barbie from 1959 and the Barbie taken into space by astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti. Ruth Handler, co-founder of Mattel, created Barbie a few years before its debut at the Toy Fair in New York City in 1959, inspired by her daughter Barbara’s play with paper dolls. Handler envisioned a doll that would help ignite the imagination of young girls, motivating them to discover the endless possibilities available to them; this exhibition not only explores the various careers Barbie has had over 65 years but also showcases changes in her shape, facial structure and hair, all reflecting the evolving society around her.
Walking into this exhibition, the viewer is expectedly greeted by a burst of light and dark pink walls and a shiny, neon sign of Barbie’s name. On a plinth, placed in the centre of the room, is also the first ever Barbie, marketed in 1959 as a ‘Teen Age Fashion Model’. This Barbie has a light-blue shadow around her eyes and hair tied back into a ponytail with tiny curls at the forehead and dons a black and white striped swimsuit. Her clothing and accessories fully evoke the 1950s, in particular the famous photograph of Dorian Leigh in black and white swimwear, captured in 1952 by Josey Walker.
In the second room of the exhibition, a video projection showcases the manufacturing process of the very first Barbie dolls. Filmed in a factory in Japan, it highlights the skilled hands behind the creation of the original design, from sewing Barbie’s tiny clothes to assembling Barbie’s face and applying her makeup. The 52-minute film, shot by Elliot Handler, co-founder of Mattel and provided by the company specifically for this exhibition, offers a detailed snapshot into the intricate creation of the dolls, from the initial concept to the meticulous process of sewing each strand of hair onto Barbie’s head. While the footage is almost an hour long, the wooden bench in front of it is frequently used by viewers, intrigued by the interesting process of creating the doll. Watching each garment being sewn also showcases the initial product that was designed with intention and care. The footage also features a new technique called rotational moulding that allows for a higher level of detail in the production of plastic products, further capturing the evolution of such technology.
Over the next few sections, the exhibition discusses Barbie’s fashion and accessories, including lightweight fabric samples and information about the sewing patterns for her outfits over the years. The section labelled ‘Head and Hair’ looks closely at 3-dimensional moulds of the doll’s head, with a display containing several different Barbie heads with varying skin tones, eye shapes and face lengths. It also showcases the difference these small decisions make to the doll’s look and identity.
The glass display also contains hair samples for Barbie’s hair; made from synthetic saran fibre, the hair is implanted into the doll’s head by a machine designed specifically for that purpose. To design the prototype, the make-up is also hand-painted onto multiple models with varying designs. Finally, the selected prototypes are then mass-produced with the stamping method replicating makeup techniques onto each Barbie’s face. This entire process is said to take almost eighteen months from the beginning of the concept to its launch. This section elaborates on these processes through multiple displays of Barbie’s face moulds, hair and make-up as well as films about hair rooting, 3D sculpting and face-painting.
The exhibition then slowly moves from ‘Designing the Doll’ to ‘The World of Barbie’, featuring Barbie’s Dreamhouse (1962) which is part of the Design Museum’s collection alongside a list of fun objects from the Barbie universe. This includes the Barbie Townhouse - the 1979 version, which was the first to use photographic backdrops - and the Barbie Dream Pool Playset from 1980. The various Barbies and their equipment utilised in this section, all paint a picture of the era in which they were brought to life. While fun to explore, it is the detail in the creation of the doll that really sets this exhibition apart. The emphasis on the packaging and its aesthetic and functional purpose offers a look into the Barbie prototypes and the many hair samples that Mattel had to go through to create the doll. These ensure that the viewer understands the doll not just as a product with history but as one that has rigorously evolved over the years to satiate the desire in the market for a product that remains reminiscent of Handler’s mission.
Barbie: The Exhibition is showing at The Design Museum until 23rd February 2024.
Celebrating the 65th anniversary of the brand and the iconic toy, the Design Museum brings the focus back to Barbie and the many iterations of her life. Curated by the Design Museum in collaboration with Mattel, this exhibition features over 180 Barbie dolls, including a rare first-edition Barbie from 1959 and the Barbie taken into space by astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti. Ruth Handler, co-founder of Mattel, created Barbie a few years before its debut at the Toy Fair in New York City in 1959, inspired by her daughter Barbara’s play with paper dolls. Handler envisioned a doll that would help ignite the imagination of young girls, motivating them to discover the endless possibilities available to them; this exhibition not only explores the various careers Barbie has had over 65 years but also showcases changes in her shape, facial structure and hair, all reflecting the evolving society around her.
Walking into this exhibition, the viewer is expectedly greeted by a burst of light and dark pink walls and a shiny, neon sign of Barbie’s name. On a plinth, placed in the centre of the room, is also the first ever Barbie, marketed in 1959 as a ‘Teen Age Fashion Model’. This Barbie has a light-blue shadow around her eyes and hair tied back into a ponytail with tiny curls at the forehead and dons a black and white striped swimsuit. Her clothing and accessories fully evoke the 1950s, in particular the famous photograph of Dorian Leigh in black and white swimwear, captured in 1952 by Josey Walker.
In the second room of the exhibition, a video projection showcases the manufacturing process of the very first Barbie dolls. Filmed in a factory in Japan, it highlights the skilled hands behind the creation of the original design, from sewing Barbie’s tiny clothes to assembling Barbie’s face and applying her makeup. The 52-minute film, shot by Elliot Handler, co-founder of Mattel and provided by the company specifically for this exhibition, offers a detailed snapshot into the intricate creation of the dolls, from the initial concept to the meticulous process of sewing each strand of hair onto Barbie’s head. While the footage is almost an hour long, the wooden bench in front of it is frequently used by viewers, intrigued by the interesting process of creating the doll. Watching each garment being sewn also showcases the initial product that was designed with intention and care. The footage also features a new technique called rotational moulding that allows for a higher level of detail in the production of plastic products, further capturing the evolution of such technology.
Over the next few sections, the exhibition discusses Barbie’s fashion and accessories, including lightweight fabric samples and information about the sewing patterns for her outfits over the years. The section labelled ‘Head and Hair’ looks closely at 3-dimensional moulds of the doll’s head, with a display containing several different Barbie heads with varying skin tones, eye shapes and face lengths. It also showcases the difference these small decisions make to the doll’s look and identity.
The glass display also contains hair samples for Barbie’s hair; made from synthetic saran fibre, the hair is implanted into the doll’s head by a machine designed specifically for that purpose. To design the prototype, the make-up is also hand-painted onto multiple models with varying designs. Finally, the selected prototypes are then mass-produced with the stamping method replicating makeup techniques onto each Barbie’s face. This entire process is said to take almost eighteen months from the beginning of the concept to its launch. This section elaborates on these processes through multiple displays of Barbie’s face moulds, hair and make-up as well as films about hair rooting, 3D sculpting and face-painting.
The exhibition then slowly moves from ‘Designing the Doll’ to ‘The World of Barbie’, featuring Barbie’s Dreamhouse (1962) which is part of the Design Museum’s collection alongside a list of fun objects from the Barbie universe. This includes the Barbie Townhouse - the 1979 version, which was the first to use photographic backdrops - and the Barbie Dream Pool Playset from 1980. The various Barbies and their equipment utilised in this section, all paint a picture of the era in which they were brought to life. While fun to explore, it is the detail in the creation of the doll that really sets this exhibition apart. The emphasis on the packaging and its aesthetic and functional purpose offers a look into the Barbie prototypes and the many hair samples that Mattel had to go through to create the doll. These ensure that the viewer understands the doll not just as a product with history but as one that has rigorously evolved over the years to satiate the desire in the market for a product that remains reminiscent of Handler’s mission.
Barbie: The Exhibition is showing at The Design Museum until 23rd February 2024.
Celebrating the 65th anniversary of the brand and the iconic toy, the Design Museum brings the focus back to Barbie and the many iterations of her life. Curated by the Design Museum in collaboration with Mattel, this exhibition features over 180 Barbie dolls, including a rare first-edition Barbie from 1959 and the Barbie taken into space by astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti. Ruth Handler, co-founder of Mattel, created Barbie a few years before its debut at the Toy Fair in New York City in 1959, inspired by her daughter Barbara’s play with paper dolls. Handler envisioned a doll that would help ignite the imagination of young girls, motivating them to discover the endless possibilities available to them; this exhibition not only explores the various careers Barbie has had over 65 years but also showcases changes in her shape, facial structure and hair, all reflecting the evolving society around her.
Walking into this exhibition, the viewer is expectedly greeted by a burst of light and dark pink walls and a shiny, neon sign of Barbie’s name. On a plinth, placed in the centre of the room, is also the first ever Barbie, marketed in 1959 as a ‘Teen Age Fashion Model’. This Barbie has a light-blue shadow around her eyes and hair tied back into a ponytail with tiny curls at the forehead and dons a black and white striped swimsuit. Her clothing and accessories fully evoke the 1950s, in particular the famous photograph of Dorian Leigh in black and white swimwear, captured in 1952 by Josey Walker.
In the second room of the exhibition, a video projection showcases the manufacturing process of the very first Barbie dolls. Filmed in a factory in Japan, it highlights the skilled hands behind the creation of the original design, from sewing Barbie’s tiny clothes to assembling Barbie’s face and applying her makeup. The 52-minute film, shot by Elliot Handler, co-founder of Mattel and provided by the company specifically for this exhibition, offers a detailed snapshot into the intricate creation of the dolls, from the initial concept to the meticulous process of sewing each strand of hair onto Barbie’s head. While the footage is almost an hour long, the wooden bench in front of it is frequently used by viewers, intrigued by the interesting process of creating the doll. Watching each garment being sewn also showcases the initial product that was designed with intention and care. The footage also features a new technique called rotational moulding that allows for a higher level of detail in the production of plastic products, further capturing the evolution of such technology.
Over the next few sections, the exhibition discusses Barbie’s fashion and accessories, including lightweight fabric samples and information about the sewing patterns for her outfits over the years. The section labelled ‘Head and Hair’ looks closely at 3-dimensional moulds of the doll’s head, with a display containing several different Barbie heads with varying skin tones, eye shapes and face lengths. It also showcases the difference these small decisions make to the doll’s look and identity.
The glass display also contains hair samples for Barbie’s hair; made from synthetic saran fibre, the hair is implanted into the doll’s head by a machine designed specifically for that purpose. To design the prototype, the make-up is also hand-painted onto multiple models with varying designs. Finally, the selected prototypes are then mass-produced with the stamping method replicating makeup techniques onto each Barbie’s face. This entire process is said to take almost eighteen months from the beginning of the concept to its launch. This section elaborates on these processes through multiple displays of Barbie’s face moulds, hair and make-up as well as films about hair rooting, 3D sculpting and face-painting.
The exhibition then slowly moves from ‘Designing the Doll’ to ‘The World of Barbie’, featuring Barbie’s Dreamhouse (1962) which is part of the Design Museum’s collection alongside a list of fun objects from the Barbie universe. This includes the Barbie Townhouse - the 1979 version, which was the first to use photographic backdrops - and the Barbie Dream Pool Playset from 1980. The various Barbies and their equipment utilised in this section, all paint a picture of the era in which they were brought to life. While fun to explore, it is the detail in the creation of the doll that really sets this exhibition apart. The emphasis on the packaging and its aesthetic and functional purpose offers a look into the Barbie prototypes and the many hair samples that Mattel had to go through to create the doll. These ensure that the viewer understands the doll not just as a product with history but as one that has rigorously evolved over the years to satiate the desire in the market for a product that remains reminiscent of Handler’s mission.
Barbie: The Exhibition is showing at The Design Museum until 23rd February 2024.
Celebrating the 65th anniversary of the brand and the iconic toy, the Design Museum brings the focus back to Barbie and the many iterations of her life. Curated by the Design Museum in collaboration with Mattel, this exhibition features over 180 Barbie dolls, including a rare first-edition Barbie from 1959 and the Barbie taken into space by astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti. Ruth Handler, co-founder of Mattel, created Barbie a few years before its debut at the Toy Fair in New York City in 1959, inspired by her daughter Barbara’s play with paper dolls. Handler envisioned a doll that would help ignite the imagination of young girls, motivating them to discover the endless possibilities available to them; this exhibition not only explores the various careers Barbie has had over 65 years but also showcases changes in her shape, facial structure and hair, all reflecting the evolving society around her.
Walking into this exhibition, the viewer is expectedly greeted by a burst of light and dark pink walls and a shiny, neon sign of Barbie’s name. On a plinth, placed in the centre of the room, is also the first ever Barbie, marketed in 1959 as a ‘Teen Age Fashion Model’. This Barbie has a light-blue shadow around her eyes and hair tied back into a ponytail with tiny curls at the forehead and dons a black and white striped swimsuit. Her clothing and accessories fully evoke the 1950s, in particular the famous photograph of Dorian Leigh in black and white swimwear, captured in 1952 by Josey Walker.
In the second room of the exhibition, a video projection showcases the manufacturing process of the very first Barbie dolls. Filmed in a factory in Japan, it highlights the skilled hands behind the creation of the original design, from sewing Barbie’s tiny clothes to assembling Barbie’s face and applying her makeup. The 52-minute film, shot by Elliot Handler, co-founder of Mattel and provided by the company specifically for this exhibition, offers a detailed snapshot into the intricate creation of the dolls, from the initial concept to the meticulous process of sewing each strand of hair onto Barbie’s head. While the footage is almost an hour long, the wooden bench in front of it is frequently used by viewers, intrigued by the interesting process of creating the doll. Watching each garment being sewn also showcases the initial product that was designed with intention and care. The footage also features a new technique called rotational moulding that allows for a higher level of detail in the production of plastic products, further capturing the evolution of such technology.
Over the next few sections, the exhibition discusses Barbie’s fashion and accessories, including lightweight fabric samples and information about the sewing patterns for her outfits over the years. The section labelled ‘Head and Hair’ looks closely at 3-dimensional moulds of the doll’s head, with a display containing several different Barbie heads with varying skin tones, eye shapes and face lengths. It also showcases the difference these small decisions make to the doll’s look and identity.
The glass display also contains hair samples for Barbie’s hair; made from synthetic saran fibre, the hair is implanted into the doll’s head by a machine designed specifically for that purpose. To design the prototype, the make-up is also hand-painted onto multiple models with varying designs. Finally, the selected prototypes are then mass-produced with the stamping method replicating makeup techniques onto each Barbie’s face. This entire process is said to take almost eighteen months from the beginning of the concept to its launch. This section elaborates on these processes through multiple displays of Barbie’s face moulds, hair and make-up as well as films about hair rooting, 3D sculpting and face-painting.
The exhibition then slowly moves from ‘Designing the Doll’ to ‘The World of Barbie’, featuring Barbie’s Dreamhouse (1962) which is part of the Design Museum’s collection alongside a list of fun objects from the Barbie universe. This includes the Barbie Townhouse - the 1979 version, which was the first to use photographic backdrops - and the Barbie Dream Pool Playset from 1980. The various Barbies and their equipment utilised in this section, all paint a picture of the era in which they were brought to life. While fun to explore, it is the detail in the creation of the doll that really sets this exhibition apart. The emphasis on the packaging and its aesthetic and functional purpose offers a look into the Barbie prototypes and the many hair samples that Mattel had to go through to create the doll. These ensure that the viewer understands the doll not just as a product with history but as one that has rigorously evolved over the years to satiate the desire in the market for a product that remains reminiscent of Handler’s mission.
Barbie: The Exhibition is showing at The Design Museum until 23rd February 2024.
Celebrating the 65th anniversary of the brand and the iconic toy, the Design Museum brings the focus back to Barbie and the many iterations of her life. Curated by the Design Museum in collaboration with Mattel, this exhibition features over 180 Barbie dolls, including a rare first-edition Barbie from 1959 and the Barbie taken into space by astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti. Ruth Handler, co-founder of Mattel, created Barbie a few years before its debut at the Toy Fair in New York City in 1959, inspired by her daughter Barbara’s play with paper dolls. Handler envisioned a doll that would help ignite the imagination of young girls, motivating them to discover the endless possibilities available to them; this exhibition not only explores the various careers Barbie has had over 65 years but also showcases changes in her shape, facial structure and hair, all reflecting the evolving society around her.
Walking into this exhibition, the viewer is expectedly greeted by a burst of light and dark pink walls and a shiny, neon sign of Barbie’s name. On a plinth, placed in the centre of the room, is also the first ever Barbie, marketed in 1959 as a ‘Teen Age Fashion Model’. This Barbie has a light-blue shadow around her eyes and hair tied back into a ponytail with tiny curls at the forehead and dons a black and white striped swimsuit. Her clothing and accessories fully evoke the 1950s, in particular the famous photograph of Dorian Leigh in black and white swimwear, captured in 1952 by Josey Walker.
In the second room of the exhibition, a video projection showcases the manufacturing process of the very first Barbie dolls. Filmed in a factory in Japan, it highlights the skilled hands behind the creation of the original design, from sewing Barbie’s tiny clothes to assembling Barbie’s face and applying her makeup. The 52-minute film, shot by Elliot Handler, co-founder of Mattel and provided by the company specifically for this exhibition, offers a detailed snapshot into the intricate creation of the dolls, from the initial concept to the meticulous process of sewing each strand of hair onto Barbie’s head. While the footage is almost an hour long, the wooden bench in front of it is frequently used by viewers, intrigued by the interesting process of creating the doll. Watching each garment being sewn also showcases the initial product that was designed with intention and care. The footage also features a new technique called rotational moulding that allows for a higher level of detail in the production of plastic products, further capturing the evolution of such technology.
Over the next few sections, the exhibition discusses Barbie’s fashion and accessories, including lightweight fabric samples and information about the sewing patterns for her outfits over the years. The section labelled ‘Head and Hair’ looks closely at 3-dimensional moulds of the doll’s head, with a display containing several different Barbie heads with varying skin tones, eye shapes and face lengths. It also showcases the difference these small decisions make to the doll’s look and identity.
The glass display also contains hair samples for Barbie’s hair; made from synthetic saran fibre, the hair is implanted into the doll’s head by a machine designed specifically for that purpose. To design the prototype, the make-up is also hand-painted onto multiple models with varying designs. Finally, the selected prototypes are then mass-produced with the stamping method replicating makeup techniques onto each Barbie’s face. This entire process is said to take almost eighteen months from the beginning of the concept to its launch. This section elaborates on these processes through multiple displays of Barbie’s face moulds, hair and make-up as well as films about hair rooting, 3D sculpting and face-painting.
The exhibition then slowly moves from ‘Designing the Doll’ to ‘The World of Barbie’, featuring Barbie’s Dreamhouse (1962) which is part of the Design Museum’s collection alongside a list of fun objects from the Barbie universe. This includes the Barbie Townhouse - the 1979 version, which was the first to use photographic backdrops - and the Barbie Dream Pool Playset from 1980. The various Barbies and their equipment utilised in this section, all paint a picture of the era in which they were brought to life. While fun to explore, it is the detail in the creation of the doll that really sets this exhibition apart. The emphasis on the packaging and its aesthetic and functional purpose offers a look into the Barbie prototypes and the many hair samples that Mattel had to go through to create the doll. These ensure that the viewer understands the doll not just as a product with history but as one that has rigorously evolved over the years to satiate the desire in the market for a product that remains reminiscent of Handler’s mission.
Barbie: The Exhibition is showing at The Design Museum until 23rd February 2024.
Celebrating the 65th anniversary of the brand and the iconic toy, the Design Museum brings the focus back to Barbie and the many iterations of her life. Curated by the Design Museum in collaboration with Mattel, this exhibition features over 180 Barbie dolls, including a rare first-edition Barbie from 1959 and the Barbie taken into space by astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti. Ruth Handler, co-founder of Mattel, created Barbie a few years before its debut at the Toy Fair in New York City in 1959, inspired by her daughter Barbara’s play with paper dolls. Handler envisioned a doll that would help ignite the imagination of young girls, motivating them to discover the endless possibilities available to them; this exhibition not only explores the various careers Barbie has had over 65 years but also showcases changes in her shape, facial structure and hair, all reflecting the evolving society around her.
Walking into this exhibition, the viewer is expectedly greeted by a burst of light and dark pink walls and a shiny, neon sign of Barbie’s name. On a plinth, placed in the centre of the room, is also the first ever Barbie, marketed in 1959 as a ‘Teen Age Fashion Model’. This Barbie has a light-blue shadow around her eyes and hair tied back into a ponytail with tiny curls at the forehead and dons a black and white striped swimsuit. Her clothing and accessories fully evoke the 1950s, in particular the famous photograph of Dorian Leigh in black and white swimwear, captured in 1952 by Josey Walker.
In the second room of the exhibition, a video projection showcases the manufacturing process of the very first Barbie dolls. Filmed in a factory in Japan, it highlights the skilled hands behind the creation of the original design, from sewing Barbie’s tiny clothes to assembling Barbie’s face and applying her makeup. The 52-minute film, shot by Elliot Handler, co-founder of Mattel and provided by the company specifically for this exhibition, offers a detailed snapshot into the intricate creation of the dolls, from the initial concept to the meticulous process of sewing each strand of hair onto Barbie’s head. While the footage is almost an hour long, the wooden bench in front of it is frequently used by viewers, intrigued by the interesting process of creating the doll. Watching each garment being sewn also showcases the initial product that was designed with intention and care. The footage also features a new technique called rotational moulding that allows for a higher level of detail in the production of plastic products, further capturing the evolution of such technology.
Over the next few sections, the exhibition discusses Barbie’s fashion and accessories, including lightweight fabric samples and information about the sewing patterns for her outfits over the years. The section labelled ‘Head and Hair’ looks closely at 3-dimensional moulds of the doll’s head, with a display containing several different Barbie heads with varying skin tones, eye shapes and face lengths. It also showcases the difference these small decisions make to the doll’s look and identity.
The glass display also contains hair samples for Barbie’s hair; made from synthetic saran fibre, the hair is implanted into the doll’s head by a machine designed specifically for that purpose. To design the prototype, the make-up is also hand-painted onto multiple models with varying designs. Finally, the selected prototypes are then mass-produced with the stamping method replicating makeup techniques onto each Barbie’s face. This entire process is said to take almost eighteen months from the beginning of the concept to its launch. This section elaborates on these processes through multiple displays of Barbie’s face moulds, hair and make-up as well as films about hair rooting, 3D sculpting and face-painting.
The exhibition then slowly moves from ‘Designing the Doll’ to ‘The World of Barbie’, featuring Barbie’s Dreamhouse (1962) which is part of the Design Museum’s collection alongside a list of fun objects from the Barbie universe. This includes the Barbie Townhouse - the 1979 version, which was the first to use photographic backdrops - and the Barbie Dream Pool Playset from 1980. The various Barbies and their equipment utilised in this section, all paint a picture of the era in which they were brought to life. While fun to explore, it is the detail in the creation of the doll that really sets this exhibition apart. The emphasis on the packaging and its aesthetic and functional purpose offers a look into the Barbie prototypes and the many hair samples that Mattel had to go through to create the doll. These ensure that the viewer understands the doll not just as a product with history but as one that has rigorously evolved over the years to satiate the desire in the market for a product that remains reminiscent of Handler’s mission.
Barbie: The Exhibition is showing at The Design Museum until 23rd February 2024.
Celebrating the 65th anniversary of the brand and the iconic toy, the Design Museum brings the focus back to Barbie and the many iterations of her life. Curated by the Design Museum in collaboration with Mattel, this exhibition features over 180 Barbie dolls, including a rare first-edition Barbie from 1959 and the Barbie taken into space by astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti. Ruth Handler, co-founder of Mattel, created Barbie a few years before its debut at the Toy Fair in New York City in 1959, inspired by her daughter Barbara’s play with paper dolls. Handler envisioned a doll that would help ignite the imagination of young girls, motivating them to discover the endless possibilities available to them; this exhibition not only explores the various careers Barbie has had over 65 years but also showcases changes in her shape, facial structure and hair, all reflecting the evolving society around her.
Walking into this exhibition, the viewer is expectedly greeted by a burst of light and dark pink walls and a shiny, neon sign of Barbie’s name. On a plinth, placed in the centre of the room, is also the first ever Barbie, marketed in 1959 as a ‘Teen Age Fashion Model’. This Barbie has a light-blue shadow around her eyes and hair tied back into a ponytail with tiny curls at the forehead and dons a black and white striped swimsuit. Her clothing and accessories fully evoke the 1950s, in particular the famous photograph of Dorian Leigh in black and white swimwear, captured in 1952 by Josey Walker.
In the second room of the exhibition, a video projection showcases the manufacturing process of the very first Barbie dolls. Filmed in a factory in Japan, it highlights the skilled hands behind the creation of the original design, from sewing Barbie’s tiny clothes to assembling Barbie’s face and applying her makeup. The 52-minute film, shot by Elliot Handler, co-founder of Mattel and provided by the company specifically for this exhibition, offers a detailed snapshot into the intricate creation of the dolls, from the initial concept to the meticulous process of sewing each strand of hair onto Barbie’s head. While the footage is almost an hour long, the wooden bench in front of it is frequently used by viewers, intrigued by the interesting process of creating the doll. Watching each garment being sewn also showcases the initial product that was designed with intention and care. The footage also features a new technique called rotational moulding that allows for a higher level of detail in the production of plastic products, further capturing the evolution of such technology.
Over the next few sections, the exhibition discusses Barbie’s fashion and accessories, including lightweight fabric samples and information about the sewing patterns for her outfits over the years. The section labelled ‘Head and Hair’ looks closely at 3-dimensional moulds of the doll’s head, with a display containing several different Barbie heads with varying skin tones, eye shapes and face lengths. It also showcases the difference these small decisions make to the doll’s look and identity.
The glass display also contains hair samples for Barbie’s hair; made from synthetic saran fibre, the hair is implanted into the doll’s head by a machine designed specifically for that purpose. To design the prototype, the make-up is also hand-painted onto multiple models with varying designs. Finally, the selected prototypes are then mass-produced with the stamping method replicating makeup techniques onto each Barbie’s face. This entire process is said to take almost eighteen months from the beginning of the concept to its launch. This section elaborates on these processes through multiple displays of Barbie’s face moulds, hair and make-up as well as films about hair rooting, 3D sculpting and face-painting.
The exhibition then slowly moves from ‘Designing the Doll’ to ‘The World of Barbie’, featuring Barbie’s Dreamhouse (1962) which is part of the Design Museum’s collection alongside a list of fun objects from the Barbie universe. This includes the Barbie Townhouse - the 1979 version, which was the first to use photographic backdrops - and the Barbie Dream Pool Playset from 1980. The various Barbies and their equipment utilised in this section, all paint a picture of the era in which they were brought to life. While fun to explore, it is the detail in the creation of the doll that really sets this exhibition apart. The emphasis on the packaging and its aesthetic and functional purpose offers a look into the Barbie prototypes and the many hair samples that Mattel had to go through to create the doll. These ensure that the viewer understands the doll not just as a product with history but as one that has rigorously evolved over the years to satiate the desire in the market for a product that remains reminiscent of Handler’s mission.
Barbie: The Exhibition is showing at The Design Museum until 23rd February 2024.
Celebrating the 65th anniversary of the brand and the iconic toy, the Design Museum brings the focus back to Barbie and the many iterations of her life. Curated by the Design Museum in collaboration with Mattel, this exhibition features over 180 Barbie dolls, including a rare first-edition Barbie from 1959 and the Barbie taken into space by astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti. Ruth Handler, co-founder of Mattel, created Barbie a few years before its debut at the Toy Fair in New York City in 1959, inspired by her daughter Barbara’s play with paper dolls. Handler envisioned a doll that would help ignite the imagination of young girls, motivating them to discover the endless possibilities available to them; this exhibition not only explores the various careers Barbie has had over 65 years but also showcases changes in her shape, facial structure and hair, all reflecting the evolving society around her.
Walking into this exhibition, the viewer is expectedly greeted by a burst of light and dark pink walls and a shiny, neon sign of Barbie’s name. On a plinth, placed in the centre of the room, is also the first ever Barbie, marketed in 1959 as a ‘Teen Age Fashion Model’. This Barbie has a light-blue shadow around her eyes and hair tied back into a ponytail with tiny curls at the forehead and dons a black and white striped swimsuit. Her clothing and accessories fully evoke the 1950s, in particular the famous photograph of Dorian Leigh in black and white swimwear, captured in 1952 by Josey Walker.
In the second room of the exhibition, a video projection showcases the manufacturing process of the very first Barbie dolls. Filmed in a factory in Japan, it highlights the skilled hands behind the creation of the original design, from sewing Barbie’s tiny clothes to assembling Barbie’s face and applying her makeup. The 52-minute film, shot by Elliot Handler, co-founder of Mattel and provided by the company specifically for this exhibition, offers a detailed snapshot into the intricate creation of the dolls, from the initial concept to the meticulous process of sewing each strand of hair onto Barbie’s head. While the footage is almost an hour long, the wooden bench in front of it is frequently used by viewers, intrigued by the interesting process of creating the doll. Watching each garment being sewn also showcases the initial product that was designed with intention and care. The footage also features a new technique called rotational moulding that allows for a higher level of detail in the production of plastic products, further capturing the evolution of such technology.
Over the next few sections, the exhibition discusses Barbie’s fashion and accessories, including lightweight fabric samples and information about the sewing patterns for her outfits over the years. The section labelled ‘Head and Hair’ looks closely at 3-dimensional moulds of the doll’s head, with a display containing several different Barbie heads with varying skin tones, eye shapes and face lengths. It also showcases the difference these small decisions make to the doll’s look and identity.
The glass display also contains hair samples for Barbie’s hair; made from synthetic saran fibre, the hair is implanted into the doll’s head by a machine designed specifically for that purpose. To design the prototype, the make-up is also hand-painted onto multiple models with varying designs. Finally, the selected prototypes are then mass-produced with the stamping method replicating makeup techniques onto each Barbie’s face. This entire process is said to take almost eighteen months from the beginning of the concept to its launch. This section elaborates on these processes through multiple displays of Barbie’s face moulds, hair and make-up as well as films about hair rooting, 3D sculpting and face-painting.
The exhibition then slowly moves from ‘Designing the Doll’ to ‘The World of Barbie’, featuring Barbie’s Dreamhouse (1962) which is part of the Design Museum’s collection alongside a list of fun objects from the Barbie universe. This includes the Barbie Townhouse - the 1979 version, which was the first to use photographic backdrops - and the Barbie Dream Pool Playset from 1980. The various Barbies and their equipment utilised in this section, all paint a picture of the era in which they were brought to life. While fun to explore, it is the detail in the creation of the doll that really sets this exhibition apart. The emphasis on the packaging and its aesthetic and functional purpose offers a look into the Barbie prototypes and the many hair samples that Mattel had to go through to create the doll. These ensure that the viewer understands the doll not just as a product with history but as one that has rigorously evolved over the years to satiate the desire in the market for a product that remains reminiscent of Handler’s mission.
Barbie: The Exhibition is showing at The Design Museum until 23rd February 2024.
Celebrating the 65th anniversary of the brand and the iconic toy, the Design Museum brings the focus back to Barbie and the many iterations of her life. Curated by the Design Museum in collaboration with Mattel, this exhibition features over 180 Barbie dolls, including a rare first-edition Barbie from 1959 and the Barbie taken into space by astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti. Ruth Handler, co-founder of Mattel, created Barbie a few years before its debut at the Toy Fair in New York City in 1959, inspired by her daughter Barbara’s play with paper dolls. Handler envisioned a doll that would help ignite the imagination of young girls, motivating them to discover the endless possibilities available to them; this exhibition not only explores the various careers Barbie has had over 65 years but also showcases changes in her shape, facial structure and hair, all reflecting the evolving society around her.
Walking into this exhibition, the viewer is expectedly greeted by a burst of light and dark pink walls and a shiny, neon sign of Barbie’s name. On a plinth, placed in the centre of the room, is also the first ever Barbie, marketed in 1959 as a ‘Teen Age Fashion Model’. This Barbie has a light-blue shadow around her eyes and hair tied back into a ponytail with tiny curls at the forehead and dons a black and white striped swimsuit. Her clothing and accessories fully evoke the 1950s, in particular the famous photograph of Dorian Leigh in black and white swimwear, captured in 1952 by Josey Walker.
In the second room of the exhibition, a video projection showcases the manufacturing process of the very first Barbie dolls. Filmed in a factory in Japan, it highlights the skilled hands behind the creation of the original design, from sewing Barbie’s tiny clothes to assembling Barbie’s face and applying her makeup. The 52-minute film, shot by Elliot Handler, co-founder of Mattel and provided by the company specifically for this exhibition, offers a detailed snapshot into the intricate creation of the dolls, from the initial concept to the meticulous process of sewing each strand of hair onto Barbie’s head. While the footage is almost an hour long, the wooden bench in front of it is frequently used by viewers, intrigued by the interesting process of creating the doll. Watching each garment being sewn also showcases the initial product that was designed with intention and care. The footage also features a new technique called rotational moulding that allows for a higher level of detail in the production of plastic products, further capturing the evolution of such technology.
Over the next few sections, the exhibition discusses Barbie’s fashion and accessories, including lightweight fabric samples and information about the sewing patterns for her outfits over the years. The section labelled ‘Head and Hair’ looks closely at 3-dimensional moulds of the doll’s head, with a display containing several different Barbie heads with varying skin tones, eye shapes and face lengths. It also showcases the difference these small decisions make to the doll’s look and identity.
The glass display also contains hair samples for Barbie’s hair; made from synthetic saran fibre, the hair is implanted into the doll’s head by a machine designed specifically for that purpose. To design the prototype, the make-up is also hand-painted onto multiple models with varying designs. Finally, the selected prototypes are then mass-produced with the stamping method replicating makeup techniques onto each Barbie’s face. This entire process is said to take almost eighteen months from the beginning of the concept to its launch. This section elaborates on these processes through multiple displays of Barbie’s face moulds, hair and make-up as well as films about hair rooting, 3D sculpting and face-painting.
The exhibition then slowly moves from ‘Designing the Doll’ to ‘The World of Barbie’, featuring Barbie’s Dreamhouse (1962) which is part of the Design Museum’s collection alongside a list of fun objects from the Barbie universe. This includes the Barbie Townhouse - the 1979 version, which was the first to use photographic backdrops - and the Barbie Dream Pool Playset from 1980. The various Barbies and their equipment utilised in this section, all paint a picture of the era in which they were brought to life. While fun to explore, it is the detail in the creation of the doll that really sets this exhibition apart. The emphasis on the packaging and its aesthetic and functional purpose offers a look into the Barbie prototypes and the many hair samples that Mattel had to go through to create the doll. These ensure that the viewer understands the doll not just as a product with history but as one that has rigorously evolved over the years to satiate the desire in the market for a product that remains reminiscent of Handler’s mission.
Barbie: The Exhibition is showing at The Design Museum until 23rd February 2024.
Celebrating the 65th anniversary of the brand and the iconic toy, the Design Museum brings the focus back to Barbie and the many iterations of her life. Curated by the Design Museum in collaboration with Mattel, this exhibition features over 180 Barbie dolls, including a rare first-edition Barbie from 1959 and the Barbie taken into space by astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti. Ruth Handler, co-founder of Mattel, created Barbie a few years before its debut at the Toy Fair in New York City in 1959, inspired by her daughter Barbara’s play with paper dolls. Handler envisioned a doll that would help ignite the imagination of young girls, motivating them to discover the endless possibilities available to them; this exhibition not only explores the various careers Barbie has had over 65 years but also showcases changes in her shape, facial structure and hair, all reflecting the evolving society around her.
Walking into this exhibition, the viewer is expectedly greeted by a burst of light and dark pink walls and a shiny, neon sign of Barbie’s name. On a plinth, placed in the centre of the room, is also the first ever Barbie, marketed in 1959 as a ‘Teen Age Fashion Model’. This Barbie has a light-blue shadow around her eyes and hair tied back into a ponytail with tiny curls at the forehead and dons a black and white striped swimsuit. Her clothing and accessories fully evoke the 1950s, in particular the famous photograph of Dorian Leigh in black and white swimwear, captured in 1952 by Josey Walker.
In the second room of the exhibition, a video projection showcases the manufacturing process of the very first Barbie dolls. Filmed in a factory in Japan, it highlights the skilled hands behind the creation of the original design, from sewing Barbie’s tiny clothes to assembling Barbie’s face and applying her makeup. The 52-minute film, shot by Elliot Handler, co-founder of Mattel and provided by the company specifically for this exhibition, offers a detailed snapshot into the intricate creation of the dolls, from the initial concept to the meticulous process of sewing each strand of hair onto Barbie’s head. While the footage is almost an hour long, the wooden bench in front of it is frequently used by viewers, intrigued by the interesting process of creating the doll. Watching each garment being sewn also showcases the initial product that was designed with intention and care. The footage also features a new technique called rotational moulding that allows for a higher level of detail in the production of plastic products, further capturing the evolution of such technology.
Over the next few sections, the exhibition discusses Barbie’s fashion and accessories, including lightweight fabric samples and information about the sewing patterns for her outfits over the years. The section labelled ‘Head and Hair’ looks closely at 3-dimensional moulds of the doll’s head, with a display containing several different Barbie heads with varying skin tones, eye shapes and face lengths. It also showcases the difference these small decisions make to the doll’s look and identity.
The glass display also contains hair samples for Barbie’s hair; made from synthetic saran fibre, the hair is implanted into the doll’s head by a machine designed specifically for that purpose. To design the prototype, the make-up is also hand-painted onto multiple models with varying designs. Finally, the selected prototypes are then mass-produced with the stamping method replicating makeup techniques onto each Barbie’s face. This entire process is said to take almost eighteen months from the beginning of the concept to its launch. This section elaborates on these processes through multiple displays of Barbie’s face moulds, hair and make-up as well as films about hair rooting, 3D sculpting and face-painting.
The exhibition then slowly moves from ‘Designing the Doll’ to ‘The World of Barbie’, featuring Barbie’s Dreamhouse (1962) which is part of the Design Museum’s collection alongside a list of fun objects from the Barbie universe. This includes the Barbie Townhouse - the 1979 version, which was the first to use photographic backdrops - and the Barbie Dream Pool Playset from 1980. The various Barbies and their equipment utilised in this section, all paint a picture of the era in which they were brought to life. While fun to explore, it is the detail in the creation of the doll that really sets this exhibition apart. The emphasis on the packaging and its aesthetic and functional purpose offers a look into the Barbie prototypes and the many hair samples that Mattel had to go through to create the doll. These ensure that the viewer understands the doll not just as a product with history but as one that has rigorously evolved over the years to satiate the desire in the market for a product that remains reminiscent of Handler’s mission.
Barbie: The Exhibition is showing at The Design Museum until 23rd February 2024.
