The Barbie doll is probably the most successful toy franchise in recent centuries. Every second, two Barbie dolls are being sold in over 150 nations around the world. It is currently a billion dollar industry, with interests not only in toys but also in computers, television and even movies. In fact, when placed from head to toe, one after the other, Barbie dolls and other dolls in the series can circle the earth seven times!



Everybody loves them, from little six-year-olds who just love to play dress up to grown-ups, who love to collect these feisty dolls every image. Barbies are the perfect emblem of a woman who has done it all, from being an astronaut to running for president, she has done it all. She has over 80 careers including a paleontologist, a stewardess, a rockstar, a moviestar, and even a military personnel. The military series in fact not only included the army but also the Navy, the Air Force and the Marine Corps. The Pentagon even made sure that the uniforms that will be marketed are authentic and correct. Her first career ever is a teenage fashion model.

Who would have thought that it would be this successful when it was launched in 1959 and sold in the market for just three dollars. That year, the Barbie that wore the now famous black and white striped swimsuit and sported a ponytail sold about 351,000 units. To date, the best-selling Barbie ever is the Totally Hair Barbie, which featured really long hair, from the head to the toes.

Barbie is actually named after the daughter of the Barbie inventor Ruth Handler, Barbara. Her full name is Barbie Millicent Roberts and she comes from a little town in Willows, Wisconsin. She even went to a high school, the Willows High School. She went to college in 1964.

She has five sisters that were one by one introduced in the market, the first one is Skipper in 1964, Tutti, a twin in 1966, Stacie in 1992, Kelly in 1995 and Krissy in 1999. She even has a boyfriend, Ken, which made his debut two years after in 1961. He was named after Mattel founders Ruth and Eliot Handler's son. Barbie is also a pet lover, having so many pets. To date, she has 43 pets, including dogs, cars, parrots, chimpanzee, ponies, lion cub, panda, and a giraffe. Her first pet is a horse named Dancer.

Everywhere in the world, Barbie dolls are being sold by the hundreds. In fact, it is being sold in more than 150 countries around the globe. Every second, two Barbie dolls are being bought, making it one of the most successful toys in the recent centuries.

Barbie Dolls is an industry in its own right. It earns billions of dollars annually with business interests that do not only include toys. Barbie also has video cds, movie titles, computer games, clothes, shoes, accessories and bags. You name a fashion merchandise and they've got it.

But what is it about the Barbie doll that made it click. Even at its debut in 1959 with the now famous black and white striped bathing suit-clad doll, it sold about 351,000 units. It did not take long for the craze to transform to a mania. Everyone just loves Barbie, from little girls to grown-ups who do collecting; from girls to men. In fact, Barbie is second to stamps as the most collected item in the whole world.

What makes it so adorable? Here are some of the reasons.

Mirror of the times

Barbies have been around for centuries and it defined the style, fashion and look of the year it was made. Like people and culture, it is also evolving, showing the current fad and the current way of thinking of that generation. Barbies dolls tell history in its own right, even having dolls that commemorate special events in history like the end of the US-Soviet Union Cold War and the Olympic Games.

There is a Barbie that will define the 70s flower power era and the millennium that came. In a piece of doll is also a piece of history.

Memories of childhood

Having been introduced in the 1950s, Barbie dolls have been around for centuries that most women in the United Stated have probably played with one or two. Seeing Barbie dolls remind people of their childhood days, which they would most likely want to pass on to their own kids.

In fact, some collectors do not only collect the items because of their price value but because of the memories that the dolls evoke. After all, buying a piece that is exactly the same as the one they have played with when they were little kids can be really exciting especially if we have managed to destroy the hair or the clothes by our childish attempts at haircutting and fashion designing.