You do not need to be a Barbie fan to enjoy the Design Museum’s latest exhibition, which marks the doll’s 65th birthday (she’s looking really good for her age, by the way). This major new show takes a deep dive into the doll’s design evolution, from first launch in 1959 to present day, charting its changing appearance in relation to cultural shifts, as well as its ability to tap into the zeitgeist. On view are more than 250 objects, with highlights including a rare first-edition Barbie, a one-of-a-kind Talking Barbie prototype, the bestselling Totally Hair Barbie, and the Barbie that was taken into space by Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, exhibited in public for the first time ever.
Barbie at the Design Museum
The exhibition was designed by London studio Sam Jacob, which has worked on projects for the likes of the Science Museum, the V&A, RIBA and Somerset House. Like entering a giant Barbie house, the backdrop is bright and bold, in candy pinks, blues and greens. The show opens with a first-edition hand-painted Barbie sporting a black-and-white bathing suit, a model highly-sought-after by collectors. A timeline presents important moments in Barbie’s accomplished life, a round-up that encompasses Oscar de la Renta being the first couturier to design her outfits (in 1985) and being painted by Andy Warhol (in 1986), and there are behind-the-scenes insights into Mattel’s design and production processes.
More than 180 unique dolls are on display, charting Barbie’s evolution in shape, style, innovation, diversity and representation. Highlights include Twist ’n’ Turn Barbie (the waist could be twisted back and forth), Sunset Malibu Barbie, Bead Blast Barbie, and Yves Saint Laurent Barbie (in the designer’s iconic Mondrian dress), while the groundbreaking Day to Night Barbie sports a pink work suit that transforms into a chic evening gown. There are examples of the first Black, Hispanic and Asian dolls to bear the Barbie name, as well as the first Barbie with Down syndrome, the first to use a wheelchair, the first designed with a ‘curvy’ body shape, and pregnant Barbie. And there’s a bit of Kenergy too as one wall charts six decades’ worth of Ken dolls since his introduction in 1961.
The icon of Barbie: 1959 to now
The Barbie doll was launched in 1959, thanks to Ruth Handler, the co-founder and first president of the Mattel toy company, who identified a gap in the market for a doll that resembled a woman rather than a baby. Handler realised that an adult-bodied doll, with a glamorous, ’grown up’ wardrobe, could offer a new and more flexible way for children to play. Its initial popularity took the toy industry by surprise, with more than 300,000 Barbie dolls sold in 1959 alone. But ever-adept at building on its brand visibility, Mattel would continue to evolve the doll to reflect changing cultural landscapes, creating new versions and accessories, and augmenting the toy with merchandise ranging from novels and comic books to thermos flasks and record players.
In 2023, Barbie made it on to Forbes’ list of the world’s most powerful women. Not surprising when you consider that when she launched, in 1959, women couldn’t borrow money from a bank or even open an account without the signature of a husband or father. Barbie, meanwhile, has had more than 260 careers, including architect, surgeon, astronaut and presidential candidate, and a high-end wardrobe reflecting six decades of fashion. She was intended to be a thoroughly modern woman that could both reflect and inspire aspirations, teaching a new generation of girls to aim for a life and career beyond marrying and raising children.
Barbie ‘through a design lens’
Barbie didn’t just have a great wardrobe, she had a great lifestyle too, and the exhibition’s jaw-dropping moment comes as you enter the Barbie universe, filled with her houses, holiday cabins, cars, camper vans, pools, furnishings and more. A rare example of the first ever Dreamhouse, released in 1962, made from cardboard and sporting the distinctly modernist design of the era signals an early loyalty to the Wallpaper* aesthetic, with Barbie clearly influenced by the likes of Florence Knoll and Herman Miller. Later incarnations ramp up the pink, but a recent collaboration with Kartell, reproducing five Philippe Starck chairs in Barbie’s distinctive bubblegum colours, nods to her love of design innovation.
‘This exhibition tells the story of Barbie through a design lens including fashion, architecture, furniture and vehicle design, which are all spaces where she has left a mark on culture during her 65-year career,’ says Kim Culmone, Mattel’s head of doll design. ‘We can’t wait for fans and audiences to experience this exhibition as Barbie continues to spark conversation, creativity and self-expression around the world.’
Which she does, and the final section of the show looks at Barbie’s enduring role as a cultural icon. Billie Eilish sported a life size replica of her 1965 Poodle Parade dress at this year’ Grammys, she’s been on the cover of Time magazine, and she’s been the subject of a box office smash (an original costume worn by Margot Robbie in the film can be seen in the show). So go for a ride in the Design Museum’s Barbie world. It’s fantastic.
Barbie®: The Exhibition is on view at the Design Museum from 5 July 2024 - 23 February 2025
224-238 Kensington High St
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