THE PIRATE BARBIE DOLL

GOES GLAM ON THE HIGH SEAS

For centuries, the quest for fortune, infamy, and adventure have lured men and women alike to a pirate’s life. That quest just got a little more glamorous, thanks to The Pirate Barbie®. This stunning swashbuckler joins a long line of infamous and fabulous females who have all shared a zest for buried treasure and living life off the map on the high seas. Barbie® doll captures this adventurous essence in both edgy and glamorous detail.

The Pirate Barbie® doll wears an exceptionally detailed costume that suits her swashbuckling style. A long striking brocade coat, blue velvet breeches, lacy vest, and ruffled white blouse make this brave lass look like she's already discovered buried fashion treasure. Stylish hat, lace up boots, red bandanna, and a sculpted "sword" add to her allure. Fierce finishing touches include striking face paint and a bold multi-braided hairstyle.

"With pirates being so popular right now, we wanted to create a pirate look for Barbie® that was a little daring while still being glamorous," Sharon told BarbieCollector.com in a recent interview. "It was especially important to work with the hair and face paint teams to collectively create a sophisticated swashbuckler."

Mission accomplished! The Pirate Barbie® doll is available now in the online shop. When you add this daring doll to your collection, you just might discover your own sense of adventure — and maybe some buried treasure!

Taken from : barbiecollector.com

THREE CHEERS FOR DALLAS COWBOYS CHEERLEADERS

Who's the most recognized doll in the world? Barbie®, of course! What about the most legendary cheerleaders in the world? Without a doubt, it's the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. These two exceptionally relevant brands have at long last joined forces to celebrate their timeless appeal with Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Barbie® doll. And because both entities embrace and celebrate multiculturalism, Barbie® Collector has created not one, not two, but three fabulous dolls— a stunning blonde Caucasian, a gorgeous brunette Latina, and a breathtaking African American. Now that's something to cheer about!

Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Barbie® doll represents a passionate pairing between Mattel and the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders organization that's been in the works for some time now. In fact, everyone involved in the project brought their own bit of Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders history to the table. Growing up in Texas, Barbie® Collector’s own Liz Grampp once dreamed of donning the iconic uniform and cheering the Dallas Cowboys to victory. In more recent years, designer Robert Best fell in love with the Texas cheerleaders through their reality TV show Making the Team. Robert became so smitten with the show that late one night inspiration struck and he began sketching his vision. He then shared his ideas with Liz and voilà! - a doll was born.

From the famed blouse, star-spangled vest and belt to the white shorts, cowboy boots, and blue and silver poms, Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Barbie® doll captures the spirit and enthusiasm of the world's most famous cheerleaders.

According to Robert, “These girls really are America's sweetheart. Their sheer athleticism and energy is incredible. This is just one of those projects that was a dream to work on.”

It seems that everyone at Mattel and beyond agrees. According to Liz, “The dolls get a fantastic reaction from anyone who sees them.”

The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders are no exception. Robert and Liz recently traveled to Dallas to unveil the dolls to the entire Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders organization.

“The response was amazing. Everyone was so excited,” Liz recalled.

“There were cheers when the dolls were unveiled,” Robert added. “That's the reason to make a doll. When collector response is good, you know you've done your job. But when you represent a brand and they feel the same way, it's extra special.”

The dolls weren't the only ones who got cheers in Texas. Just as Robert had been a big fan of the cheerleaders' reality show, they too were fans of his from Project Runway. And when reality stars collide, you never know what'll happen. Case in point: you can catch Robert unveiling the dolls in an upcoming episode of Making the Team 2. (Robert confesses it was a dream come true to be on the show!)

The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Barbie® dolls are available now at Walmart.com and Dallas Cowboys Pro Shops. When you add one or more of the dolls to your collection (or even if you give them as a gift), they're sure to bring some added cheer to your holiday season.

doLL VaLue

Like many collectors, you may find yourself wondering what your Barbie® collection is worth. Mattel does not maintain secondary market pricing information, nor do we participate in secondary market trading, buying or selling of older dolls. Collector books, doll magazines, and Internet auction sites are your best bets for determining the value of a particular doll. Remember, this information may vary considerably and fluctuate over time, so it is best to consult a variety of sources. Mattel does not specifically endorse these sources or attest to the accuracy or reliability of any information they may provide.

PRICING SOURCE
Mattel does not guarantee that any product will increase in value. Some dolls increase in value, some depreciate and others remain the same. Countless books have been published about the history and evolution of Barbie® dolls, with some specifically devoted to the hobby of collecting. Such books can serve as tremendous resources, so browse your local bookseller for the most current titles available. The online trading community is another good place to obtain value information. Check Internet auction sites for completed items to get a better idea of what your dolls may be worth.

INVESTING IN BARBIE
So, how do you decide if dolls are worth the investment? Stay informed. Read books and magazines. Talk to fellow collectors. Go to shows. Join a local club. Know prices. Think about a doll's uniqueness, quality and workmanship. And, perhaps most importantly, buy those that appeal to you most. That way, investment or not, you've made a beautiful choice.

(from : barbiecollector.com)

fuLLa BarBie

See Fulla for the figures in Norse mythology.
See Fulla for the ethnic group in Africa.
Fulla is the name of an 11 1/2 inch Barbie-like fashion doll marketed to children of Islamic and Middle-Eastern countries as an alternative to Barbie. The concept of her evolved around 1999, and she hit stores in late 2003.[1] Fulla was created by a Syrian manufacturer from Damascus, and a toy company called NewBoy Toys. Fulla is also sold in China, Brazil, North Africa, and Egypt, while a few are sold in the United States. Although there had been many other dolls in the past that were created with a hijab, such as Razanne and Moroccan Barbie, none of them had ever been as popular as Fulla. Fulla is a role-model to some Muslim people, displaying how many Muslim people would prefer their daughters to dress and behave.

Development and information

APPEARANCE

At first, Fulla was developed to have long coal black hair streaked with auburn and brown eyes, but later, dolls with lighter hair and eyes were introduced. The product development team considered about 10 different faces before deciding on her look. She was dressed in a black abaya and head scarf for the Saudi market, but no veil in other markets; because the product development didn't want to "go to extremes." For more liberal countries, Fulla has a white scarf and pastel coat. Her outdoor clothes have since become more colorful, but her shoulders are always covered and the skirt always falls below her knees, as traditionally, Muslim women do not show much skin. Her indoor clothes, however, are designed like modern outfits and include skirts, swimwear, and even lingerie.

ARAB VALUES
Barbie was banned in Saudi Arabia because she promoted values not shared by that society. Fulla was created as an alternative for Barbie to reflect Muslim values. She is named for a fragrant jasmine flower found only in the Middle East. Her personality was designed to be "loving, caring, honest, and respects[ing of] her mother and father. She's good to her friends. She's honest and doesn't lie. She likes reading. She likes, rather, she loves fashion. Fulla has two friends, Yasmeen and Nada, as well as a little brother and sister. An older protective brother is in development for her, as well as a teacher and doctor Fulla, which are two careers that Fulla's creators believe to be respectable. Fulla will have a boyfriend, because Muslims believe that it is not an Islamic value. Fulla's creators believe that Muslim parents become angry by the Western-inspired changes in views on sexuality and on the role of women, meaning that Fulla is supposed to show traditional Islamic values and social order. She does, however, have many costumes, in addition to the hijab, that reflect the everyday wear of Muslim girls nowadays in Middle Eastern countries that attain to Muslim values, yet are still considered fashionable in the West.

ADVERTISING
Fulla is marketed as an alternative to Barbie in Middle Eastern countries. In Saudi Arabia, animated commercials display Fulla's life, such as showing the doll saying her prayers as the sun rises, baking a cake to surprise her friend, or reading a book at bedtime. Abidin says that these scenes are "designed to convey Fulla's values" and show what behavior Fulla is promoting. Often, her commercials begin with her singing in a high voice in Arabic: "She will soon be by my side, and I can tell her my deepest secrets". Another series of commercials advertises her to be family-oriented, showing a group of Syrian actresses who display Fulla silverware, stationery, and accessories. Fulla's commercials often promote modest outfits, as one of Fulla's commercials had warned, "When you take Fulla out of the house, don't forget her new spring abaya![14]"

DIFFERENCES WITH BARBIE

Fulla and Barbie are alike in many ways, such as in size, height, and popularity, that Fulla is sometimes nicknamed a 'Muslim Barbie'.Differences between them include lifestyle and appearance. Fulla's activities mostly include shopping, spending time with her friends, cooking, reading, and praying. Barbie dolls come in a wide range of hobbies and careers. According to the brand manager at NewBoy, there will be a doctor and a teacher Fulla in the future, as "these are two respected careers for women that we would like to encourage small girls to follow."
Although they both have a wide range of clothes, furniture, jewelry, and other equipment, Fulla's outdoor clothes do not include swimwear or anything similarly revealing. Compared to Barbie's curves, skinny legs, and large breasts, Fulla has a smaller chest, is skinnier, and may be younger than Barbie. While the standard Barbie has blond hair, blue eyes, and fair skin, the standard Fulla has dark hair, brown eyes, and olive skin. Despite this, they are both criticized "for presenting the same unrealistic idea of beauty... a certain image for women to conform to." Fulla was actually once described to be the physical antithesis of Mattel's Barbie.
Fulla was designed to promote Muslim values and be a role model for Muslim girls worldwide, whereas Barbie is targeted to Americans.

POPULARITY
Fulla is sold with a line of accessories, including umbrellas, watches, bicycles, corn flakes, cameras, CD players, inflatable chairs, and swimming pools. She was designed to be unlike Barbie and to be the traditional Muslim woman whose life revolves around home and family.Some Muslim parents have claimed that if girls dress their dolls in headscarves, they will be more encouraged to wear a hijab themselves. Fulla has been praised as giving girls a Muslim role model.
Over 1.3 million Fulla dolls have been sold. A Hong Kong manufacturer, SAIF Enterprise, Ltd., has introduced a doll very similar to the Fulla in China, called Fulah, sold in nearly identical packaging.
Compared to the $3,100 average income in the countries she is sold, Fulla is relatively expensive at about $10 for the standard doll. Because of this, NewBoy created a cheaper version of the doll called Fulla Style.

(Taken From : Khaleej Times Online.com. "Fulla" - the Arab world’s Barbie)

BARBIE MINIE KINGDOM

Barbie Mini Kingdom is a new line of miniature Barbie dolls manufactured by Mattel that are about 6" in height (about the size of the Dawn doll and Pippa Doll), featuring the main female characters from most of the Barbie movies. The line was started in 2006 with a special set of Clara from Barbie in the Nutcracker, Rapunzel from Barbie as Rapunzel, Odette from Barbie of Swan Lake, and Anneliese and Erika from Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper. The line has extended to have birthday dolls that include Annika from Barbie and the Magic of Pegasus and Genevieve from Barbie in the 12 Dancing Princesses. The dolls came with various accessories and a pet. The line also included a castle and a horse-and-carriage sized appropriately for the smaller dolls.

TRIVIA

Barbie has never been this size before, but the Bild Lilli doll, the predecessor of Barbie, was available in this size.
Barbie Mini Kingdom is a group of Barbie Fairy Tale Princesses,featuring Clara from 'Barbie in The Nutcracker'(2001),Rapunzel from 'Barbie as Rapunzel'(2002),Odette from 'Barbie of SwanLake'(2003),Anneliese and Erika from 'Barbie as The Princess and the Pauper'(2004),Annika from 'Barbie and the Magic of Pegasus'(2005),Genevieve from 'Barbie in The Twelve Dancing Princesses'(2006),Rosella from 'Barbie as The Island Princess'(2007), and the new princess that will be lunched on September 19,2008,Clarette from 'Barbie as The Sleeping Beauty',featuring eleven new original songs,with music by Arnie Roth,based on the immortal music of Tchaikovsky's 'The Sleeping Beauty ballet' and cheorographies by Peter Martins,with dancers from New York City Ballet.Their will be more and lots of surprises in this movie.Barbie Mini Kingdom have dolls,toys and accesories,made from Mattel,just for little girls,that is based to its movie itself,that you will only find in your favourite malls.

(Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbie_Mini_Kingdom")

Barbie and Their Own Life

WHAT IS A BARBIE-DOLLS?
Barbie is a best-selling fashion doll launched in 1959. The doll is produced by Mattel, Inc., and is a major source of revenue for the company. The American businesswoman Ruth Handler (1916-2002) is regarded as the creator of Barbie, and the doll's design was inspired by a German doll called Bild Lilli.
Barbie has been an important part of the toy fashion doll market for nearly fifty years, and has been the subject of numerous controversies and lawsuits, often involving parody of the doll and her lifestyle. In recent years, Barbie has faced increasing competition from the Bratz range of dolls.

History

The original Barbie was launched in March 1959 Ruth Handler watched her daughter Barbara at play with paper dolls, and noticed that she often enjoyed giving them adult roles. At the time, most children's toy dolls were representations of infants. Realizing that there could be a gap in the market, Handler suggested the idea of an adult-bodied doll to her husband Elliot, a co-founder of the Mattel toy company. He was unenthusiastic about the idea, as were Mattel's directors.
During a trip to Europe in 1956 with her children Barbara and Kenneth, Ruth Handler came across a German toy doll called Bild Lilli.[1] The adult-figured Lilli doll was exactly what Handler had in mind, so she purchased three of them. She gave one to her daughter and took the others back to Mattel. The Lilli doll was based on a popular character appearing in a comic strip drawn by Reinhard Beuthin for the newspaper Die Bild-Zeitung. Lilli was a working girl who knew what she wanted and was not above using men to get it. The Lilli doll was first sold in Germany in 1955, and although it was initially sold to adults, it became popular with children who enjoyed dressing her up in outfits that were available separately.
Upon her return to the United States, Handler reworked the design of the doll (with help from engineer Jack Ryan) and the doll was given a new name, Barbie, after Handler's daughter Barbara. The doll made its debut at the American International Toy Fair in New York on March 9, 1959. This date is also used as Barbie's official birthday. Mattel acquired the rights to the Bild Lilli doll in 1964 and production of Lilli was stopped. The first Barbie doll wore a black and white zebra striped swimsuit and signature topknot ponytail, and was available as either a blonde or brunette. The doll was marketed as a "Teen-age Fashion Model," with her clothes created by Mattel fashion designer Charlotte Johnson. The first Barbie dolls were manufactured in Japan, with their clothes hand-stitched by Japanese homeworkers. Around 350,000 Barbie dolls were sold during the first year of production.
Ruth Handler believed that it was important for Barbie to have an adult appearance, and early market research showed that some parents were unhappy about the doll's chest, which had distinct breasts. Barbie's appearance has been changed many times, most notably in 1971 when the doll's eyes were adjusted to look forwards rather than having the demure sideways glance of the original model.
Barbie was one of the first toys to have a marketing strategy based extensively on television advertising, which has been copied widely by other toys. It is estimated that over a billion Barbie dolls have been sold worldwide in over 150 countries, with Mattel claiming that three Barbie dolls are sold every second.[2]
The standard range of Barbie dolls and related accessories are manufactured to approximately 1/6th scale, which is also known as playscale.[3] Barbie products include not only the range of dolls with their clothes and accessories, but also a huge range of Barbie branded goods such as books, fashion items and video games. Barbie has appeared in a series of animated films and makes a brief guest appearance in the 1999 film Toy Story 2.
Almost uniquely for a toy fashion doll, Barbie has become a cultural icon and has been given honors that are rare in the toy world. In 1974 a section of Times Square in New York City was renamed Barbie Boulevard for a week, while in 1985 the artist Andy Warhol created a painting of Barbie.

Biography

Barbie's full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts. In a series of novels published by Random House in the 1960s, her parents' names are given as George and Margaret Roberts from the fictional town of Willows, Wisconsin. Barbie has been said to attend Willows High School and Manhattan International High School in New York City, based on the real-life Stuyvesant High School. She has an on-off romantic relationship with her beau Ken (Ken Carson), who first appeared in 1961. Like Barbie, Ken shares his name with one of Ruth Handler's children. A news release from Mattel in February 2004 announced that Barbie and Ken had decided to split up, but in February 2006 they were back together again.
Barbie has had over forty pets including cats and dogs, horses, a panda, a lion cub, and a zebra. She has owned a wide range of vehicles, including pink convertibles, trailers and jeeps. She also holds a pilot's license, and operates commercial airliners in addition to serving as a flight attendant. Barbie's careers are designed to show that women can take on a variety of roles in life, and the doll has been sold with a wide range of titles including Miss Astronaut Barbie (1965), Doctor Barbie (1988) and Nascar Barbie (1998).
Mattel has created a range of companions for Barbie, including Hispanic Teresa, Midge, African American Christie and Steven (Christie's boyfriend). For more details, see the List of Barbie's friends and family.

Controversies
Fulla is marketed as an alternative to Barbie in Middle Eastern countries
Barbie's popularity ensures that her effect on the play of Western children attracts a high degree of scrutiny. The criticisms leveled at her are often based on the assumption that children consider Barbie a role model and will attempt to emulate her.
In September 2003 the Middle Eastern country of Saudi Arabia outlawed the sale of Barbie dolls, saying that she did not conform to the ideals of Islam. The Committee for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice stated "Jewish Barbie dolls, with their revealing clothes and shameful postures, accessories and tools are a symbol of decadence to the perverted West. Let us beware of her dangers and be careful." In Middle Eastern countries there is an alternative doll called Fulla who is similar to Barbie but is designed to be more acceptable to an Islamic market. Fulla is not made by the Mattel Corporation, and Barbie is still available in other Middle Eastern countries including Egypt. In Iran, Sara and Dara dolls are available as an alternative to Barbie.
The word Barbie has come to be used as a derogatory slang term for a girl or woman who is considered shallow, most notably in the 1997 pop song Barbie Girl (see Parodies and lawsuits below).
In July 1992 Mattel released Teen Talk Barbie, which spoke a number of phrases including "Will we ever have enough clothes?", "I love shopping!", and "Wanna have a pizza party?" Each doll was programmed to say four out of 270 possible phrases, so that no two dolls were likely to be the same. One of these 270 phrases was "Math class is tough!" Although only about 1.5% of all the dolls sold said the phrase, it led to criticism from the American Association of University Women. In October 1992 Mattel announced that Teen Talk Barbie would no longer say the phrase, and offered a swap to anyone who owned the doll.

Barbie's waist has been widened in more recent versions of the doll
One of the most common criticisms of Barbie is that she promotes an unrealistic idea of body image for a woman, leading to a risk that women who attempt to emulate her will become anorexic. A standard Barbie doll is 11.5 inches tall, giving a height of 5 feet 9 inches at 1/6 scale. Barbie's vital statistics have been estimated at 36 inches (chest), 18 inches (waist) and 33 inches (hips). According to research by the University Central Hospital in Helsinki, Finland, she would lack the 17 to 22 percent body fat required for a woman to menstruate. In 1965 Slumber Party Barbie came with a book entitled How to Lose Weight which advised: "Don't eat." The doll also came with pink bathroom scales reading 110lb, which would be around 35lbs underweight for a woman 5 feet 9 inches tall. In 1997 Barbie's body mold was redesigned and given a wider waist, with Mattel saying that this would make the doll better suited to contemporary fashion designs.

Oreo Fun Barbie from 1997 became controversial due to a negative interpretation of the doll's name
"Colored Francie" made her debut in 1967, and she is sometimes described as the first African American Barbie doll. However, she was produced using the existing head molds for the white Francie doll and lacked African characteristics other than a dark skin. The first African American doll in the Barbie range is usually regarded as Christie, who made her debut in 1968.[15][16] Black Barbie and Hispanic Barbie were launched in 1980.
In 1997 Mattel joined forces with Nabisco to launch a cross-promotion of Barbie with Oreo cookies. Oreo Fun Barbie was marketed as someone with whom little girls could play after class and share "America's favorite cookie." As had become the custom, Mattel manufactured both a white and a black version. Critics argued that in the African American community Oreo is a derogatory term for a person like the chocolate sandwich cookie itself, meaning that the person is black on the outside and white on the inside. The doll was unsuccessful and Mattel recalled the unsold stock, making it sought after by collectors.
In May 1997 Mattel introduced Share a Smile Becky, a doll in a pink wheelchair. Kjersti Johnson, a 17-year-old high school student in Tacoma, Washington with cerebral palsy, pointed out that the doll would not fit into the elevator of Barbie's $100 Dream House. Mattel announced that it would redesign the house in the future to accommodate the doll.
In March 2000 stories appeared in the media claiming that the hard vinyl used in vintage Barbie dolls could leak toxic chemicals, causing danger to children playing with them. The claim was rejected as false by technical experts. A modern Barbie doll has a body made from ABS plastic, while the head is made from soft PVC.
In December 2005 Dr. Agnes Nairn at the University of Bath in England published research suggesting that girls often go through a stage where they hate their Barbie dolls and subject them to a range of punishments, including decapitation and placing the doll in a microwave oven. Dr. Nairn said: "It's as though disavowing Barbie is a rite of passage and a rejection of their past."

Collecting

Vintage #7 Ponytail Barbie doll from 1964-66. The doll's hair has been restyled and she is wearing a different outfit from the red swimsuit of the original.
Mattel estimates that there are well over 100,000 avid Barbie collectors. Ninety percent are women, at an average age of 40, purchasing more than twenty Barbie dolls each year. Forty-five percent of them spend upwards of $1000 a year.
Vintage Barbie dolls from the early years are the most valuable at auction, and while the original Barbie was sold for $3.00 in 1959, a mint boxed Barbie from 1959 sold for $3552.50 on eBay in October 2004. On September 26, 2006, a Barbie doll set a world record at auction of £9,000 sterling (US $17,000) at Christie's in London. The doll was a Barbie in Midnight Red from 1965 and was part of a private collection of 4,000 Barbie dolls being sold by two Dutch women, Ietje Raebel and her daughter Marina.
In recent years Mattel has sold a wide range of Barbie dolls aimed specifically at collectors, including porcelain versions and depictions of Barbie as a range of characters from television series such as The Munsters and Star Trek. There are also collector's edition dolls depicting Barbie dolls with a range of different ethnic identities. In 2004 Mattel introduced the Color Tier system for its collector's edition Barbie dolls, ranging through pink, silver, gold and platinum depending on how many of the dolls are produced.

Parodies and lawsuits

The 1997 song Barbie Girl by Aqua led to a five year lawsuit
Barbie has often been referenced in popular culture and is frequently the target of parody. Some of these occasions include:
- In 1997, the Danish pop-dance group Aqua released a song called Barbie Girl. It contained lyrics such as "You can brush my hair / Undress me everywhere" and used graphics similar to the pink Barbie logo. Mattel argued that this constituted a trademark infringement and filed a defamation lawsuit against MCA Records on September 11, 1997. In July 2002, Judge Alex Kozinski ruled that the song was protected as a parody under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.
A commercial by automobile company Nissan featuring dolls similar to Barbie and Ken was the subject of another lawsuit in 1997. In the commercial, a female doll is lured into a car by a doll resembling GI Joe to the dismay of a Ken-like doll, accompanied by Van Halen's version of the song You Really Got Me. According to the makers of the commercial, the dolls' names were Roxanne, Nick and Tad. Mattel claimed that the commercial had done "irreparable damage" to its products, but lost the copyright infringement lawsuit.

(Taken from : "In an interview with M.G.Lord, the author of Forever Barbie, Ruth Handler said that she saw the doll in Lucerne, Switzerland. However, the book points out that on other occasions Handler said that she saw the doll in Zurich or Vien")