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This story originally appeared in the May 2019 issue of the magazine.
Will Anderson
It rarely rains in the birthplace of Barbie.
The weather oscillates between beach- and brunch-appropriate.
And yet for a five-day stretch in February, its raining in the Los Angeles suburbs.
Top:An artisan’s work station. A designer expertly inks one doll’s eyes. Phases of makeup, from brows to lips. Hair fibers are made of the same material as Saran Wrap.Bottom:A sewing machine roots curls onto Barbie’s scalp. Barbie heads await torsos. Bins of doll parts at the design center.
From the 10th floor of the Mattel tower, the flat cityscape blurs into a field of gray.
OUR PURPOSE:We inspire wonder in the next generation to shape a brighter tomorrow.
I have been invited to Mattel on the occasion of Barbies 60th birthday.
My story pitch was: Barbies 60!
Whats going on with her?
And the answer is: Wow, a lot.
Top:An artisan’s work station. A designer expertly inks one doll’s eyes. Phases of makeup, from brows to lips. Hair fibers are made of the same material as Saran Wrap.Bottom:A sewing machine roots curls onto Barbie’s scalp. Barbie heads await torsos. Bins of doll parts at the design center.
In 1959, Barbie seemed to serve more like a mannequin, not a mirror.
Barbie is the original influencer.
Despite Barbies new iterations, she doesnt age.
At 60, Barbie still looks 27.
Her skin is as taut as an Apple laptop, and her thick, not-at-all-menopausal hairradiates with synthetic luster.
Barbie is the original influencer.
Malibu Barbie, who debuted in 1971, in all her glory.
Three years beforeWorking Girlpremiered, Day-to-Night Barbie debuted, wearing a skirt suit that transitioned into tulle cocktail attire.
Barbie, despite her six decades of trailblazing, is still a work in progress.
We want to stay in step with that.
Andy Warhol’s portrait of “Barbie,” which is actually a portrait of his friend BillyBoy.“If you really want to do my portrait, do a portrait of Barbie,” BillyBoytold him, “because Barbie, c’est moi.”**
For me, it means journeying deep within Mattels nucleus to play with some dolls.
On March 9, 1959, Barbara Millicent Roberts entered the world wearing a black-and-white swimsuit.
Each punch line hinged on Bild Lillis hotness, her horniness, or her lack of common sense.
This doll, with her triangular boobs and elliptical head, was like nothing they had seen before.
The original doll appealed to girls because she was terrifying, says M.G.
Lord, the author ofForever Barbieand a pop culture scholar.
She did look like a space alien.
Handler made Barbie a woman something to dress up, but also something to look forward to.
Children imagine themselves as grown-ups; they see themselves in Barbie.
Sometimes this is not a great thing to do.
But what else is out there?
And Americans love glamour.
Our cup of celebrities runneth over, so much that some of them are in public office.
Barbie is perfect for us because she isnt us.
Shes prettier, more successful, turns 60 without creasing a cheek.
Dolls are stylized, says Mattels Culmone.
Theyre referential of human beings they arent literal to human beings.
Why would we even want a role model that has such a tenuous basis in reality?
Its not open to the public, and you have to take a shuttle bus to get there.
Each hair is a gossamer strand of thin plasticBarbie’s genetic material descends from Saran wrap.
In manufacturing, this process is automated on an unimaginable scale.
Or the different hair textures.
Theres also a velour that, when applied to Barbies scalp, looks like a buzz cut.
When Barbie debuted, she was only available as a binary blonde or brunette.
The original Barbies eyes were downcast and to the side, as was the case in 19th-century erotic nudes.
The Malibu Barbie, however, looked straight ahead, says Lord.
Like Manets Olympia, she did not avert her eyes in shame.
Malibu Barbie was brazen.
Helen Gurley Brown was editor in chief ofCosmopolitan, teaching women that sexual desire was innate and acceptable.
And then there was the makeup evolution.
The classic Barbie that people think of often had overdrawn eyes, eye shadow, and lipstick.
Todays Barbie can be found wearinglighter makeupand looser hair.
I am warned it is also terrifying.
But how terrifying could a Barbie workshop be?
As it turns out, quite terrifying.
Its a costume, if you will.
Frida Kahlo Barbie is no more Frida Kahlo than a Vegas Cher impersonator is Cher.
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So then it languishes here in development, never being seen by the public.
The Barbieverse distinguishes between two Barbies.
(Barbie has also run for president on an undisclosed platform.)
In one video, the tenor of Barbies voice drops, as CGI sunlight streams into her bedroom.
I woke up this morning feeling a little blue, she confesses.
She goes on to list coping mechanisms that have mood-boosting benefits, like journaling.
Im known for being an upbeat person.
But Im not, always.
I dont have to always be upbeat and positive.
She is certainly not perfect, says McKnight.
She is showing vulnerability.
Despite Blaines rash guard, six-pack, and undeniable exotic appeal, Barbie rejoined Ken in 2011.
Blaine can now be found pre-owned on Amazon.
When Barbie speaks, her voice sounds human.
My niece doesnt know the difference.
For more on Barbie:
Now, watch supermodel and Barbie-look-alike Duckie Thots six modeling lessons:
