In this week’s blog, The Costume Society’s News Editor Dr Babette Radclyffe-Thomas reviews Barbie® at the Design Museum.
The Design Museum’s current exhibition is dedicated to one of the world’s best-selling dolls and is the first time a major UK museum has held an extensive show dedicated to Barbie. Charting the 65-year design evolution of the world’s most famous doll, over 250 objects are on show in total including over 180 dolls as well as dreamhouses, garments and accessories. There is also archival footage of Barbie TV commercials throughout the exhibition.
Opening to celebrate the 65th anniversary of Mattel’s Barbie brand, the exhibition is in partnership with Barbie’s creator Mattel. There are several rare items borrowed from the Mattel headquarters archives in Los Angeles and the team worked with Mattel’s brand historians and archivists to curate the exhibition.
“The Barbie universe is expansive and exciting, and it’s thanks to the meticulous work of talented designers over the past 65 years. Barbie is arguably one of the most globally recognised examples of world-building through product and graphic design, and in turn she has inspired many designers and artists to respond to her history. The design story of Barbie is a rich topic for our museum to put under the spotlight,” Danielle Thom, Curator of Barbie®: The Exhibition , at the Design Museum said.
“Since her debut in 1959, Barbie has become an international icon and inspiration that continues to spark conversation, creativity, and self-expression around the world. 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 remarkable 65-year career,” Kim Culmone, SVP of Design for Mattel, said.
The exhibition commences with an extremely rare first edition Barbie from 1959. Known by collectors as the ‘Number 1 Barbie’ as it was the very first model released by Mattel, she is hand-painted and wears a black-and-white bathing suit. Purchased with the support of the Conran Foundation for the Design Museum’s collections, it’s thought that this example is now the oldest Barbie doll in a museum collection in the UK.
The importance of play and how Barbie has shaped children’s view of adulthood through imaginary role play, runs throughout the exhibition. She acts as an avatar onto which children project their own stories and desires, and Barbie was the first adult doll created by Ruth Handler so girls could expand their horizons of future roles. Barbie has had more than 260 careers so far.
The exhibition includes highlights such as one-of-a-kind Talking Barbie prototype, launched in 1968 as well as the best-selling Totally Hair Barbie, the best-selling Barbie of all time which has sold over 10 million across the globe. Exhibited for the first time ever is a Barbie taken into space by astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, on loan from the European Space Agency.
The exhibition also showcases some of the most recognisable and best-selling dolls, including the ‘surfer girl’ Sunset Malibu Barbie from 1971, which was one of the most popular of the decade, and the ground-breaking Day to Night Barbie from 1985 that was designed to reflect the workplace revolution for women in the 1980s, and which saw Barbie’s work-attire pink suit transform into a chic evening gown.
The world of high fashion has always inspired Barbie’s wardrobe. When she first launched, she had an original set of 22 outfits that were designed by Charlotte Johnson assisted by Fumiko Miyatsuka, and outfits worked for all occasions from Clare McCardell inspired relaxed looks to opulent evening gowns inspired by Christian Dior. Her redesign in 1967 saw a new London mod look with bright prints, miniskirts and more of a street-style feel. Pink dominated her 1980s and 1990s wardrobe, and an increase thematic fashions, many of which were designed by Carol Spencer, Chief Designer, Barbie Collector Dolls and Collectibles. This era also saw the introduction of her designer collaborations such as the 1985 outfit by Oscar de la Renta which was the first of many designer collaborations with the brand. Her clothing has always been designed to play, cut to fit correctly on the body and to be put on with ease. Notably, Barbie has even inspired design greats such as Martin Margeila who introduced a conceptual doll-inspired collection in FW 94/95.
The penultimate room, the largest space in the exhibition, explores the world of Barbie. Barbie has had at least 50 different houses and on show is a rare example of the first ever Barbie Dreamhouse that was released in 1962, made from cardboard and sporting the distinctly modernist design of its era, her first car (also from 1962) and her first campervan (from 1971).
The changing face of Barbie is a fascinating element of the exhibition, beginning with a single design in 1959, the line today boasts a catalogue of hundreds of distinct head and body moulds. Her appearance has undergone numerous changes throughout the decades, reflecting evolving cultural shifts around diversity and representation, and her design has embraced pioneering technologies and manufacturing methods to bring her to ‘life’. The Barbie Fashionistas line has released 76 different hair styles and 94 hair colours since its launch in 2009. The exhibition offers exclusive behind-the-scenes insights into the processes of designing and creating Barbie, from the design studios to factory floors. It can take up to 18 months from first concept to launch of a new doll.
The exhibition celebrates Barbie’s signature pink in its design. One of the most striking rooms is a dark room with individual brightly coloured back lit display cabinets showcasing dolls. There are fun elements of design such as a Barbie hair lampshade in the room detailing how Barbie’s hair is chosen and made.
The exhibition’s final room highlights the enduring role Barbie has as a pop culture icon and includes several full-size Barbie costumes such as an original costume worn by Margot Robbie in the blockbuster 2023 movie Barbie.
The exhibition runs until 23 February 2025.
Babette has reviewed previous dress exhibitions at The Design Museum; revisit her review of the museum's Offbeat Sari exhibition on our blog.
