Barbie™ family and other principal characters.
Barbara Millicent “Barbie” Roberts (1959–present) The first Barbie™ doll was described as a “Teen Age Fashion Model™” on her packaging. According to the Random House books, the Barbie™ character’s full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts, and her parents’ names are George and Margaret Roberts. She is the main character in the “Barbie: Life in the Dreamhouse” series. She is teenage, schoolgirl. Her most age is 16 years old.
Vintage Period. Vintage Barbies (and Family and Friends) were made from 1959 to 1966:
- 1959 – 2020 Barbie Ponytail:
- 1961 – 1967 Barbie Bubble Cut:
- 1963 – 1964 Barbie Fashion Queen:
- 1964 Miss Barbie:
- Late 1963 – 1967 Barbie Swirl Ponytail:
- 1965 – 1967 Barbie with Bendable Legs:
- 1966 – 1967 Color Magic Barbie:
Mod Period. The Barbies (Barbie, Family and Friends) were made from 1967 to 1973.
- 1967 – 1971 Barbie Twist ‘N Turn:
- 1967 – 1971 New Standard Barbie:
- 1968 – 1971 Talking Barbie:
- 1970 – 1971 Barbie Living:
Malibu Barbie Period. One of the most notable dolls in this era was Malibu Barbie which used the Stacey face and represented a significant shift in Barbie’s evolution. She was made from 1971 to 1977.
Barbie Superstar Period. The next big shift in Barbie Doll History occurred in 1977, when in the era of Halter Dress and Farrah Facwett hair, Barbie underwent a dramatic transition in the form of Superstar Barbie. Barbies were made with the big toothy smile and tons of long blonde hair for the rest of the 1970s, all of the 1980s and a large part of the 1990s.
1980 – Present Dolls Of The World® Collection:
In recent years Mattel has sold a wide range of Barbie® dolls aimed specifically at collectors, including Porcelain versions,
Also a collectible doll evolved the popularity of Holiday Barbie, which was introduced in 1988, and in 2018 celebrate 30th anniversary:
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- 2021
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- 2022
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- 2022 Walmart Special.
In 2000 – 2020, Mattel introduced the Fashion Model Collection, also known a Silkstones. They use the vintage Barbie face and have been successful with Barbie collectors.
2000
2020
Beginning in 2001, Mattel began to differentiate Barbies into different classifications using Label Colors. The current classifications are:
- Pink Label (which had always been called “pink box” for obvious reasons) is used to designate play line or inexpensive dolls that available wherever Barbie Dolls are sold.
- Silver Label is used for collectible dolls with no more than 50,000 produced worldwide.
- Gold Label designates numbered editions of 25,000 worldwide or less, available at select retailers.
- Platinum Label is an exclusive designation used when the dolls are sequentially numbered editions with less than 1,000 available worldwide. They are only available from certain Barbie dealers.
- Black Label is a newer designation that indicates it is a doll designer for the adult collector. Barbie has undergone many changes and a lot of diversity over the last ten years. Now a variety of different skin tones, hair colors and face sculpt are used. Mattel released a series of twelve Black Label Basic Barbie Dolls, the next step in Barbie Doll History, each featuring diverse types of Barbie face sculpt.
Here are the twelve 2009 Basic Barbie Dolls and their face sculpts. The dolls pictured below are all Barbies, the name underneath them is the name their face style is called.
2013 – 2017 Barbie ‘Black Label’ dolls – The Barbie Look™ Collection:
- October 16, 2015 – Barbie and Ken Fashionistas Dolls 2015 – 2016. The Barbie dolls pictured below are all Barbie and Ken Dolls, the name underneath them is the name their face style is called in Germany Mattel Catalog:
- 2016 Barbie and Ken Fashionistas Dolls (no names in catalog):
- 2017 Barbie and Ken Fashionistas Dolls:
- Summer 2017 and 2018 Barbie and Ken Fashionistas Dolls:
- Late 2018 and 2019 Barbie Fashionistas Dolls:
- 2020 Barbie Fashionistas Dolls.
- 2021 Barbie Fashionistas Dolls.
2022 Barbie Fashionistas Dolls.
- 2019 -? Barbie® Dia De Muertos Dolls.
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- #1 2019.
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- #2 2020.
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- #3 2021
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- #4 2022.
- 2019 Barbie BRM1959 Dolls.
- 2020 Mattel 75th Anniversary Barbie Dolls.
- 2020 Barbie® Career of the Year – Campaign Team Giftset with 4 Barbie Dolls.
- 2020 -? Barbie Color Reveal Serie:
- 2021 -? Pink Collection Barbie® Dolls.
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- #1 Introducing the Barbie® Pink Collection™, where classic Barbie® glamor meets on-trend fashions and featuring a Silkstone® body.
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- #2
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- #3
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- Our fourth doll makes a bold statement in a dramatic, high-low taffeta gown, accentuated by a sweetheart neckline with pleats and shirring details, matching belt, and a sweeping train.
- 2021 – 2022 Brooklyn and Malibu Barbie Dolls:
- 2021 Barbie Career Of The Year – Professional Music Producer.
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Parents of Barbie, Skipper, Todd, Stacie, and Kelly (later Chelsea.)
May 31, 2018 Parents of Barbie are in The video series Barbie dreamhouse adventures.
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- George Roberts (1960-present) He is an engineer. He has a wife named Margaret and children: Barbara, Skipper, Anastasia, Todd, Tutti, Chelsea, Kelly, and Kristine. Originally just a book character, he has not been issued in doll form but has appeared for the first time in animation as Barbie’s father in Netflix’s show “Barbie: Dreamhouse Adventures”.
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- Margaret Rawlins Roberts (1960-present) Margaret is the mother of Barbie and her various siblings. She is a homemaker and has an older sister named Millicent. Also originally a book character, she has not been issued in doll form, however, she made her first on-screen appearance in the digital series “Barbie: Dreamhouse Adventures”.
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- Simone Roberts (2022) Barbie animated series “Barbie: It Takes Two ”.
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- Kelvin Roberts (2022) Barbie animated series “Barbie: It Takes Two ”.
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- Kenneth Sean “Ken” Carson(1961–1967, 1969–present) The second character added to the line, Ken has been Barbie’s boyfriend for much of the character’s existence. After a short break, they got back together. According to the 1960s Random House books, Ken’s full name is Kenneth Sean Carson. In Barbie Fashion Comic #34 (1993), Ken’s mother is named Edna. In Barbie Fashion Comic #52 (1995), Edna’s father is named Kenneth, hinting at the fact he was most likely named after him. In Brazil in the 1980s, the Estrela company named the doll Bob instead of Ken (from the book, Barbie Doll Around the World).
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- Barbie Signature introduces underwater royalty, King Ocean Ken doll. This mighty ocean-dweller enchanted Barbie fans and became the crowdsourced winning thematic to go from concept to doll. Emerging from his aquatic kingdom, this collectible Ken merman doll wears gleaming rose gold colored armor featuring a shell-encrusted breastplate, spaulder shoulder armor and bicep armbands. His regal head adornments and iridescent fins are perfectly suited for a ruler of the sea, and articulation allows for endless posing possibilities. A MattelCreations.com exclusive, King Ocean Ken doll makes a great gift for Barbie fans and collectors. Includes doll stand and Certificate of Authenticity.
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- Facial sculpt: Dia De Muertos face paint. Body Type: Model Muse Ken.
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- SkipperRoberts™(1964–2003, 2009–present) The first character added to Barbie’s family, Skipper is Barbie’s younger sister, originally seeming the age of ten when she debuted from now ranging at different teenage ages through the years. She was first introduced with blue eyes and a variety of hair colors like blonde, brown, and titan). Starting in 1996 Skipper was re-branded as Barbie’s ‘teen’ sister, with her looking much older than before and raising her height to almost the same as Barbie’s. After not being made since 2003, Skipper came back in 2009 as part of Barbie’s 2009 camping line. She returned to her height before she was ‘teen’ Skipper but this time with a purple streak in her hair. In 2010 Barbie’s sisters got revamped once again, this time Skipper was given brown hair and colored streaks in her hair(sometimes purple, blue, or pink, and she was given a new head mold and body. She was one of the main characters in the “Barbie: Life in the Dreamhouse” series. Now she stars along with Barbie in Barbie: Dreamhouse Adventures on Netflix.
1975 Growing Up Skipper. Two dolls in one. By turning her left arm around, the doll ‘grew’approximately in inch, slimmed at the waist and developed a modest bust-line, becoming a curvy Teenager.
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- Tutti Roberts™ (now Stacie Roberts) Twin sister of Todd™ (1965-1976)both Tutti™ and Todd™ were younger siblings of Barbie™ and Skipper™, and had seamless ‘bendy’ bodies. Both dolls appear to be approximately 4 years of age.
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- Todd Roberts™ (1965-1976) Twin brother of Tutti™, and younger brother of Barbie™ and Skipper™.
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- Francie Fairchild™ (1966-1977, 2012-2016) was a fashion doll issued by Mattel from 1966 to 1976 and re-introduced in 2011. Marketed as “Barbie’s Modern cousin” (sic) from England, the doll had an extensive line of “mod“-style clothing, often employing bright colors and geometric patterns similar to fashions associated with Carnaby Street in the late 1960s to early 1970s. At 11¼ inches tall, the Francie doll was shorter than Barbie, but taller than Skipper, making the character presumably between the two in age. In the March 1966 issue of Barbie Magazine, she is the daughter of Claude and Lily Fairchild.
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- Jazzie™ (1988-1992) A new cousin of Barbie™, part of a small group of high school age dolls. She was taller than Barbie’s other cousin Francie, with Jazzie being almost the same height as Barbie.
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- Anastasia ‘Stacie’ Roberts ™ (1990- present ) Introduced as Kelly in the 1991 Wedding Day Midge gift set as the flower girl, this doll is often confused with Tutti, though the Tutti character had been discontinued for years at this time. Kelly was renamed Stacie shortly thereafter, and the Kelly name was used for a younger character.Todd’s packaging did say “Twin Brother of Stacie.” These two are not to be confused with the earlier Tutti and Todd, although some believe Stacie and Todd to be a sort of reincarnation of them. Stacie is a main character in the “Barbie: Life in the Dream house” series.
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- Todd Roberts™ (1990-2001 ) Introduced in the 1991 Wedding Day Midge™ gift-set as the ring bearer, this doll should not be confused with the earlier Todd™ doll. His packaging mentions that he is the “twin brother of Stacie™,” similar to how the other Todd’s™ packaging said he was the “twin brother of Tutti™.” Mattel’s continuity for Barbie’s™ family and friends has not been consistent over the years, some characters disappear for years at a time, others are dropped indefinitely, and still others continue for years while undergoing marked changes in appearance.
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- Kelly Roberts™ (1995-2010) This character is of toddler age, and is sister to Barbie™, Skipper™, and Stacie™. Originally the baby of the family (replaced by her younger sister Krissy™ Roberts in 1999), she also has five older named Stacie™, Chelsea™, Tutti™ Roberts, and Skipper™, and a brother named Todd™ Roberts. In Europe, she is known as Shelly™Roberts . Kelly™ dolls have since ceased production in late 2010 and were replaced by Chelsea™. Excluding a brief period when the design of the Kelly™ doll was changed to have an oval-shaped head, larger eyes, and longer limbs marketed under the name “Sweetsville,” Kelly™ dolls have stayed true to their original design which debuted in 1995. A Kelly™ doll was introduced in the early 1990s as part of the Midge™ and Allen™ wedding party, a set of 6 dolls dressed for a wedding. This Kelly™ doll is 7 1/2 inches tall, exactly the same size as the ring bearer, Todd™, who is wearing a Tux. She is wearing a peach dotted Swiss dress and carries a white basket of flowers as she is the flower girl. She was made for a very limited time as part of this set. She has long blonde hair. The Todd™ doll which is made from the same mold has fuzzy brown hair. They both appear to be 6 to 9 years old and are very rare and she is a very pretty little girl doll. It appears that there were no clothes other than the wedding attire made for either of these dolls.
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- Kristine Krissy Roberts™ (1999-2001) This character is an infant, and is only intermittently included in the Barbie™ sibling lineup.
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