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The Barbie Basics is a line of collector's edition Barbie dolls. They were created by Mattel designer Bill Greening and were introduced in late 2009 to be officially released in the spring of 2010.
From their name, the dolls are dressed in "basic" clothing that women usually have in their closets. The debut collection featured the best-known fashion staple: the little black dress. [1]
The dolls have the so-called collector-only ModelMuse body sculpt (which is thinner than most Barbie bodies and has impressive details including neck and collarbone sculpting). The posing of the arms varies from doll to doll and some have different stances. All the dolls also have differing head molds, skin tones and ethnicities. The male dolls introduced in Collection 002 feature the MaleMuse body created for the Twilight Edward Cullen doll in 2009. In Collection 002.5, female Basics dolls featured an articulated ModelMuse body.
The dolls are part of the Black Label collection which, unlike some Barbie lines, is for adult collectors only (the minimum age limit is 14).
The first collection (Collection 001) featured 12 dolls wearing different little black dresses and 4 accessory packs (which were sold separately). The second wave of the collection (called Collection 001.5) only featured 4 dolls (though one of them featured a new face sculpt) and showcased little black dresses with pink ribbon accents, along with another 2 new accessory packs. The third wave (Collection Red) was a Target store exclusive which featured 3 dolls wearing little red dresses and a new accessory pack.
Collection 002 debuted in the spring of 2011. [2] In the collection, there are 12 dolls (9 Barbies and 3 Kens) and the theme is jeans and T-shirts. Collection 002.5 was announced to collectors in February 2011 and featured three dolls and two accessory sets. These dolls feature an articulated body, a first for the Basics line. The dolls are dressed in jeans with metallic-finish blouses and earrings. A second version of Collection Red (called 'Collection Red 2') was released with 1 new accessory pack and 3 dolls wearing red shirts and white jeans.
Collection 003, the third and final collection, debuted in the spring of 2012. [3] There are 6 dolls and 2 new accessory packs and the theme is colorful swimsuits.
The featured dolls do not have names, but are numbered instead. Each of the dolls has a different head mold (corresponding to their model number). Some of the molds are popularly used in the Barbie Collector line. Mattel's head molds are usually, but not always, named after the doll/character/line in which they debuted.
One of the dolls, Model No. 10, gained controversy for her stock dress (which had a v-neck with a plunging neckline). Several parents complained and the matter was even covered by news and media. [5] Despite the parents' pleas for the removal of the doll from the shelves, retail stores such as Wal-Mart and Toys "R" Us argued that they would continue to sell the dolls since the line is aimed toward adult collectors and is not for children. Since the incident, versions of Model No. 10's dress have borne a shorter v-neck or a completely round neckline.
The Barbie Basics was the first doll line (and retail product) to bear the logo of the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) on their boxes. The line was officially approved by the CFDA and several of its members have even quoted about the line in the official Barbie Basics website. [6]
A special production of Barbie dolls was produced from 1980–1982. One look was introduced with a classic Barbie doll dressed out with Nike white shoes. A production run of 200 Barbie dolls were sold to retailers in Florida and Georgia test markets. Limited quantities are known to be highly sought after and is a rare collectable among collectors. In 1994, a 1982 Barbie doll sold at auction for $12,000.
In late January 2010, Mattel officially released 12 one-of-a-kind dolls made by several designers who were members of the CFDA. [7] These were Models No. 1 to 12 as designed by 12 different designers. The designers were: Rachel Roy, Tory Burch, Albertus Swanepoel, Phillip Crangi, Kate Spade (represented by Deborah Lloyd), Monica Botkier, Betsey Johnson, Isaac Mizrahi, Alexis Bittar, Lorraine Schwartz, Justin Guinta for Subversive Jewelry, and Devi Kroell. [8] The one-of-a-kind dolls were auctioned in eBay and all of the proceeds went to various charities and foundations sponsored by the CFDA.
To promote the line in Australia, Mattel enlisted renowned Australian jeweler Stefano Canturi to create a one-of-a-kind doll. Canturi collaborated with the Barbie design team to create the world's most expensive Barbie doll. Valued at A$600,000, the doll debuted in Sydney, Australia in conjunction to the Australian Fashion Week. The doll was decorated with a diamond choker with a rare pink diamond as its centerpiece. [9] [10]
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Barbie is a fashion doll manufactured by the American toy company Mattel, Inc. and launched in March 1959. American businesswoman Ruth Handler is credited with the creation of the doll using a German doll called Bild Lilli as her inspiration.
Ken is a doll and fictional character introduced by Mattel in 1961 as the counterpart of Barbie, who was introduced two years earlier. Ken was invented by Elliot Handler. Like Barbie, Ken is named after one of Ruth Handler's children, Ken Handler, who died in 1994 of a brain tumor.
Midge Hadley is a fictional doll character in the Barbie line of toys by Mattel that was first released in 1963. Midge was created at the same time as Skipper. She was marketed as Barbie's best friend. No Midge dolls were sold for the rest of the vintage years after the 1960s.
Skipper Roberts is a doll created by Mattel in 1964 to be Barbie's younger sister.
Major Matt Mason was an action figure created by Mattel. He was an astronaut who lived and worked on the Moon. When introduced in 1966, the figures were initially based on design information found in Life Magazine, Air Force Magazine, Jane's, and other aviation- and space-interest periodicals. Later, the line attempted to transition into the realm of science fiction.
Polly Pocket is a toy line of dolls and accessories first founded and designed by Chris Wiggs in 1983 and licensed by Bluebird Toys from 1989 until both entities/properties were acquired by Mattel in 1998.
Chatty Cathy is a pull string "talking" doll originally created by Ruth and Elliot Handler and manufactured by the Mattel toy company from 1959 to 1965. The doll was first released in stores and appeared in television commercials beginning in 1960, with a suggested retail price of $18.00, but catalog advertisements usually priced the doll under $10.00. Chatty Cathy was on the market for six years and was the second most popular doll of the 1960s after Barbie.
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Fashion dolls are dolls primarily designed to be dressed to reflect fashion trends. They are manufactured both as toys for children to play with and as collectibles for adults. The dolls are usually modeled after teen girls or adult women, though child, male, and even some non-human variants exist. Contemporary fashion dolls are typically made of vinyl or another plastic.
What's Her Face was a line of customizable dolls that straddled the line between traditional fashion dolls and creative activity toys. Made by Mattel, the line ran from 2001–2003, and enjoyed only a modest success in a market dominated by Mattel's iconic Barbie and MGA Entertainment's Bratz dolls. Following the discontinuation of the What's Her Face line, their body molds were used for the Wee 3 Friends line of Barbie-related dolls. Several fashion, wig, and activity packs were also released for the What's Her Face line.
Batman action figures have been produced since the 1940s.
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The Bild Lilli doll was a German fashion doll launched on August 12, 1955 and produced until 1964. Its design was based on the comic-strip character Lilli, created by Reinhard Beuthien for the German tabloid newspaper Bild. The doll was made of polystyrene, came in two sizes, and had an available wardrobe of 1950s fashion. The Lilli doll was copied, and altered to some degree, for Mattel upon the direction of that company's co-founder, Ruth Handler. Mattel acquired the rights to Bild Lilli in 1964, and production of the German doll ceased, in favor of Mattel's new vinyl doll, which they called Barbie.
Francie Fairchild is a fashion doll issued by Mattel from 1966 to 1976 and re-introduced in 2011. Marketed as "Barbie's MODern cousin" 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.
My Child dolls are a toy made by Mattel from 1985-1988. Most had felt "skin" on their heads although some had vinyl skin.
The Sonny & Cher dolls were a collection of 12-¼ inch high celebrity doll likenesses of pop rock duo Sonny & Cher. The line was released by Mego Corporation in 1976. The release of these fashion dolls coincided with the popularity of The Sonny & Cher Show prime time variety TV show.
Princess of Power is a toyline created by Mattel. Among others, it features the characters of She-Ra and Catra on planet Etheria. With its launch in 1984, the toyline spawned a variety of products, including three lines of fashion action figures. The Princess of Power logo and characters are currently used by Mattel as part of the Masters of the Universe Classics toyline.
The Barbie Fashion Model Collection is a line of dolls introduced in 2000. The collection features dolls aimed at the adult collector, and is primarily sold via the Barbiecollector.com website and online retailers. The dolls in the collection are all made from a material called Silkstone, a durable material that simulates the weight and feel of porcelain dolls.
The Marvelous World of Shani, also known as Shani & Friends or simply Shani, was a fashion doll line manufactured by the American toy company Mattel, Inc. and launched in 1991. The principal designer of the dolls was longtime Mattel toy designer Kitty Black Perkins, also responsible for designing 1980's First Black Barbie doll, and many other African American dolls in the Barbie line.
