Doll icon Barbie's founding inspiration stemmed from a made-up, high-end prostitute character from Germany.
In the heart of Europe, in 1952, a controversial character named Lilli was born in the pages of Germany's Bild tabloid comic strip. Created by comic artist Reinhard Beuthien, Lilli was aimed at adults, with a somewhat provocative image that was reminiscent of a risqué gag gift for adults, often associated with a fictional call girl figure in the tabloid [1].
Lilli quickly gained popularity, and in 1955, she was transformed into a doll, known as Bild Lilli. The doll, with her scantily clad curves, high blonde ponytail, and high heels, was more akin to a pin-up girl than a children's toy [1]. Despite this, she became popular among children who enjoyed dressing her in various outfits [1].
Fast forward to 1956, Ruth Handler, co-founder of Mattel, stumbled upon Lilli in a shop window in Lucerne, Switzerland. Handler, inspired by her daughter playing with paper dolls and wanting an adult-bodied doll for children to role-play grown-up roles beyond baby dolls, saw the potential in Lilli [1][2]. She purchased several Lilli dolls, brought them back to the U.S., and reworked the design to create Barbie, named after her daughter Barbara [1][3][4].
Barbie, with her glamorous image, made her debut at the 1959 American International Toy Fair [1][3][4]. The creation of Barbie, in part, traces back to Lilli's adult, fashionable origins [3]. However, Handler redesigned the doll to appeal to American children, removing some of Lilli’s more adult connotations [1][3][4].
Over the years, Barbie has been a dominant presence in children's bedrooms worldwide, selling over a billion times [4]. Yet, the doll's themes of materialism and unrealistic body image have been a subject of criticism [3]. Today, critics view Lilli as an object of desire created to satisfy the male gaze, while Bild still describes her as "cheeky, sexy, independent" [5].
In contrast, young children around the world have diverse preferences when it comes to their favourite toys. For instance, three-year-old Julia from Tirana, Albania, has a preference for pink-colored items, while Four-year-old Chiwa of Mchinji, Malawi, has a Triceratops dinosaur as her only toy [6]. Meanwhile, Watcharapon (3) from Bangkok, Thailand plays with small colorful motorcycles, imitating his father who rides a motor scooter to work [6].
Photographer Gabriele Galimberti, in his worldwide journey, captured these diverse preferences, showcasing the universal love for toys in children [7]. From Orly from Brownsville, Texas, USA, with her collection of dinosaurs, to Maudy (3) from a small village near Kalulushi, Zambia, who discovered a box full of sunglasses and uses them as her favourite toys [7], the world of children's toys is as varied as the children themselves.
Interestingly, Barbie was the inspiration for one of the highest grossing films of all time [4]. Despite the controversy surrounding her, Barbie continues to be a symbol of imagination and play for countless children around the world.
[1] https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20150414-the-controversial-origins-of-barbie [2] https://www.history.com/news/the-real-story-of-barbie-and-ken [3] https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2015/04/the-real-story-of-barbie-and-ken/388585/ [4] https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/04/14/the-real-story-of-barbie-and-ken/ [5] https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20150414-the-controversial-origins-of-barbie [6] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-38424471 [7] https://www.bbc.com/culture/gallery/20150326-the-world-in-toys
Read also:
- Today's most impactful photographic moments
- Support for Eric Adams in The Post's Letters to the Editor on August 13, 2025
- Roosting Shark and Rambunctious Red Squirrels: Unconventional House Rental in Yorkshire Involving Aquatic Marvel, Squirrely Mayhem, and Mystical Planning Regulations
- Urban Tales: Winged Hedgehogs and Gridiron Mascots Highlight Our Legendary Series on TGC+!
