Barbie at 65: An Icon Reimagined

Since 1959, Barbie has inspired limitless potential in every girl, and at 65 years old, Barbie continues to empower fans worldwide. To celebrate the momentous event, Barbie has been hand-selecting partners all year long to help spread the excitement for the anniversary. One of these partners was the Design Museum in London. For the anniversary, the museum is conducting an exhibit of all things Barbie, called “Barbie: The Exhibition.”

Having opened in July and available to the public until February 2025, Mattel is showcasing over 250 rare and distinctive Barbie dolls, vehicles, houses and accessories. And, of course, some of the most recognizable dolls will be displayed, such as the “Sunset Malibu Barbie” from 1971 and the “Totally Hair Barbie” from 1992.

The exhibit also explores Barbie’s changing appearance related to evolving cultural shifts around diversity and representation. The “Day to Night Barbie,” which allowed the doll to transform a work-attire pink suit into a chic evening gown, was designed to reflect the workplace revolution for women in the 1980s. There are also examples of the first Black, Hispanic and Asian dolls to bear the Barbie name on display.

Plus, there is a section dedicated to Ken that will show six decades of Ken dolls charting his evolution from his introduction in 1961, showcasing his style and changing roles. Alongside these beloved dolls, the exhibit pulls back the curtains on Mattel’s design processes and offers a detailed exploration of the Barbie doll as a technically and materially innovative creation.

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The 65th-anniversary celebration doesn’t stop there, as Mattel and Human Mobile Devices (HMD) have teamed up to bring back one of the most popular nostalgic elements of the early 2000s – the flip phone. Released on Aug. 28 in the U.S., the HMD Barbie Phone includes features like calling and texting. However, it is purposely designed with no internet access so people can cut down on screen time, break away from the annoyances of social media and focus on living their best Barbie lifestyle. The design choice for an internet-less phone is rooted in research conveying young people are embracing the digital detox movement as talking to friends online has dropped by 13% and interacting with friends in person has shot up by 28%.

“In our fast-paced digital world, it can often feel like the online buzz never stops,” says Lars Silberbauer, global chief marketing officer, Human Mobile Devices. “This phone encourages people to ditch smartphones in times when they just want less browsing and more fun. We cannot wait for people to get their hands on the device and take a holiday from their smartphone.”

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When the device is powered on, users will hear a “Hi Barbie!” message and see a missed call from “Ken.” The phone is complemented with a mirror on the front for on-the-go touchups and comes with three interchangeable covers. To top it off, there is also a beaded phone strap that can be adorned with Barbie phone charms, including a tiny roller skate and a Barbie doll-size ice cream.

One of the other collaborators for the anniversary this year was Reebok. The shoe company debuted a Barbie-inspired product collection for kids and adults that features an assortment of lifestyle and performance apparel and footwear items that fuse the recognizable Barbie color palettes with fanfavorite Reebok silhouettes and styles. The Reebok x Barbie collection became available Sept. 20 on Reebook.com and at select retailers.

Whether through a museum exhibit, flip phone or shoe collaboration, Barbie continues to inspire and captivate, proving that even at 65, the brand is as relevant and influential as ever.