Conceived in 1959 as an "adult" doll to dress for every occasion, Barbie has since become a worldwide cultural and commercial phenomenon. Illustrations reveal her many faces, styles, and incarnations, from the blonde, blue-eyed mainstay to the exotic dolls available around the world. Here too are her most glamorous costumes, and the real-life Hollywood stars-Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, and Vivien Leigh-and fashion designers-Christian Dior, Calvin Klein, and Bob Mackie-who inspired them.
Doll expert Marco Tosa presents a wealth of documentation, including a description of how the dolls are made, a family tree, a chart of the dolls' occupations, the dates of issue of each Barbie doll discussed, and photographs of original packaging. There is also a section on the forthcoming, more anatomically correct Barbie doll.
Marco Tosa, a native of Genoa, Italy, teaches at the Venice Academy of Fine Arts. He is the author of several books on fashion and on the history and culture of dolls.
