Barbie Part 1: Welcome to the Dollhouse

How did Barbie—a voluptuous fashion doll for children—become the It girl of toy aisle in the early 1960s, and what has it taken Mattel to keep it that way? Answer: Beyoncé-level PR and a whole lotta lawsuits. Intern Anuli and Cristen sleuth out Barbie's ascent from gold digger to girl next door; her creator, Ruth Handler, whose own children hated the dolls; when Mattel took "Barbie Girl" to court; and why it took 21 years for Black Barbie to happen. Part 1 of 2. Mixing and mastering by Multitude Productions. Advertising inquiries? Contact Multitude Shop NEW merch (sizes up to 5x) Join the Unladies Room Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices