Mattel founders Ruth and Elliot Handler used family members as inspiration when creating the dolls – Ruth’s brother Kenneth and Barbara Handler Segal.
Illustrator Nickolay Lamm undertook an investigation into what Barbie would really look like, in the real world. Lamm compared Barbie’s Mattel image to a proportionate 19 year old girl. Have a look at the disparity between the million dollar industry and the real world.