as everyone called her, has become one of the most successful toy in history.

大家都稱她為芭比，她已成為歷史上最暢銷的玩具

Ruth Handler watched her daughter Barbara play with paper dolls, and noticed that she

羅絲•韓德勒看著她女兒芭芭拉玩紙娃娃時，發現女兒喜歡將紙娃娃

often enjoyed giving them adult roles. At the time, most children's toy dolls were representations

設定成成人角色，在當時，大部分孩子的玩具都是嬰兒或孩童模樣

of infants. Realizing that there could be a gap in the market, Handler suggested the

羅絲發現這可能是市場上的一塊大餅，因此她將

idea of an adult-bodied doll to her husband Elliot, a co-founder of the Mattel toy company.

成人造型娃娃的點子提供給她的丈夫艾律，也就是美泰兒玩具公司的另一位創辦人

During a trip to Europe in 1956 Ruth Handler saw a German doll called Bild Lilli. The adult-figured

1956 年，羅絲•韓德勒在歐洲旅行時，發現一個叫 Bild Lilli 的德國娃娃

doll was exactly what Handler had in mind, so she purchased three of them and took them

她的成人造型正好符合了韓德勒理想，所以她買了三個娃娃，並且帶回美泰兒

to Mattel. The Lilli was based on a popular character appearing in a comic strip. Lilli

Lilli 是根據一個受歡迎的四格漫畫角色所設計的

was a blonde bombshell, a working girl. The Lilli doll was first sold in Germany in 1956.

Lilli 是一個性感的金髮上班女郎，1956 年， Lilli 娃娃在德國首次推出

Mattel acquired the rights to the Bild Lilli in 1964 . The first Barbie doll wore a black

美泰兒於1964年獲得Bild Lilli的專利，第一代芭比身穿

and white zebra striped swimsuit and signature topknot ponytail, and was available as either

黑白斑馬條紋泳裝，綁著馬尾，並有

a blonde or brunette. The doll was marketed as a "Teen-age Fashion Model," with her clothes

金髮和深褐色兩種髮色，芭比被設定為「青少年時裝模特兒」，她的服裝

created by Mattel fashion designer Charlotte Johnson. The first Barbie dolls were manufactured

由美泰兒時裝設計師夏洛特•強森所設計，第一代芭比

in Japan, with their clothes hand-stitched. Around three hundred and fifty thousand Barbie’s

是日本製造，服裝全為手工縫製，當年就銷售出

were sold within a year. According to Barbie's parents, the Mattel

約 35 萬個芭比，根據芭比的家長美泰兒公司統計

Company, 90% of all American girls between 3 and 10 have had at least one Barbie.

90% 的 3 到 10 歲美國女童都擁有至少一隻芭比

Today, however, Barbie is facing an identity crisis. There are many rivals in market. Bratz

然而今日，芭比卻面臨身分危機，市場上有許多競爭者

dolls, for example, came to life seven years ago. They look more like today's pop stars

舉例來說，貝茲娃娃七年前問世，它們看起來更像今日的當紅明星，

with lots of makeup and miniskirts. Bratz is a challenge for Barbie, as the company

有著時尚彩妝和迷你裙，貝茲對芭比來說是個挑戰，貝茲的公司

offers a wide variety of clothing too. Indeed, sales have been going down over the

也為她設計了許多的衣服，其實，芭比在過去幾年的銷售成績不佳，

past year, partly because of the world's economic crisis.

世界面臨的經濟危機是部分原因

Barbie still has a lot going for her. More and more doll lovers all over the globe have

芭比還是有許多粉絲，全世界有越來越多娃娃愛好者成為芭比收藏家

become collectors. They trade Barbies or buy them on eBay. Other look for special and rare

他們透過 eBay 販賣或購買芭比，有些人則會尋找特別款和稀有款的

Barbie dolls, like Scarlett O'Hara from "Gone with the Wind".

芭比娃娃，像是「亂世佳人」的斯佳麗•奧哈拉。

On the international scene, Barbie remains number one. Although Mattel has been selling

就國際視野來看，芭比的地位仍是首屈一指，即使美泰兒

fewer Barbies in the United States over the past year. In January Mattel opened its first

過去幾年在美國賣出的芭比減少，一月時，美泰兒在上海開了

Barbie store in Shanghai, where girls can shop, eat or even become their own fashion

第一間芭比旗艦店，女孩可以在那購物，吃美食，或成為芭比的時裝設計師

designer. Barbie is present in the virtual world at

芭比同時會出現在虛擬世界 Barbiegirls.com 之中

Barbiegirls.com. users can play games and chat with other Barbie fans. There are Facebook

玩家可以玩遊戲，也能和其他芭比粉絲聊天，芭比也有專屬的臉書粉絲專頁

groups and YouTube channels. Barbie has changed her image many times over

以及YouTube頻道，芭比在過去幾十年換過許多不同的造型

the past decades. Originally she wore blond pony tails and had bright red lips. In the

最一開始是金髮馬尾和亮麗紅唇，她在

80s she changed to a more colourful neon look. For her 50th birthday Mattel is planning some

80 年代時變得像霓虹燈一樣色彩繽紛，在芭比 50 歲生日時，美泰兒籌備了一個

big events. Fashion designers from all over the world have been called to make new clothes

大驚喜，全世界的時裝設計師都受邀為芭比設計新衣服

for Barbie. She is also scheduled to be a big star during a New York fashion week.

她也像個大明星一樣，出席紐約時裝周

How long will Barbie stay on as a celebrity in the world of toys. Hard to stay, but 50

芭比會在玩具世界中當多久的大明星呢？這很難說，但 50 歲

is definitely not the age to retire.

肯定不是她退休的年紀