The 65th anniversary doll duo pays homage to Barbie’s 1959 New York Toy Fair debut, where she was debuted by the brand’s inventor, Ruth Handler.

The black & white dresses will be reminiscent of Barbie’s original – and now iconic – swimsuit

Mattel is introducing two new limited-edition commemorative dolls in celebration of Barbie’s 65th anniversary – the Barbie 65th Blue Sapphire Anniversary Dolls.

The glamorous anniversary dolls pay homage to Barbie’s 9th March 1959 New York Toy Fair debut. A celebration of the icon’s heritage, her look has head-to-toe details that hark back to the original Barbie doll. The dolls black and white gown is a nod to Barbie’s original swimsuit, while the sparkling ‘sapphire’ earrings pay tribute to the gemstone associated with this remarkable milestone. Further details include cat-eye sunglasses, blue eyeshadow and red lips inspired by the first ever Barbie.

Barbie first entered the toy scene at the 1959 Toy Fair in New York City with inventor Ruth Handler. As the first mainstream doll made in the likeness of an adult, Barbie defied all odds and broke the mould of how children played with and thought about their role with dolls. Ruth believed that playing with dolls modelled after adult women would help girls imagine what they could be when they grew up, a mission the brand upholds to this day. Her revolutionary take on dolls created a path for Barbie to become the most recognisable toy in the world.

Of her invention, Ruth said: “My whole philosophy of Barbie was that through the doll, the little girl could be anything she wanted to be. Barbie always represented the fact that a woman has choices.”

Since its inception, Barbie’s brand purpose has been to inspire the limitless potential in every girl, galvanising three generations of kids and highlighting over 250 careers. For 65 years, Barbie has been breaking down barriers and inspiring generations through storytelling. As the most inclusive doll line on the market, Barbie is continuing to teach young children to be confident, daring, brave and legendary, and to shape their own future.

Marking the anniversary, Barbie will share stories of empowerment and impact across generations this March, highlighting the brand’s purpose of inspiring the next generation to reach their full potential. Earlier this week, Barbie kicked off the celebrations by unveiling the 2024 Role Model line-up, celebrating ‘female storytellers’ worldwide with the highest honour available from the Barbie brand – their own one-of-a-kind Barbie doll. New global Role Model honourees include acclaimed actresses Dame Helen Mirren and Viola Davis, superstar singer Kylie Minogue, and singer-songwriter Shania Twain.