The Unbelievable Story of Barbie's Creator, Ruth Handler

It’s Barbie’s world, people, and we’re just living in it. Or, wait—maybe it’s the other way around? This summer’s much-anticipated feature, Barbie, explores what might happen if the real world collided with Barbie Land, resulting in an action-packed, bubblegum-pink adventure.

The film, which was directed by Greta Gerwig, is in theaters now. It follows Barbie and Ken’s journey to the real world—but, along the way, the film peppers in some fascinating history about both dolls. We won’t spoil too much, but there’s even a reference to Barbie’s original creator, Ruth Hader. Keep reading to learn more about Hader, the talented designer who brought Barbie to life.

Who is Ruth Handler?

Ruth Handler is the creator of Barbie and the first president of Mattel Toys, which she co-founded with her husband, Elliot Handler. The couple started the company in 1949—and released the first Barbie doll in 1959.

According to PBS, Handler was the daughter of Polish-Jewish immigrants. She and her husband, Elliot, were high school sweethearts who later had two children together, named Barbara and Kenneth. Their children later became the inspiration for the iconic Barbie and Ken dolls.

How did Ruth Handler Create Barbie?

Handler came up with the idea after watching her daughter and her friends play with paper dolls. In Handler’s memoir, Dream Doll: The Ruth Handler Story, she describes the pivotal moment. “I discovered something very important. They were using these dolls to project their dreams of their own futures as adult women,” she said. “Wouldn’t it be great if we could take that play pattern and three-dimensionalize it?”

Handler thought that creating a life-like doll would be helpful for children, but her idea was initially shut down. She pitched the concept to her husband and their Mattel business partner—Harold “Matt” Matterson (Get it? Matt and El!)—but both men thought it was impractical. In Dream Doll, she recalls them saying, “Ruth, it won’t work.” The men claimed their skepticism was strictly business, but Handler had a hunch that they were concerned about Barbie’s figure.

A few years later, Handler and her family went to Switzerland for a vacation. During their trip, she spotted a doll that jolted her memory. In Dream Doll, she remembers thinking, “Here were the breasts, the small waist, the long, tapered legs I had enthusiastically described for the designers all those years ago.” Handler purchased the toy and brought it back to America, then presented it to her team. Soon after, the first Barbie prototype was made.

The first Barbie doll was well received and is credited as the first mass-produced toy in America. In its first year on the market, 300,000 Barbies were sold for $3 each.

When Did Ruth Handler Create Ken?

Ken was added to the Barbie universe in 1961. He is named after Handler’s son, Kenneth, and was marketed as Barbie’s boyfriend. Ken is, of course, much more than Barbie's arm candy—but you'll have to see Barbie to understand why.

How Long Did Ruth Handler work at Mattel?

Handler served as the president of Mattel from 1945 to 1975. Over her 30-year run, she was instrumental in designing Barbies and turning the company into the cultural phenomenon that it is today.

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