Mattel Inc. is the company behind the production and evolution of Barbie dolls in the market. Because of the success of Barbie, it is the major revenue of the company from the past to the present. The wonderful concept of the late businesswoman Ruth Handler (1916-2002) and the magnificent design by a German doll named Bild Lilli, Barbie came to be reality. Barbie was classified as one of the important dolls promoting the latest trend in fashion dolls. Handler was inspired to create this toy when she watched her daughter Barbara playing paper dolls, and noticed that her daughter often gave them adult roles. During that time most children's toy dolls were played with by infants. Realizing the problem in the market, Handler suggested to her husband Elliot, to help her conceptualized an adult-bodied doll. However, Handler's hubby and the Mattel's directors did not consider her offer.

 When Handler toured Europe in 1956 together with her children Barbara and Kenneth, she came across a German toy doll called Bild Lilli. This is the kind of the doll wanted by Handler, and so, she purchased three dolls. She showed the dolls to Mattel and explained to the directors the concept she wanted to create. Lilli doll was primarily based on a popular character in a comic strip drawn by Reinhard Beuthin published in the newspaper Die Bild-Zeitung.

In further development, the first ever Barbie doll wore a black and white zebra striped swimsuit and signature topknot ponytail, and sold in the market in two ways – blonde or brunette. Barbie's fashion clothes were designed by Mattel fashion designer Charlotte Johnson. It was Japan first manufactured Barbie, together with its clothes carefully hand-stitched by Japanese home workers. Its wonderful success in the market, sold 350,000 high-quality dolls in the first year of production.

Though the success of Barbie was remarkable, the makers need to remodel the doll because some parents were not happy about the doll's chest, which had distinct breasts. Among the changes were the doll's eyes were adjusted to look forwards rather than having demure sideways like the original one.

When it comes to endorsing the products, Mattel advertised the doll on television, which gathered positive feedback from the buyers. The placement on the television ad was copied by some other toy companies. The doll company reported that over a Billion Barbie dolls have been sold worldwide throughout history in over 150 countries, with Mattel claiming that at least three dolls are sold every second

It is true that Mattel Barbie dolls are a pop-cultural phenomenon that has influenced generations of young girls the world over - but that influence has not come without a fair share of controversy.

While no one will argue with the popularity of Mattel's Barbie Doll, one area that has raised its fair share of controversy over the years is her figure.

Many parents from around the world have argued that Barbie's ultra-slim figure represents a ridiculous standard for a body shape. They say that many girls grow up thinking that they must have the same figure as Barbie or there is something wrong with them. And actually it would be quite difficult to measure up to Barbie's standards.

If you take the measurements of Barbie, she would be over 7 feet tall, weigh around 125 pounds, and have a shape of 32-20-42. Of course, no woman could maintain a figure like that, but this is where the controversy stems. According to research by the University Central Hospital in Helsinki, Finland, she would lack the 17 to 22 percent body fat required for a woman to menstruate.

In addition, Barbie has a very long neck. In fact, her neck is nearly twice the size of the average woman. Her feet are also another source of criticism with many saying that Barbie's feet are only half the size of a normal womans due to foot binding. That is the practice of preventing your feet from growing by constricting them.

Some have went as far as saying that the Barbie doll has caused their children to become anorexic from trying to maintain Barbie's figure. In recent years, Mattel has given in a little bit on this issue and widened Barbie's waist a bit. This took place around the year 2000. Barbie now has a more proportioned waist.

Regardless of what Barbie's figure looks like, or who is right or wrong on this issue, the real winner in this debate is Mattel. The added controversy and publicity only helps to fuel sales. I wonder why no one talks about Ken's figure?

In July 1992 Mattel released Teen Talk Barbie, which spoke a number of phrases including "Will we ever have enough clothes?", "I love shopping!", and "Wanna have a pizza party?" Each doll was programmed to say four out of 270 possible phrases, so that no two dolls were likely to be the same. One of these 270 phrases was "Math class is tough!" Although only about 1.5% of all the dolls sold said the phrase, it led to criticism from the American Association of University Women. In October 1992 Mattel announced that Teen Talk Barbie would no longer say the phrase, and offered a swap to anyone who owned the doll.

Another controversial figure is a Barbie doll that is depicted as being pregnant. This doll is not however an actual Barbie doll but one of Barbie’s friends. This doll friend is called Midge and she is portrayed as being married and already having a another child. The controversy is because many people seem to feel that this is a wrong move by Mattel.

Of course just as there are detractors to this doll there are also people who feel that there is nothing wrong with the production of this pregnant Barbie doll. Now the interesting fact you will find from this doll is the detachable tummy where the Barbie doll’s baby is supposed to be. In all probability many stores will withdraw this Barbie doll as there are many people who seem opposed to the idea of a little girl’s doll being depicted as being ready to have a child.

It is difficult to know if this interesting move by Mattel is a wise one as the Barbie doll brand is one that girls do want to buy. Perhaps this is yet another Barbie doll that will become a collector’s doll like the Nabisco Oreo Fun Time Barbie doll after it was withdrawn. Regardless of this fact is the idea behind what parents see and feel when their daughters ask why Barbie has a large tummy.