It’s a Barbie World thanks to the vision of Colorado’s Ruth Handler

July 17, 2023
showimageshowimageCourtesy of Mattel
Barbie has come a long way since she was first introduced in 1959.

The Barbie movie hits theaters this week and is expected to be a summer blockbuster. So we want to revisit a bit of Colorado Barbie history. The woman who created the ubiquitous doll was born in Denver. Ruth Handler was also the co-founder of Mattel. She was inspired by her daughter Barbara, who is indeed the namesake of the iconic doll. Robin Gerber is the author of "Barbie and Ruth." She spoke with Ryan Warner in 2019.