The original Barbie doll debuted at the American International Toy Fair in 1959.
Mattel introduced Barbie on March 9, 1959, giving the doll an adult fashion-model identity rather than the baby or toddler identity common among girls’ dolls at the time. Her first outfit was a black-and-white striped swimsuit, paired with black open-toe shoes and gold hoop earrings.
The date is sometimes confused with 1958, when Mattel filed the patent for Barbie’s design. The public launch came the following year. March 9 is now treated as Barbie’s official birthday and is used in many anniversary and collector releases.
Barbie’s debut established the basic fashion-doll format: a doll whose appeal included changing clothes, accessories, hairstyles, and careers. That format later expanded into designer collaborations, themed wardrobes, and collector editions.