Which fashion doll was launched by Mattel in 1959?

The fashion doll launched by Mattel in 1959 was Barbie.

Barbie made her public debut at the American International Toy Fair in New York on March 9, 1959. Ruth Handler, a co-founder of Mattel, developed the idea after observing her daughter play with dolls and imagining an adult-bodied fashion model rather than another baby doll. The character was named after Handler’s daughter, Barbara.

The first Barbie wore a black-and-white striped swimsuit and came with either blonde or brunette hair. Her clothing was central to the product’s design: Mattel marketed separate outfits and accessories, turning the doll into a continuing fashion play system rather than a one-time toy purchase.

Barbie was influenced by the German Bild Lilli doll, which Handler encountered in Europe. That connection is sometimes confused with the claim that Barbie was simply copied; Mattel redesigned the figure and later acquired rights related to Lilli. Barbie’s companion Ken was introduced in 1961, and the brand eventually expanded into toys, films, television, games, and books.