Mattel even introduced a presidential candidate Barbie in 1992. The Papers of Ruth Handler, 1931-2002 — 35 file boxes, plus photographs, videotapes, and audiotapes — are housed at the Arthur ...

Handler liked to tell the story of Barbie’s origins as a polished autobiographical anecdote: that she had seen her own daughter playing with adult paper dolls and was inspired to create a doll ...

Barbie was created by Ruth Handler of Mattel who was the principal architect of the doll's campaign. Handler was inspired by watching her daughter play with paper dolls that resembled adult women.