Meet Lilli, the doll that inspired the creation of #Barbie.
Ruth Handler, who co-founder of Mattel alongside her husband Elliot in 1945, was inspired to design #Barbie after observing her daughter. Instead of playing with baby dolls, her daughter preferred paper dolls that resembled adult women.
This observation highlighted a longing among young girls to engage with imaginative play beyond motherhood.
At the time, the only existing adult-like doll was the German Lilli, intended for a male audience. Lilli was based on a comic-strip character, who was a high-end call girl.
Since her inception, #Barbie has taken on countless professions. However, she's never done Lilli's job.