From the original Ken doll to the latest special edition, these valuable dolls offer a glimpse into the evolution of fashion, culture and design over the years. We can't list them all here, but this is what you'll get for some of your favorite childhood toys (depending on their condition, of course). Mattel's official line was that this was an attempt to modernize Ken based on the results of a survey that was conducted among their customers. We have seen plenty of Fashion Barbie dolls on this list, but now we have a Fashion Ken doll. Designed by Robert Best, the Gianfranco Ken doll is a gold label doll from the Barbie Fashion Model Collection.

To have a progressive Ken in the same way that we've had a progressive Barbie would look different. Right? It wouldn't be like, you can be a doctor. It would be like, you can be a teacher, which is a very feminized profession. You can be a stay-at-home dad. You can be a caretaker. Ein Beitrag geteilt von Mandy G (@my.dreams.are.pink) am Apr 18, 2018 um 4:34 PDT Ken got real hair There’s a lot of TV out there. We want to help: Every week, we’ll tell you the best and most urgent shows to stream so you can stay on top of the ever-expanding heap of Peak TV. Klimek: Emily has spent a lot of time thinking about the racial politics of Barbie. She writes about this in her book Bad Jews: A History of American Jewish Politics and Identities . It turns out that even when the Barbie universe expanded to other body types and skin tones, it didn't necessarily change the minds of the consumer. Emily spoke with anthropologist Elizabeth Chin about this. All of this, at the same time, you have Barbie and Ken, who were like, classic. The all-American man and the all-American woman. At the same time that the American Jews are sort of like, “Well, what does it mean to be an American Jewish man or an American Jewish woman?”Tamkin: Yeah, I mean, it wasn't just Ken. They built out the Barbie fam. So there's her friend Midge, there's her little sister Skipper, and then Ken. It basically was like, “Well, Barbie needs a boyfriend.”

I've got a shaving gear. Wet the play razor, and you can take off Ken's beard and mustache. Then put it on again with this beard marker. Better fix your hair. OK! Nice beard, Ken. It’s Ken and Beauty Secrets Barbie. Sport and Shave Ken Doll with two play razors and a beard marker. Beauty Secrets Barbie Doll is sold separately. New from Mattel. Klimek: Has a slightly more animated facial expression than prior Kens. He looks like he maybe knows more than he's telling, and he's got, like, I guess I would've called it a leisure suit.Get The Best Gift Registered office 9 Appleton Drive, Wymeswold, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE12 6TS, United Kingdom

In the film, Ken is obsessed with horses, but that fascination began in 1982 with his Horse Lovin' persona. Like Totally Hair Ken, Cool Shavin' Ken (looking rather like George Michael) is very concerned with his appearance. As ruler of the sea, he's adorned with rose-gold colored armor, a shell-encrusted breastplate and regal head adornments. 8. Ken Doll (Mexico) Klimek: To get a better understanding of where Ken has been, and where he might go in the future, Emily and I sat down together and watched some ads for different Ken dolls over the years. We started with Ken’s debut in 1961. He seemed to be on his way to a longer run as Ken's best pal, but he was discontinued the same year. 10. Disney Cast Member KenWhile you'll definitely be able to find the Winter Glamour line of Barbie dolls with dresses in plenty of jewel-toned colors, the white dress for this doll is the rarest of them all - only 15 dolls in the line were given the white gown, meaning her rarity was quite literally crafted at creation.

With her radiant opulence, highly-detailed overcoat, and innate sophistication, this Chataine Barbie was released at FAO Schwartz and described by Mattel as being a, "brunette version of Capucine Barbie," another elaborate entry from the Barbie Fashion Model Collection. Klimek: Yeah. I mean, are you willing to share a little more about that, the lore that you and your sister invented? Klimek: This is a thing that you write about in a really nuanced way in your piece about how the Handlers were a Jewish family and how even for the creators of Barbie the aesthetic of Barbie was kind of a fraught subject. Klimek: From Smithsonian magazine and PRX Productions, welcome to “There's More to That," a podcast where journalists around the world bring you history, science and culture through the lens of Smithsonian magazine. Today, we turn our attention to the Ken doll … Someone should do it!

And as one person I spoke to for the piece said to me, often what the children imagine is far beyond what you could read on the side of the box, which I think is true. But there's a gender dynamic there. This very stereotypically feminine-looking doll, breaking the mold of what people think women and girls can do. Created in 1959 and manufactured by Mattel, Inc., the fashion dolls were an instant hit. The Barbie brand has been a wide success since its initial launch over fifty years ago and has made many young children have happy childhoods while playing with the iconic dolls.