Barbie

Rating:
Summary: The book that launched a million Barbie collections.
Review: Although more than a decade old, this book continues to fascinate me. Mattel owes a debt of gratitute to Billy Boy*, whose landmark coffee-table book inspired many, including myself, to start their own Barbie collections. I own three copies of this book, whose narrative is as fascinating as its photos (Twiggy and Malibu Christie are two of my favorite Barbie friends, and are given prominence in this book). The photography also captures the "fun" of Barbie, and are not merely dolls posed in a wire stand. "Great" says it all ...

Rating:
Summary: BARBIE-FASHION ICON
Review: Having met the author in Paris in the early nineties I can sincerely say that Billy Boy knows his subject well.He is an expert not only on Barbie but on Bleuette and various other fashion dolls.This book gives a fascinating account of Barbie's itineraries as fashion icon and pop phenomenon.It contains some very interesting photos of Barbie's best outfits from the late 50ies to the late 80ies as well as a great gallery of Barbie portraits dressed by every well known designer.Also,lots of information on Barbie family members.A must.

Rating:
Summary: Billy Boy puts down facts and visuals, all very good!
Review: This book about one of the world's greatest doll really emphisises the fasion of Barbie. The photos are absolutly stunning; with shots of the original doll to the French, Italian, Brittish, and American designers to Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Chanel, etc! He covers all the fasions of the time periods, which starts from when she was first debuted to middle 80s, and especially mentions the Haute Couture. The history of Barbie is very good; I think out of all the books I read about her history, this one has the most, and also the most facts about things that you never really knew. It shows alot of things that weren't coresponded to Barbie and her fasions mainly; It has the Bild Lilli and Twiggy dolls (a brief page or two), old comics or books on her, and on a lot of pages, you will see someone who was famous back then, who he thinks the doll had some connection to (i.e., Brigette Bardot, Elizabeth Taylor, Kim Novak, Marilyn Monroe, Bettina, etc.). It covers the Barbies and accsessories, like Flirting Miss Barbie, the twist and turn era, Color Magic Barbie, Talking Barbie, and many of Barbie's pets. A very good book if you are intrested in knowing what actually made barbie famous and knowing her history and fasions.