Barbie Turns 50, Celebrates Worldwide

There's an icon turning fifty this year, and she'll be celebrated with a series of events and launches around the world. Her name? Barbie. Despite her age, America's most popular doll looks far from ready to join the AARP. In fact, she's serving as inspiration for 50 designers who are creating life-sized outfits that will be featured in a 50th Anniversary runway show during New York City's Fashion Week next month.

Kimora Lee Simmons Barbie, $65, BarbieCollector.com

The looks will be worn with custom pink shoes by Christian Louboutin. Work! While the list of designers participating has not been revealed, it's rumored that wedding dress designer Vera Wang will debut a $15,000 wedding gown.

Barbie is no stranger to the fashion world. If you didn't know, she's been dressed by more than 70 high-end designers, including Burberry, Versace, Giorgio Armani, Christian Lacroix and Monique L'huillier, throughout the years. A $500 self-titled coffee table book was recently released featuring images of the doll dressed by the likes of Prada, Karl Lagerfeld and Alexander McQueen. And if you're still not impressed, Barbie's quest for world domination was further realized when her fiercest competitor, Bratz, lost a major court battle to maker Mattel last month, forcing the permanent removal of the urban toy line from store shelves as of January 1st. (Sigh, I was really into Bratz too. Seriously).

Vera Wang Bride Barbie, $150, BarbieCollector.com

You can also expect to see a line of beauty products by her maker Mattel, and there will be a celebration of sorts around the world. Fifty accessory designers will debut handbags, shoes and more inspired by Barbie in Paris at Pret a Porter Paris Salon, a fashion trade show for retailers. Canadian bath and body line Cake Beauty is launching a fragrance, and, biggest of all, there will be grand opening of House of Barbie in Shanghai, China this month. House of Barbie is much more than a life-size doll house -- the eight-story shop will include a spa, museum, restaurants, clothing and dolls!

Alvin Ailey American Dance Company Barbie, $39.95, BarbieCollector.com

If you want to get a piece of Barbie nostalgia back in your life, visit BarbieCollector.com and, my favorite, AngelicDreamz.com, for collector items. The sites offer a wide variety of dolls wearing fashion from Zac Posen, Diane von Furstenberg, and Vera Wang, as well as black dolls designed by Kimora Lee Simmons for Baby Phat and African-American designer Byron Lars. There's even a limited-edition doll from Alvin Ailey, which is also celebrating its 50th anniversary. If you need to chuckle, peep the chocolate hottie with platinum blonde hair in a sparkle red gown, it may have been inspired by Diddy's mom Janice Combs or '90s rap queen Lil' Kim. Yeah, there's a Barbie for all of us.

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