Inspired by a German doll, Ruth Handler invented a teenage fashion doll and named it after her daughter, Barbara. The first Barbie doll made her debut at the 1959 American Toy Fair in New York City. Little did anyone know that Barbie would become a cultural phenomenon that crossed racial and national lines, inspiring fashions, perfume, and styles. She has weathered controversies and skepticism, but Barbie in all her incarnations is still one of the most popular toys in the world.