July 29th, 1992. The Baltimore Sun runs a feature about a surprise candidate in the upcoming presidential race: Barbie. The 11.5-inch icon of girlhood and glamor is running for office – and flying off the shelves. But how did a plaything become important enough to make national news?
To answer that question, we take you on a journey through doll history, fr ... Show More
Oct 12
Audubon’s Birds Come Home to Roost
October 12, 1820. John James Audubon—a failed shopkeeper, grist miller, and steamboat investor—sets off from Cincinnati on a flatboat down the Ohio River. He is bankrupt. The bank has taken everything except his clothes, his gun, and a portfolio of 62 bird drawings. His plan is t ... Show More
33m 7s
Jul 2023
Barbie: German Sex Doll to American Icon
<p>She's an icon, a polymath, a fashionista, and she's absolutely everywhere right now.</p><br><p>Where did Barbie come from? What has she represented to the many who have bought and played with her? And what makes her an American doll?</p><br><p>In this episode, M.G. Lord joins ... Show More
31m 54s
Jul 2023
The Barbie Tapes: When Girls--and Barbie--Could Do Anything
In this episode, Ruth and Elliot Handler are gone, and the new Mattel team, led by a man who feared the volatility of the toy business, diversified the company and made a big gamble on electronics. It didn’t work. Fortunately, Barbie ends up in the sure hands of some trailblazing ... Show More
32m 26s
Mar 2025
Barbie: The Fashion History of an Icon, Part I (Dressed Classic)
Barbie is so much more than a child's toy. Since making her debut in 1959, the Barbie doll has become a full-fledged global phenomenon--and fashion icon. In this three part series from 2023, we explore the fashion history and cultural significance of the world's most famous doll ... Show More
49m 51s
Jul 2023
Before Margot Robbie, there was Barbie (Re-release)
In this episode, Tess takes us through the history and controversy of the iconic toy doll, Barbie. Claire and Tess express some of the ways in which this doll personally effected their childhood and womanhood, diving into the complicated and unfair societal norms of body image an ... Show More
1h 8m
Jul 2023
Barbie: The Fashion History of an Icon, Part I
Barbie is so much more than a child's toy. Since making her debut in 1959, the Barbie doll has become a full-fledged global phenomenon--and fashion icon. In this two part series, we explore the fashion history and cultural significance of the world's most famous doll and meet the ... Show More
55m 25s