Editing Ruth Handler (section)

==Mattel ==
Elliot became interested in furniture-making and decided to make furniture from two plastics, [[Lucite]] and [[Plexiglas]]. At Ruth's suggestion, they started a furniture business where Ruth was in charge of sales, and she landed contracts with businesses such as [[Douglas Aircraft Company]].<ref name="PBS">{{cite web |title=Who Made America?: Ruth Handler |url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/theymadeamerica/whomade/handler_hi.html |website=PBS |access-date=January 20, 2014}}</ref>

Business executive [[Harold Matson (businessman)|Harold "Matt" Matson]] joined the Handlers' company, which they renamed Mattel by combining "Matson" and "Elliot".<ref name="auto2">{{Cite web |last=Haynes |first=Ian |date=2023-08-15 |title=The brains behind Barbie: A look at the entrepreneurial journey of Ruth Handler |url=https://www.asbn.com/start-a-business/entrepreneurship/the-brains-behind-barbie-a-look-at-the-entrepreneurial-journey-of-ruth-handler/ |access-date=2023-12-04 |website=ASBN Small Business Network |language=en-US}}</ref> (Elliot later said that they were unable to think of a way to include Ruth's name.)<ref>{{cite web |title=History of Mattel by Robert Eckert |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGwGljfOGD4 |website=Youtube |date=September 9, 2012}}</ref> When sales fell during World War II, Mattel began making toy furniture. Its success spurred the company's transition to toy manufacturing.

===Barbie===
Observing her daughter Barbara and friends having fun with paper dolls and role-play adult scenarios, Ruth noticed a market void.<ref name="auto2"/> Dolls available at that time were mainly babies and toddlers; no dolls were available that resembled adults.

During a trip to Europe in 1956 with Barbara and her son Kenneth, Ruth came across [[Bild Lilli doll|Bild Lilli]],<ref name="WP-20230525">{{cite news |last=Javaid |first=Maham |date=May 25, 2023 |title=Barbie's 'pornographic' origin story, as told by historians - A new trailer for the Barbie movie shows her visiting the real world. In reality, the doll was based on a German sex toy called Lilli. |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2023/05/25/barbie-trailer-creator-pornographic-origin-doll/ |url-status=live |accessdate=May 26, 2023 |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20230526144415/https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2023/05/25/barbie-trailer-creator-pornographic-origin-doll/ |archivedate=May 26, 2023}}</ref> a German doll. In an interview with Mary G. Lord, author of ''Forever Barbie,'' Handler said that she saw the doll in [[Lucerne]], Switzerland. However, the book points out that on other occasions Handler said that she saw it in [[Zürich]] or [[Vienna]]. The adult-figured doll was exactly what Ruth had in mind. She purchased three, gave one to her daughter, and took the others to Mattel. The Lilli doll was based on a popular character in a satirical comic strip drawn by Reinhard Beuthin for the newspaper ''[[Bild]].'' The Lilli doll was first sold in 1955 in Germany, and although initially sold to adults, it became popular with children who enjoyed dressing it in outfits that were available separately.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 29, 2016 |title=Meet Lilli, the High-end German Call Girl Who Became America's Iconic Barbie Doll |url=http://www.messynessychic.com/2016/01/29/meet-lilli-the-high-end-german-call-girl-who-became-americas-iconic-barbie-doll/ |access-date=February 10, 2018 |website=Messy Nessy}}</ref>

On return to the US, Handler redesigned the doll with help from local inventor-designer [[Jack Ryan (designer)|Jack Ryan]]. She named the doll Barbie after her daughter Barbara, and said that Barbie was from Willows, Wisconsin. Premiering on March 9, 1959 at the [[American International Toy Fair]] in New York City,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ruth Mosko Handler unveils Barbie Doll |url=http://jwa.org/thisweek/mar/09/1959/ruth-mosko-handler |access-date=March 8, 2014 |publisher=Jewish Women's Archive}}</ref> the first Barbie doll cost $3 and was an instant hit.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web |title=Ruth Handler: The Entrepreneur Who Created Barbie |url=https://www.historyhit.com/ruth-handler-the-entrepreneur-who-created-barbie/ |access-date=2023-12-04 |website=History Hit}}</ref> In its first year, 300,000 were sold.<ref name="auto1"/> 

The Handlers and Mattel later added a boyfriend for Barbie, named [[Ken (doll)|Ken]] after the Handlers' son.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 14, 2023 |title=Barbie Through the Ages |url=https://www.history.com/news/barbie-through-the-ages |access-date=July 31, 2023 |website=history.com}}</ref> Eventually a huge range of Barbie dolls was released, portrayed with more than 125 careers,<ref name="auto2"/> and Barbie became known for her versatility and fashion. The Handlers added cars, sports gear, clothes, and doll furniture to their Barbie products.