Barbie Gets Edgy Makeover

The iconic Barbie turns the big 5-0 next year, but Mattel is refusing to let her scamper tip-toed into the sunset. Though the unnaturally proportioned plastic doll generates more than $1 billion in annual revenue, the product's brand manager admits, "We lost our way...We had lost a whole piece of the business, the older girl." So just in time for the recession, Mattel is giving Barbie a makeover that includes fresh trademark-pink packaging (hue PMS219), a more global aesthetic inspired by Vogue magazine, an edgier look to appeal to today's tweens, and flagship store experiences like those mastered by the company's American Girl brand.