First Black Barbie

[after you]

https://nypost.com/2023/07/17/how-the-first-black-barbie-got-her-dynamite-style/
Diana Ross [[https://pagesix.com/2023/04/27/smokey-robinson-reveals-diana-ross-affair-while-married-to-first-wife/) — one of the first big pop superstars at the time — was a major source of inspiration.
“I loved the way that Diana would look when she was onstage, and her designer was Bob Mackie [[https://nypost.com/2021/10/16/how-bob-mackie-created-iconic-dresses-for-cher-and-other-stars/),” said Black Perkins. “And so I wanted that feel to

[jobeterob]

Not a real surprise - the only other person that had the looks was Mary but she wasn’t well enough known

Whitney could have been the inspiration a few years later

[sup_fan]

there was also the Mego doll of Diana Ross in the mid 70s. they also did Cher, charlie's angels and some others. like Barbie, the dolls also had various gowns and outfits you could purchase separately. i believe the outfits were at least "titled" for one doll or another. i remember something like "Cher's Moon outfit" and it was some silver lame thing. but any of the dolls could wear any of the outfits

plus there was this large doll [[maybe by the toy company Ideal?) for Diana Ross and the Supremes. i think it was released in 69 or so. there was only the 1 doll for Diana. they didn't do a Mary or a Cindy doll but the box art was of the group. the likeness of the doll wasn't all that accurate. it looked more like a baby doll face.

[sansradio]

^^^
I've seen that doll in person. It's giving Teresa Graves more than Ross. [Found it on Google Images, but can't post it for some reason...]

[reese]

Here is a photo of the 1969 doll.

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[sup_fan]

i saw it once in a store in NYC in the mid 90s. a antique, rarities, collector store. they also had the bread wrapper, which i bought. but i think the doll was hundreds of dollars. maybe close to $1000? not sure i remember but i couldn't do both lol

[sansradio]

i saw it once in a store in NYC in the mid 90s. a antique, rarities, collector store. they also had the bread wrapper, which i bought. but i think the doll was hundreds of dollars. maybe close to $1000? not sure i remember but i couldn't do both lol

Was it a little storefront in the East Village? Because that's where I saw it! It was a pretty dime. Didn't know they had the bread wrapper, too!!!

[marybrewster]

Quite a few years back, I saw the 1970's Mego Diana Ross doll at a thrift store, mint condition, still in the box, with no Mego Melt, lol. I want to say it was $49.99, which I thought was spendy.....until I realized it was Half Price Day. Wheeee!

I've also picked up the Bob Mackie Barbie that came out several years ago.

[sup_fan]

Was it a little storefront in the East Village? Because that's where I saw it! It was a pretty dime. Didn't know they had the bread wrapper, too!!!

no i'm pretty sure this was Colony. right in Times Square. they had a few glass showcases with memorabilia and all

[sup_fan]

Quite a few years back, I saw the 1970's Mego Diana Ross doll at a thrift store, mint condition, still in the box, with no Mego Melt, lol. I want to say it was $49.99, which I thought was spendy.....until I realized it was Half Price Day. Wheeee!

I've also picked up the Bob Mackie Barbie that came out several years ago.

lucky you! have you picked up any of the outfits? has anyone identified how many accessories and outfits were released for the dolls and how many were specific to DR?

[Laurent]

There's 4 specific to DR :
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The fourth one has a variation/alternate or misprinted color :
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I only have the doll, not the outfits !