Over 700 million Barbie dolls with the enviable "hourglass" figure have now been sold and each day somewhere in the world, two Barbie's are bought every second.

A huge variety of accessories and outfits have also been produced - Barbie has her own cars, a house, a horse, a swimming pool and, of course, a boyfriend called Ken who first appeared on the scene in 1961. To enhance her fashionable image, hundreds of different outfits have been produced for her including swimwear, ball gowns, business suits, disco outfits, nightwear and even wedding dresses, providing a visual history of American fashion spanning almost forty years.

Still as popular and ageless today as she was in 1959, Barbie has proved her lasting appeal to more than one generation of fashion-doll lovers.