Barbie 50th Anniversary

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She may be celebrating her 50th birthday today, but the world's number one doll is still turning heads.

And the ageless beauty has much to celebrate as she reigns queen of style - and reinvention - with a botox-free complexion that sparks feelings of envy in most women half her age.

Barbie's greatest strength though, lies in her ability to keep up with the times - recently taking New York and London Fashion Week by storm with a tribute show.

Since her debut in 1959, the outfits Barbie has sported remain at the cutting edge of the fashion world.

From Roberto Cavalli's ra-ra skirt to Giles Deacon's metallic gown, the avant-garde fashionista has an outift from her closet to channel most 2009 designs .

Despite spanning five decades and 108 careers, including palaeontology, racing driving and presidential candidacy, the plastic-fantastic starlet has never let a hard day's work get in the way of good grooming.

Barbie never tires of dressing up - as she has claimed countless hours of girls' childhoods, while they immerse themselves in a fantasy world - that mirrors real-life glamour and high-fashion.

But is her star fading?

It has been rumoured that Mattel's prized possession has run her course with 2008 sales down nine per cent.

Barbie's skinny physique has also come under fire as the slender model has been branded an unrealistic image for young girls to aspire to.

It is perhaps her waning popularity in the west that has seen the toy company open a six-story flagship store in Shanghai called House of Barbie, featuring a restaurant, spa and runway where girls can pretend to be fashion models.

Jerry Oppenheimer, author of a book on Mattel called Toy Monster says: 'It's very clear that the taste of little girls who play with dolls has changed,

'They have come into the 21st century, where they play on their own laptops, and have their own cell phones.

'Dolls will be a part of their lives and Barbie will be part of that, but it will be a small window.'

Yet, designers including Diane von Furstenburg are rushing to dress her, there has even been an anniversary figure made of German chancellor Angela Merkel in her honour.

Introduced at a toy fair in New York City on March 9th 1959 as a teenage fashion model, Barbie, christened Barbie Millicent Roberts, cost just $3.

With her shapely figure, carefully styled pony tail, strapless black and white geometric bathing suit and spiked heels, Barbie was an instant hit.

Created by Ruth Handler, 14 years after she and her husband Elliot started the toy company Mattel Creations, sales of Barbie reached 300,000 the first year and kept on rising.

One of Barbie's major attractions over the past five decades has been her clothes, created by some of the world's most famous designers, including Gucci, Calvin Klein, Galliano and Versace.

Throughout her life, Barbie's hair and fashions have reflected real life haute-couture and fashion trends.

Fans mobbed New York's Fashion Week in February, where models took to the runway in 50 new designer outfits to celebrate Barbie's life of fashion.

It is far from certain if Mattel's recent efforts to spark greater interest in Barbie will pay off.

But one thing was evident in the looks on faces of dejected fans, ranging in age from toddlers with parents to students and professionals who were turned away at the crowded fashion show - Barbie still has a devoted audience.

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