Madam C.J. Walker Barbie Inspirational Woman Doll with Accessories and Doll Stand, Gift for Collectors and Children from 6 Years

Product Information

We wanted to focus on the fact that she manufactured hair care products and to make to make the young people and the adults who love it think about her being a businesswoman," Bundles said.

Specifically for the Madam C.J. Walker Barbie Doll, Carlyle adds, “I worked with A'Lelia to come up with a multi-dimensional color, a particular curl pattern and an era appropriate style with the twist that goes across her head like a crown.”

This collectible Madam C.J. Walker Barbie® doll wears a full-length skirt and a blouse with beautiful floral print and ruffled details. It was a joy to work with Barbie on the design and creation of an Inspiring Women doll made in the likeness of my great-great grandmother, Madam C.J. Walker,” said Bundles in the statement.

Madam C.J. Walker Barbie® doll is sculpted to her likeness and features articulation for endless posing possibilities and inspired displays. Walker traveled through the South and Southeast selling her hair products door-to-door, and temporarily moved her base to Pittsburgh to train "hair culturists" at Lelia College, which she founded. For Mattel, the toy is an opportunity to inspire children to break boundaries and educate them about Walker’s trailblazing career.Walker's hair care products were born out of necessity because she started suffering from an ailment that caused her to lose her hair. She tested many homemade remedies, which resulted in Madam Walker's Wonderful Hair Grower, a scalp conditioning and healing formula. Walker’s hair care and cosmetics products were an important part of her legacy, so representing those products was crucial as well, Bundles said. The accessory is based on the original container for the product. The Barbie® Inspiring Women™ Series pays tribute to incredible heroines of their time; courageous women who took risks, changed rules and paved the way for generations of girls to dream bigger than ever before. Madam C. J. Walker was born Sarah Breedlove in 1867 on a Delta, Louisiana cotton plantation. The daughter of parents who were formerly enslaved and became sharecroppers, Walker would become a successful entrepreneur and the nation’s first documented self-made female millionaire. Barbie® honors her unflinching determination with a collectible doll, sculpted to her likeness. Complete with a “Madam C.J. Walker’s Wonderful Hair Grower” accessory, Madam C.J. Walker Barbie® doll makes a stunning addition to any collection. Doll stand and Certificate of Authenticity included. Doll cannot stand alone. Colors and decorations may vary. The Madam C.J. Walker doll dons a stylish turquoise and purple dress and comes with a “Madam C.J. Walker’s Wonderful Hair Grower” accessory. Because Walker was known for her hair care and cosmetics products, the team knew that needed to be a part of the overall presentation as well. “I wanted to capture Walker in a time in her life where she was selling her Wonderful Hair Grower, at public meetings and private home demonstrations – the true spirit of self-made,” Carlyle says. “So the doll even comes with a mini tin of her Wonderful Hair Grower!”

Mattel's "Inspiring Women Series" has previously included Ida B. Wells, Ella Fitzgerald and Maya Angelou, among others. A'Lelia Bundles, Walker’s great-great-granddaughter who wrote her biography, said it's exciting to see Walker honored alongside these figures.A new doll from Barbie’s inspiring women series honors Madam C.J. Walker, whose hair care business made her the first documented self-made female millionaire. This celebration of Madam C.J. Walker makes a great gift for Barbie® collectors and kids ages 6 years old and up. Includes doll stand and Certificate of Authenticity. What's everyone talking about?: Sign up for our trending newsletter to get the latest news of the day The Madam C.J. Walker doll features a rendition of the entrepreneur wearing a floral printed blouse and turquoise skirt and holding her original product, “Wonderful Hair Grower.” One more fun fact about Villa Lewaro: It was a gathering place for many luminaries of the Harlem Renaissance, the movement that inspired Carlyle’s Harlem Theatre doll series.)