Looking for a forgotten vintage Barbie? There are few doll lines as big as Barbie. Ever since the debut of the denim-clad first lady of fashion, Mattel has kept up with Barbie’s continuous reinvention for decades. It’s not surprising to see a decline in interest for the doll; Barbie’s four foot tall body certainly cannot help young girls’ self-esteem. Nevertheless, there are a number of interesting fashion doll lines from Mattel to keep an eye out for.
Monster High (2010 – 2018 / 2020)
Monster High was Mattel’s attempt to bring the children of iconic monsters to life with their unique style and each doll’s signature details and signature fun accessories. They were the predecessor collaboration of Ever After High (more on that later in this list), with every doll having a unique storyline. After a seven-year hiatus, Monster High was revived in 2020.
Ever After High (2012 – present)
Like Monster High, except for fairy tale character children. The Royals (children of the famous fairytale characters) reside in Ever After High, a school in Magic School, while the Rebels (children of all other figures from literature) struggle with prejudice from the Royals in their own school.
Ever After High might seem unusual with its arcane backstories, but the line has enjoyed success and a few waves of advertising. The line nicely retold classic stories with female characters and had a spin-off called Enchantimals (see below).
Enchantimals (2013 – present)
This was originally a spin-off of Ever After High but quickly differentiated itself, following the lives of half-human, half-animal friends. Despite its colourful catalogue, Enchantimals has seen barely any promotion over the years, so these dolls often go unnoticed. They are still available and in circulation, though.
In a world of style that is decidedly modern, Cave Club (the second franchise on this list by Innotree) is perhaps one of the most unique on this list. Children who own these dolls should find little problem finding clothing for them, due to their very ‘80s Barbie-like attire. These dolls were introduced in 2020, after many years of Barbie products being marketed toward the present day.
Despite its success in that regard and the fun storyline, Cave Club has seen a steady decline in marketing over the years, leading to its current obscurity. While this may be disappointing for collectors who bought into the line, it may encourage renewed marketing, making the line accessible to a wider market, likely boosting its quality.
My Scene (2002 – 2011)
My Scene was the cool, modern and edgy version of Barbie that Barbie had always wanted to be. She (or he or she-he) had cool outfits and, unlike Barbie, was marketed to very much be a teenager. There was something so satisfying about breaking their boxes open and ripping the plastic bags apart. Oh, and don’t forget to get a My Scene doll stand so you could show off your doll at the perfect angle!
If I had to put money on a Mattel doll line that has not dropped in quality, it would be My Scene. After a successsful run from 2002 to 2011, the doll line strangely disappeared – My Scene website games were fun too! We also really like the unique My Scene tattoo kit, where you can draw your own tribal tattoo onto dolls yourself.
Moving more into the world of fashion, Diva Starz (2000 – 2011) used to be an interactive toy that encouraged girls to be more creative when playing with it. By the time it was discontinued, the doll could “be anything”. From then on, the doll came with an assortment of doll-specific accesories, but the doll could not be changed.
Like many discontinued doll lines, Diva Starz arguably fell victim to Barbie’s supremacy. However, Barbie’s failure to embrace
