The History of Malibu Barbie

1971 Malibu Barbie #1067

1971 Malibu Barbie and Ken

​​(Article updated: June 2023)
A plastic tan never fades! In 1971, Barbie kissed her mod years goodbye and welcomed Malibu Barbie #1067. She rocked the quintessential California surfer girl vibe with her blissfully tanned skin, blue eyes and platinum blonde hair – even though her roots peg her to be a native of Willows, Wisconsin! With California’s white beaches and Pacific blue waves, Malibu was the perfect setting for a new Barbie lifestyle. Golden couple, Malibu Barbie and Malibu Ken, could paddle out into the ocean to surf, roller skate on the boardwalk, make sandcastles or picnic at the beach or lay out and soak up the rays. (Barbie recommends always wearing sunscreen!)

Mattel gave Malibu Barbie a fresh look. For the first time, she featured an open smile and her coy, sideways glance was updated to forward-looking eyes. Her TNT face was replaced with the Stacey face mold. She has long, straight, blonde hair with a slight off-center part and a smile much like Marcia Brady’s. (Marsha Marsha Marsha!) Her lashes are painted on and she has soft coral lips. Malibu Barbie was ready for the surf in her powder blue swimsuit, lavender goggle glasses on top of her head and a yellow beach towel. Each doll in the Malibu series came with a different colored beach towel. 
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​Malibu Barbie established a look that first springs to mind, even to this day, when someone says “Barbie.” I was obsessed with the Sun Set Malibu dolls as a little girl in the early 70s. I dreamed of being a Cali girl. I grew up in Wisconsin and, in the late-90s, I moved to San Diego where I still reside. Coincidence? Was Malibu Barbie my inspiration? Especially since she, too, is from Wisconsin? :-)​

L to R: 1972 Malibu P.J., 1971 Malibu Francie, 1971 Malibu Barbie, 1971 Malibu Skipper, 1973 Malibu Christie (author's collection)

 ​The Malibu dolls were an instant hit so Mattel added Malibu friends and family soon after. It also spawned licensed products, such as Colorform sets and coloring books. The tanned Malibu Sun Set included Barbie’s boyfriend Malibu Ken, little sister Malibu Skipper, cousin Malibu Francie, and her best friends Malibu P.J. and Malibu Christie. The introduction of the Sun Set family was an off-the-charts hit but, as Stephanie Deutsch, author of Barbie the First 30 Years, notes, “It sadly marked the beginning of the end of the "Golden Time of Vintage Barbie dolls." The following mass-produced, low-budget Barbies lacked the quality (lashes, elaborate hairstyles, etc.) and flair of the early Barbie dolls that collectors love so much. 

​Check out this fun article, It's a Malibu Barbie World, in the June 2023 Malibu Times written by Benjamin Marcus. He quotes me in his article on page 55!​

Click on images below to see full photo.

Malibu Barbie and her friends were produced from 1971 – 1984. In 1979, they were renamed from The Sun Set Malibu to Sun Lovin’ Malibu dolls and have tan lines. In 1981, they were renamed “Sunsational” Malibu dolls. That same year is the first year there was a black Ken doll, #3849, Sunsational Malibu Ken, who has a funky rooted Afro. There were previous black male dolls in the Barbie line such as Brad and Curtis, but this was the first black Ken doll. In 1983, Mattel introduced a Latina Sunsational Malibu Barbie #4970. In 1983, the Malibu dolls were renamed “Sun Gold” Malibu dolls. The 1983 Sun Gold Malibu Barbie #1067 uses the SuperStar Barbie head mold. 1986 was the last year of the Malibu series of dolls. 

Malibu Barbie was so popular that Mattel reinvented her in countless different versions throughout the years (see list below) such as the 1974 Sports Set Sun Valley Barbie skier, 1974 sailing Newport Barbie, several versions of 1975 Gold Medal (Olympic) Medal Barbie and a number of reproductions including 2013's Malibu Barbie by Trina Turk.

Below is a summary of Malibu Barbies produced from 1971 – 1975:

1. 1971 Malibu Barbie #1067
2. 1971 Malibu Ken #1088
3. 1971 Malibu Skipper #1069
4. 1971 Malibu Francie #1068
5. 1971 Sun Sun Malibu Francie (Japan) 
6. 1972 Malibu P.J. #1187
7. 1972 Forget-Me-Not Malibu Barbie #3269 is a Kellogg’s promotion in a baggie
8. 1972 Twist ‘n Pose Barbie from England is a Malibu Barbie with a paler skin tone with Malibu Barbie’s makeup, hairstyle and blue swimsuit
9. 1973 Malibu Christie #7745
10. 1974 The Sports Set Sun Valley Barbie #7806 wears an orange and yellow ski suit and comes with a hooded jacket, skis and ski poles
11. 1974 The Sports Set Newport Barbie #7807 wears white pants and a nautical-style sleeveless top with sunglasses. She’s packaged with a red and white striped bikini and surfboard with sail.    
12. 1975 Gold Medal Barbie #7233 debuts Mattel’s Gold Medal collection of U.S. Olympic dolls featuring Malibu Barbie, Ken and P.J. dressed to compete in the 1976 Olympic Games with gold medals around their necks. She wears a one-piece red and white swimsuit with a blue collar.
13. 1975 Gold Medal Barbie Skater #7262 is packaged with a special plastic base that allows her to glide across the floor to simulate ice skating. She wears a cute red, white and blue sweater with a white skating skirt and ice skates.
14. 1975 Gold Medal Barbie Skier #7264 wears a red ski suit with blue trim, red cap, and comes with skis and ski poles
15. 1975 Gold Medal Barbie #9044 and her U.S. Olympic wardrobe is a Sears store exclusive. It includes the basic Gold Medal Barbie in a swimsuit with an ice-skating outfit, a parade dress ensemble and not one, not two but THREE gold medals!
16. 1975 Gold Medal Barbie Winter Sports #9042 is a Sears catalog exclusive with Gold Medal Barbie Skier and an aprés-ski fashion: a white blouse, a red, white and blue long patterned skirt and blue pilgrim shoes
17. 2002 Malibu Barbie (reproduction of 1971 doll) #56061
18. 2009 50th Anniversary Malibu Barbie (reproduction of 1971 doll)
19. 2013 Malibu Barbie gift set by Trina Turk #8259

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2013 Malibu Barbie by Trina Turk

Sources:
Barbie, a Rare Beauty, Sandi Holder, 2010
Barbie Doll Photo Album, J. Michael Augustyniak, 2010
Barbie, All Dolled Up, Jennie D’Amato, 2009
The Best of Barbie (four decades of America’s favorite doll), Sharon Korbeck, 2001
Face of the American Dream, Christopher Varaste, 1999

Stop by my Barbie influencer Amazon storefront  at amazon.com/shop/influencer-e50a405a!

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