London - Barbie, the ubiquitous doll which has captivated little girls since the Fifties, is falling out of favour.
Sales are plunging as fans opt for her “edgier’ rivals – they fell 21 percent in the past quarter compared with last year and, in each of the two previous quarters, by at least 14 percent.
Barbie is still the world’s best-selling doll but her crown is slipping fast.
Her maker Mattel is partly to blame, experts say, having drawn her fans to its film-inspired dolls such as Monster High. Toy analyst Jim Silver said: “Barbie’s just one character. Kids are growing up fast and lines like Monster High are much edgier.” - Daily Mai