Barbie Rivals Around The World: South Korean Mimi To Steffi Love In Germany

PARIS — The Barbie franchise accounts for one-third of Mattel's revenue and arrives third on the list of the top toy brands in the world after LEGO and Bandai Namco. In 2024, the Barbie doll market size was valued at approximately $1.8 billion and it is expected to reach $3.5 billion by 2032.

Since the doll's creation in 1959, the Barbie brand has been continuously diversifying, introducing new skin tones, different morphologies, portraying multiple ethnicities and, more recently, featuring disabilities, so all children around the globe could find a doll that represents them.

But while the blonde icon quickly made its way to most countries, local toymakers saw a great opportunity in the fashion doll market and soon created their own. Rivals to Mattel’s creations popped around world, sometimes finding greater success than the American doll, often because they were culturally closer to their public. Let’s take a tour!

Mimi in South Korea

Mimi (미미) means “Pretty, Pretty.” Created by Mimi World Co., LTD (formerly Daesung Toys), she was officially introduced on the South Korean market in 1982 and has only known success ever since; she has been outselling Barbie since the very beginning in the country.

The fashion doll has had a number of variations and jobs. Apart from her height (which was increased to 11.4 inches) and limbs (which became articulated), she has kept the same face over the years. While her U.S. rival has experienced different styles and tried to stay modern, Mimi has mostly kept living in a pink and ribbon-heavy fairytale world because, according to the company, what all girls from all generations want is a princess. And numbers have shown that this strategy pays off.

Licca in Japan

Licca, or Licca-chan, was launched in 1967 by the toy giant Takara (now Takara Tomy), which hired former shōjo manga artist Miyako Maki to create her. Like Chabel in Spain (which was born from an agreement between Takara and Spanish toymaker Feber, and came from the same mould as Licca), the fact that she was — close to — the same age as the little girls who would play with her made a big difference.

The Japanese doll has quite an elaborate background story: Her full name is Rika Kayama, she's 11 and goes to Shirakaba Gakuen Elementary School; she's a Taurus, her mother is Japanese, and her father is a French musician.

The Licca doll went through many changes and is currently on its fourth generation. Despite some low sales in the '90s, she remains very popular and today, still outsells Barbie dolls. Even so, Mattel collaborated with Takara to create a local Barbie; Jenny, a 17 year-old blonde girl, was thus introduced in 1982, first under the name "Takara Barbie," until the licensing agreement ended in 1986. After a fall in sales in the 2000s, she was reintroduced in 2023 as one of Licca's best friends.

Susi in Brazil

Launched in 1966 by toy company Estrela, Susi was made from the same mould as American doll Tammy (Ideal Toy Company) following a licensing agreement. She quickly became the must-have fashion doll in Brazil and her success lasted until 1985 when the manufacturer decided to discontinue the toy. Yet she made quite a comeback in 1997. A new version, with longer and slimmer legs and waist, as well as a smaller head and bigger breasts, was introduced in 2007.

While Tammy is no longer on the market in the U.S., Susi is still produced and sold in Brazil. More recently, Estrela has launched reeditions of some of its famous vintage models and a special collection based on the Stranger Things TV series.

Queens of Africa in Nigeria 

Nneka, Azeezah and Wuraola and each comes from one of the major tribes present in Nigeria (the Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba). Taofick Okoya, a Nigerian entrepreneur, created the dolls after he saw that his daughters were upset that the fair-skinned American dolls they were playing with did not represent them. He imagined Queens of Africa, a series of toys that would not only embrace the great diversity of Nigeria, and more broadly Africa, but would also empower local communities by employing mothers to sew their garments and braid their hair – which otherwise ranges from wavy to short and curly, as well as coarse.

He launched his product in 2007 but faced serious competition from the familiar Barbie doll. After several years, however, Okoya’s trio finally became a favorite among children, outselling their U.S. blonde rival. Wanting them to be more than toys and real empowering tools, Okoya has also expanded his products to books, music and an animation series to tell the stories of his three characters, who are now selling all over the world.

Kurhn in China

In 2004, China, where Mattel’s Barbie dolls are produced today, saw its own local doll appearing on toy store shelves. Designed by Guangdong Kurhn Toys Co., Ltd., fashion doll Kurhn both celebrates the country’s rich history, coming with both traditional clothes — detailed accessories and very elaborate hairstyles — and modern, fashionable outfits.

Today, Kurhn dolls are renowned for their diversity of faces, eyes and expressions. Both lines have quickly found their public and the traditional princesses are sought-after items for collectors around the world. Over 20 years, China's first original doll brand has created over 2000 Kurhn doll products.

Sonya Rose in Russia

The Sonya Rose doll first appeared on the Russian market in 2006. Produced by China's Kurhn Toys Co., Ltd. for the Russian company Gulliver, Sonya Rose is different from her Chinese fashion counterpart, Kurhn. She features real silk eyelashes and hand sewed designer outfits. First simply called Sonya, she became Sonya Rose in 2012 and has kept the name ever since.

She is described as a 16-year-old teenager, who is old enough to have fun with her friends and love fashion. The doll reportedly replaced Barbie across the country but had to be rebranded after sales started falling — especially the after the high-priced Gold collection of collector items.

Fulla in Syria and the UAE

Any "Arab Girl's Dream Doll," Fulla (فُلَّة in Arabic) was developed by Syrian manufacturer NewBoy FZCO and launched in 2003. Designed to replace Barbie and her way of life, which could be considered too decadent in traditional Muslim households, she prays, likes to read, hangs out with her friends and likes fashion – but dresses modestly. She comes with accessories, including headscarves and abayas for some versions. She also has slimmer proportions than Mattel’s version, and — unlike Barbie and other fashion dolls around the globe — she can not be naked; a vest and shorts are painted on her body.

Also, she doesn’t have any bikini or one-piece swimsuit and never wears sleeveless or above the knee dresses. And although Fulla has friends — Yasmeen and Nada — she does not have a boyfriend, as traditional Muslims do not believe in romantic relationships out of wedlock. For several years, the manufacturer, now located in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, has hinted at the launch of a doctor and a teacher Fulla, two careers paths deemed respectable, but these independent versions have not yet made it to store shelves.

Steffi Love in Germany

Steffi was created by toy manufacturer Simba Dickie Group (FKA Simba Toys) and launched in 1987. Her competitive price compared to her American rival and the fact that they shared the same height and figure, making all clothes and accessories interchangeable between the two fashion dolls, quickly made her a well-established toy on the market, in Germany and soon across Europe.

Her love interest, Kevin, arrived in 1994, followed by a little sister, Evi, and a little brother, Timmy, Evi’s twin. Steffi, who later became Steffi Love, is a young adult who has been pregnant many times. In fact, she has had the greatest number of pregnant doll editions of all the fashion dolls — and contrary to Mattel’s pregnant Midge, which failed on the market — all Steffi’s pregnancy sold well. Like Barbie, she has had many careers but was often criticized for lacking diversity.

The similarities with the U.S. born doll led to a trial between both toy makers in 2004, Mattel accusing Simba of systematically copying its products and using the American giant’s good reputation to sell its knockoffs to misled consumers. The Federal Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe rejected the complaint and ruled that the concept of a doll with accessories could not be copyrighted and that similarities were inevitable. Steffi Love is still one of the best-selling dolls, with a doll or playset being bought every eight seconds somewhere in the world.