Barbie Mania Hits Malaysia

K U A L A L U M P U R, Malaysia, Dec.12 -- This Barbie doll has no body, onlyher head.

Someone pilfered the smiling blonde noggin from a Mattelfactory, slipped it to a hairdresser, who, in turn, bestowed itupon Elizabeth Chrisostom.

The 41-year-old Malaysian has spent the past year hunting forher Barbie’s missing torso—scouring factory production lines,pawing through obscure toy shops and consulting Barbie fanaticsnationwide.

“She has an unusually small hole for her neck, it was justmystifying. I will do anything, anything, to help my Barbie getback her body,” she lamented.

Like many other Malaysians, Chrisostom has become a hardcoreBarbie devotee, amassing more than 150 dolls since 1997.

Barbie Seen As Glamour QueenConceived as an American Girl icon in 1959, Barbie MillicentRoberts-her full name-went on to become popular around the world.

Placed head to toe, the total production of Barbie dolls, familymembers and boyfriend Ken would circle the earth more than seventimes.

Barbie has represented 45 nationalities, and there are currentlythree Malaysian Barbies in production.

Heads of state attending the 1998 Asia-Pacific EconomicCooperation forum in Kuala Lumpur were each handed an exclusivelytailored Malaysian doll.

“Barbie’s so glamorous,” gushed Goh Siu Lin, a lawyer with acollection of 40 dolls. “Most Malaysian live a ho-hum lifestyle,working day in, day out. But once you buy Barbie, you are drawninto her world of designer clothes and haute couture glamour.

Putting Malaysia in Barbie MapThe variety of Barbie dolls available in Malaysia was limiteduntil the ’80s, when Mattel set up production plants here, sparkinga Barbie boom in this predominantly Muslim nation.

Mattel has since relocated its factories to Indonesia, whereproduction costs are lower.

Chrisostom recently brought her disembodied doll to the officiallaunch of the Millennium Barbie Collectors Club. Joylynn Chong, theclub’s president, formed the group after bumping into a few seriousBarbie collectors this year.

“We want to put ourselves on the map,” said Chong, who owns200 dolls. “We want others to know that Malaysians no longer livein coconut trees. As Barbie collectors, we can prove to the worldthat Malaysians have the ability to collect and fully appreciateBarbie.”

Special DollsThe club’s two dozen members are planning workshops on how toclean the doll, design her clothes, restore vintage Barbies andrepair split ends. They’ve even produced their own limited editiondoll, The Millennium Barbie. Lawyer Azmi Mustapa, the doll’s dress designer, said he used anolive-skinned doll to represent Malaysia’s multi-ethnic society.Her silver satin gown, stitched from 13 pieces of cloth, denote thenation’s 13 states.

“Barbie is the perfect doll for me to try out new designs,”said Azmi, who owns his own legal firm-and 30 Barbies, for whom hehas designed 100 outfits. “I enjoy making nice dresses for her. Iadore her beauty.”

During Chrisostom’s search for her doll’s body, she discoveredthat etched into her Barbie’s plastic skull, beneath the closelycropped blond hair, were four digits: 1958.

“I was completely perplexed,” Chrisostom said. “This means mydoll was made one year before Mattel’s official launch inAmerica.”

She consulted Mattel officials, who indicated that her doll’sbob hairstyle from the American Girl series appeared consistentwith vintage Barbies made in the early 60s. They were, however,equally stumped by the date. Chrisostom has speculated that herdoll could be a preproduction model.

“In that case, she could be truly unique, which would make hervery, very valuable,” Chrisostom said. Well-preserved vintageBarbies, made between 1959 and 1967, are worth thousands ofdollars.

“Or it might turn out that she’s not worth a cent,” Chrisostomadded. “No matter what, I adore her just the same.”

For The Love of BarbieBy day, Chrisostom is a researcher for an English-languagenewspaper, poring through advertising rates and revenue figures.Friends who call her home get this message on her answeringmachine: “Ken and I are busy. So please call us later.”

After her day job, she returns to her dolls, some of whom weardesigns by Vera Wang, Christian Dior, Bob Mackie and Todd Oldham.Her dolls also pose as Posh Spice, the Statue of Liberty andDetective Scully of the X-Files.

“I’m a confirmed Barbieholic,” she said. “I never have moneyto eat, but I have enough to buy clothes and shoes for my dolls. Myfriends and family say I’m mad.”

Once, she bought 36 pairs of Barbie shoes during a warehousesale. “I grabbed the shoes before four little girls could gettheir hands on them,” she said.

Chrisostom, who sleeps with her dolls, hopes to set up a Barbiemuseum.

“People who think that Barbie collectors have gone cuckoo areignorant,” said Chrisostom, who is single. “If they’re married,they can have their kids and husbands. As for me, I have myBarbies.”