What would Barbie look like if she had the same proportions as a real woman?
Instead of an impossibly tiny waist, non-existent bottom and ridiculously long legs, an American artist's realistic version of Barbie looks like a healthy, normal young woman.
Motivated by a desire to demolish the unrealistic body image perpetuated by Mattel, makers of the world's best selling doll, Pittsburg artist Nikolay Lamm decided to create a Barbie based on an average woman's measurements.
After reading research that found Barbie created a desire to achieve a slim body and eat less, and heightened body dissatisfaction among young girls, the artist set to work.
Using US government figures, he researched average height, weight and waist measurements for 19-year-old girls, then built a digital model on his computer.
With the latest 3-D printing technology, Lamm manufactured his alternate doll, photographed her beside an original, then carefully added Barbie's features and clothes to his doll with Photoshop.
Before releasing his completed doll on the internet this week, the artist showed his Barbie to his mother, who said: "I think this is going to be big."
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Realistic Barbie. What would Barbie look like if she had the same proportions as a real woman? Photo: Nickolay Lamm/MyDeals.com Source: Supplied
"My desire was to demonstrate that average is beautiful," said Lamm.
"I fear there's a good chance that Barbie's unrealistic shape negatively affects young girls."
"It's all psychological, you can't see sea levels rise but it's happening, you can't chart Barbie's effect on young girls, but we know that it's happening."
It has been estimated that if the ultra-slim Barbie was a human, she would weigh 50kgs, have a waist measurement of 45cm and a BMI of 16.24 - making her anorexic.
"People criticise skinny models, who have feelings, but say we shouldn't criticise Barbie because she's just a toy," says Lamm, who decided to do something.
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Realistic Barbie. What would Barbie look like if she had the same proportions as a real woman? Photo: Nickolay Lamm/MyDeals.com Source: Supplied
Motivated by a desire to make a statement and explore whether he could create a product children can play with, Lamm has been encouraged by the international response to his project.
"I have received emails from around the world from people saying they want to buy my doll," he says. "Mothers say they find her inspirational and want to get one for their daughters."
"If this project gets people thinking about things, maybe take different actions, it's a success."
Mattel, one of the world's biggest toy companies, have been manufacturing Barbie since 1959.
"I don't think Mattel will take any action," says Lamm. "They will probably just ignore me."
"And I doubt they will reconsider Barbie's body proportions, she makes them a lot of money."
See Nikolay Lamm's Barbie and find out more at .
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