Barbie celebrates 50 years in fashionable style.

Escada Barbie

Toy company Mattel, who have been producing Barbie dolls for half a century, have today revealed to WWD their birthday plans for the iconic doll, who is 50 years old next year.

Teaming up with fashion designers Jeremy Scott and Vera Wang, as well as The Council of Fashion Designers of America (headed by Diane Von Furstenberg) Barbie is to be transformed into a bona fide fashion brand complete with cosmetics collection and runway show.

A full list of designers has not been revealed yet, but headed by the CFDA they will create life sized outfits that reflect the world of Barbie, for a spectacular catwalk show at February's new York fashion week.

Next year Barbie make-up for women will also go on sale, featuring aptly titled make-up colours, such as 'All Dolled Up' and beauty creams named, 'Plastic Smooth'.

The new Barbie collection will go on sale internationally with The House of Barbie flagship store planned for Shanghai. Here girls and women will be encouraged, say Mattel to, 'nibble on truffles, smear on pink-tinted mud masks and shop for clothes for themselves and their dolls'.

It seems, life begins at 50 for Barbie!