Sales of Ken and Barbie Plummet in Iran

As a prelude to organized restrictions on female attire in Iran, two dolls were introduced in 2002, to counter the possible negative social effects of Mattel's Ken and Barbie on Iranian culture. Developed and marketed by the Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults, an Iranian government agency affiliated with the Ministry of Education, Dara and Sara, a brother and sister doll duo, both of whom were originally characters in elementary school books, appeared on shelves throughout Iran in March, 2002. 12-inches tall, the doll couple represent eight-year-old siblings, rather than mature young adults. Since females, eight years of age or younger, may appear in public, without a covering over their heads, in Iran, the dolls were introduced to deliberately curb sales of Ken and Barbie in Iran.

Prior to 2002, Kan and Barbie, and their accessories, flooded the Iranian market, both in the genuine Mattel version, and through cheap Iranian copies. By deliberately creating a new Iranian market, one stocked with 100,000 Dara and Sara dolls, on the eve of the Iranian New Year, a message was sent to Iran's citizens that certain American influence on its culture would no longer be tolerated.

In an article on IslamOnline.com, Dr. Mekheimar, professor of Islamic Studies at Al-A-Azhar University in Cairo, acted as spokesperson for Islamic concerns about Barbie. "(Barbie) embodies popular American culture, displaying sexual attractions and being fashion conscious. It promotes an un-Islamic way of dressing, and rather encourages materialism and brushes aside spiritual values. Thus, it negatively affects female Muslim children, who are supposed to be brought wearing the hijab and guarding their chastity", he stated.

In Iran, Barbie is viewed as a dangerous foreign role model. Since Barbie is both buxom and blonde (if not anatomically correct), and wears clothing considered revealing, female Iranian toy seller Masoumeh Rahimi felt that "every Barbie doll is more harmful than an American missile." She also believed that girls, who grew up playing with Barbie, might develop into women who would reject Iranian values. Another toy seller, Mehdi Hedayat, agreed. "The toys (Iran's dolls) are most welcome. Dara and Sara are strategic products to preserve our national identity. And, of course it is an answer to Barbie and Ken, which have dominated Iran's toy market", she said.

Mohsen Chiniforoushan, director of the institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults, at a news conference in 2002, to launch the sale of Dara and Sara dolls, stated that his institute chose China as the manufacturer of the dolls, since the institute was unable to find an Iranian manufacturer capable of producing such high-quality dolls. He also mentioned that choice of manufacturer, and other production details, had delayed Dara and Sara's launch for five years.

At the time of the dolls' introduction into the marketplace, there were four versions of the Sara doll, each with its own white headscarf to cover either black or brown hair. Due to discussion by some clerics in Iran in 2002, demanding to have 6-year-old girls also appear in public with their heads covered, one version of Sara was designed to wear a flower-dotted shirt and flower-dotted white chador, a full-length robe which completely covers both head and body. The choice of garments was quite different from those adorning another version of Sara, which was dressed in pants, socks, and a shirt. Initially, two version of Dara, the brother, were launched, each with its own pants, shirt, and jacket. Calendars, story cassettes, pens, pencils, notebooks, and rulers, as part of the Dara and Sara product line, were also introduced.

After the successful launch of the Dara and Sara dolls, violations of Islamic dress code, involving females, increased towards targeted individuals. Gradually, no variation in the color of public garments worn in public by Iranian women was allowed. According to Sharq Newspaper, in September, 2004, in response to factions clamoring for enforcement of laws pertaining to the Iranian National Dress Plan, including reprimand for violators, Mr. Masjid Jamei, head of Iran's Public Culture Council, stated that "the creation of the national dolls, Dara and Sara, was the first step in the implementation of the project (the Iranian National Dress Plan). He pointed out "that the dolls are clad in local clothing that have been designed for dolls and not for people..." To non-Iranians, his comments raise other questions.

Originally presented as traditional family-oriented Islamic toys, Dara and Sara dolls may one day be produced in Iran, if Iran is able to import the necessary manufacturing technology. Should that happen, Iran hopes to export the dolls.