Dawn Austin has been collecting dolls for more than 20 years
By George Torr & Emily Anderson
BBC News
People around the world are currently obsessed with Barbie, with the film of the same name proving to be a box office hit.
But one Derbyshire woman was on the bandwagon way before the resurgence of Barbie fever this year.
Artist Dawn Austin, from Belper, has amassed a collection of more than 800 figurines spanning several decades.
She became a serious collector during her time as a student, amid the explosion of online auction site eBay.
Ms Austin said her fascination with Barbie started when she was a child
Ms Austin set eyes on her first Barbie doll as a small child, when she was in an airport with her mother.
“I first saw all these golden-haired dolls and I asked if they were fairies or angels,” she said.
“When I was a child, it was the scope for imagination and play. She could be what I wanted.
“I remember that Barbie was a nun, but she was also a farmer – she went anywhere that you could take her,” Ms Austin added.
The collector said Barbies from the 1980s were her favourite
She began collecting in earnest in the early 2000s, and her eBay habit “snowballed” after seeing dolls from “her era” – the 1980s.
Asked what she thought of the new film, Ms Austin gave it a glowing review and said she appreciated references to the Barbie collector community.
“It was such good fun and my favourite was actually Ken, he was so funny.
“It was a joy and there were a few nods to the collectors, which was nice,” she said.
Ms Austin said her serious collecting began when she was at university
Responding to which doll was her favourite, Ms Austin said it was impossible to pick one, saying it was like asking who her favourite child was.
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