The two fair sex endure barren raw in court , men wrapping measuring magnetic tape around their hip , busts , and articulatio humeri . Normally sporting long , flowing locks , the two had been stripped of every filament so their bald head word could be compared . missing any apparel or accessories , it would be up to a Dutch justice todeterminewhether or not the two looked so much likewise that one would have to be destroy .
On one side of the courtroom was Sindy , a vibrant UK manner home plate that had just been exported by Hasbro ; on the other stood Barbie , Mattel ’s flagship blonde . Reconfigured for international statistical distribution , Sindy hold a come upon resemblance to Barbie — so much so that Mattel felt compelled to haul her into court on accusations of counterfeiting , copyright infringement , and whatever else they could apply to challenge her universe . Sindy , their lawyers charge , was nothing more than Barbie ’s “ unwanted sister . ”
At post was a majority plowshare in the billion - clam fashion doll market . Despite her congenial personality , Barbie could n’t give to play nice .
Sindy ’s typical 1970s - era design ( L ) and her alleged Barbie - mold makeover ( radius ) . Smirky Becca viaFlickr , ronholplc viaFlickr//CC BY - ND 2.0
Ever since Barbie made her plaything aisledebutin 1959,Hasbro has looked on with envy . Accessorized with century of outfits , motorcar , homes , and fellow , she help catapult Mattel to record revenue in the sixties and beyond , swat down competition with ease .
Eager to mimic her success , Hasbro tried a bird based onThe Flying Nuntelevision series ; a poser named Leggy came afterward . In the 1980s , they thought Jem and the Holograms would eventually tumble Barbie from her pole . None produced a single bead of sweat on her tiny , perfect brow .
Having failed to produce a contender themselves , Hasbro decided to front at existing licenses . In the UK , they observe a doll call Sindy , a demure toy with a crabwise glance who zip around on a moped ( or pony ) and embody the sort of gamy - mode couture originate out of London in the 1960s . By 1985 , Sindy was so pop she had captured80 percentof the doll market in Britain .
Hasbro approach her owner , Pedigree Toys , offering to invent and distribute the dolls all over the earth . ( Notably , Pedigree had onceturned downan offer by Mattel to license Barbie for the UK . ) The company agreed , and Hasbro executive Stephen Hassenfeld believed they finally had a mathematical product that would successfully vie against Barbie .
Sindy ’s proportions , however , would have to be reconsider . Almost cherubic in Britain , her figure would be raise for cosmopolitan appeal . Her ramification grew longer and slim , and her chest began to bulge in a elbow room that recalled Barbie ’s sculpted curves . No longer restrict to overcast London , she even got a tan — all the practiced to replicate her California - loving competition .
During a 1988 European miniature expo , Mattel CEO John Amerman caught wind of Hasbro ’s Hassenfeld register off a Barbie clone to buyers . While Mattel typically laughed off attempts to cut into Barbie ’s market share , Sindy was unlike by virtue of not appear to be very different . There was a real possibility that consumers , especially vernal ones , would mix up the two . Sindy even frolic an all - pink publicity that had become synonymous with Barbie .
Agitated , Amerman confront Hassenfeld and told him that pursue Sindy would never be in his best interests .
Hassenfeld ’s response was chilly . “ No one , ” he said , “ tells me what to do . ”
In March of that year , Mattel ’s lawyers dispatched a terse varsity letter demanding Hasbro destroy or turn over everything pertain to Sindy by April 7 : sculpts , stock , and plan . But Hasbro had already spent one thousand thousand in development and advert and was n’t about to be cowed . They ignored the deadline , and began shipping Sindy across the earth .
Everywhere she went , Mattel ’s lawyers followed . Sindy was impounded in France , where courts werepersuadedby Mattel ’s argument of a counterfeit Barbie . Other state set aside her to be sold without reservation .
In a series of royal court cases , lawyer for both sides present their respective skirt for the court ’s examination . In one mo of testimonial , the size and depth of Sindy ’s nostrils became a point of arguing . It was argued that Sindy ’s nose was more indicate , with deeper adenoidal passageway . Crucially , Hasbro ’s carver had not alter her chest to the point where her breasts were as disproportionately declamatory as Barbie ’s , and the ship’s company verify that was enough to make the two distinct .
By 1992 , millions of dollar bill in legal fees had been pass argue over the sizing and pattern of doll breasts , with no end in sight .
Sindy in glad times.Sindy.com
That year , a voice for Hasbro named Barry Alperinrequested a get together with two of Mattel ’s top executive director , include newly install CEO Jill Barad . Opening a grip , Alperin break five trenchant , bodiless Sindy heads . He bespeak that Barad prefer one that she felt was a well-fixed enough distance from Barbie ’s features .
Barad chose a Sindy head Mattel could hold up with . The legal battle was over .
Hasbro never had great success in the U.S. with Sindy , which went through several iterations before being dropped in 1998 . Pedigree re - launched her in2006and again via a licensing agreement with the Tesco store chain inlate 2016 , taking caution to deliver a wench and personality far removed from Barbie ’s . At 18 inches , shetowers overher former rival and stick with sneakers or sandals . No heels , and no pipe dream house .
