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Barbie, the aspirational toy that empowered girls, was created by Matell Inc's co-founder Ruth Handler in 1959. The fashion icon Barbie doll's face and figure had been the subject of much debate. Barbie was criticised for setting unrealistic beauty standards. With societal changes and growing demand for representation among toys, Mattel had launched diverse dolls over the years. The big inclusion move from Barbie came in 2019 when Barbie launched a series of 'specially abled' dolls in the Barbie Fashionistas series. As a part of the collection, the first Barbie doll that represented an individual with Down syndrome was launched in April 2023. The doll was part of Mattel's commitment to help 'counter social stigma through play'. The move had been lauded globally as a big step towards representation of children with disabilities. But concerns were also raised about the potential negative implications that the doll would have on children with Down syndrome. The doll also garnered criticism for portraying Down syndrome with unrealistic beauty standards. Would the new Barbie increase the representation of people with Down syndrome? Was the Down syndrome Barbie doll a big step towards inclusion or had Mattel missed the mark?