'I'm Britain's biggest Barbie fan

Jun 07, 2023

Dawn Austin first became obsessed with the iconic doll as a child

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The biggest Barbie fan in the UK has revealed she’s collected 800 dolls throughout her life – racking up a bill of £20,000.

Dawn Austin first became obsessed with the iconic doll when she was just a small child after spotting one in an airport shop.

Her collection grew slowly and steadily until she was a teenager when lost interest in the hobby.

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But she fell back in love with Barbie in her 20s when she became an artist – scouring flea markets and auction sites like eBay for the dolls.

She now has a staggering 800 Barbies as well as several Kens. She also has dozens of Sindy and Tammy dolls which are crammed into her three-bed terrace in Derby.

Dawn says the dolls fill almost every surface but husband Steve, 45, draws a line with having any in their bedroom.

She said: “One of my first memories is sitting in a pram and seeing this amazing toy doll in a shop window at an airport.

"I saw all these golden-haired dolls and I asked if they were fairies or angels.

“My mum took me over and bought me a Malibu Barbie and I never let it go. From then on I just wanted to collect them all.

"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.”

While she was an art student in 2000, Dawn decided to collect Barbies she enjoyed from her 1980s childhood.

She added: “My fascination just snowballed. I would go on eBay sites and scour flea markets and thrift stores.

“Every time we go on holiday, I always scout out a market or car boot sale nearby.

“My husband Steve is very good. He knows how important they are to me.

"I have kept all the receipts for the dolls and I would estimate that overall I have spent more than £20,000 on them but for me it's worth it because I just love collecting them."

Since the Hollywood movie Barbie was released last month, the value in Barbie-related memorabilia has soared.

Dawn has now upped security of her most precious dolls, with some being extremely rare first editions.

The most valuable doll she owns is a 1960 model featuring Barbie wearing a black and white swimsuit and sporting a ponytail.

Dawn said: “I never really thought to much about the doll’s value but since the movie, Barbie memorabilia has gone up 25 per cent.