Chabel Is Back! The Story Of Spain’s Answer To Barbie, Past And Present

She was petite, had straight, medium-length hair and was very fashionable. Her name was Chabel and she was, in the ’80s and early ’90s, the Spanish alternative to Barbie, manufactured in Alicante by Feber. With her television ads, she became a highly sought-after toy for children. And one could almost say that she was also a cultural icon of her era, a decade to which she herself was closely connected through the philosophy behind her birth.

«Chabel is a little doll about 23 centimeters [9 inches] tall with a face inspired by Japanese animes that were all the rage in the ’80s and her former owners still remember her very well», write Guillem Medina and Núria Simón in their book Toyland: Made in Spain.

Her look had certain hints of that kawaii aesthetic that is so closely linked to Japan today, and it might not be such a coincidence. As Medina and Simón point out, her look could come from a «possible agreement between Feber and the Japanese firm Takara», as she resembled Licca-chan, a doll that was sold in Japan at the time.

Beyond her appearance, what is interesting about Chabel is the reason behind her creation. Feber was one of the companies that operated from the so-called Toy Valley, the area of the Alicante province, in southeastern Spain, where even today most of the country’s toys and dolls are manufactured.

At the end of 1984, the company designed a doll that had to look like any teenager from that time; Chabel sought to capture the lifestyle and aesthetics of a Spanish teenager from the ’80s. That was her great difference from Barbie, but also her great advantage.

As the girls who played with her told SModa, the fashion and lifestyle magazine of Spanish daily El País, she was closer to them and felt more real than the more sophisticated and adult Barbie.

Spanish icon

The doll made her television debut in 1986, with a catchy little song, as recalled in the documentary Chabel is Back. Advertising helped positioning the toy in the market and soon, sales boomed. The success led the manufacturers to diversify, expanding the range and launching Chabel’s family and even her friend Dani (the alternative Ken to this alternative Barbie).

The doll made her television debut in 1986

With her popularity, other products derived from the brand began appearing. Chabel had a line of real shoes (for the girls who played with her), accessories and even stationery. There was a Chabel Club so that those who had a doll could join (thousands of girls did), with a letters section (which received responses from a psychologist rather than the doll). Between 1987 and 1988, Chabel’s golden age, up to 500,000 dolls were manufactured each year.

Chabel also connected with the pop culture of the ’80s through her own looks. She had a lot of clothes, very fashionable outfits and special collections. Designer Agatha Ruiz de la Prada created a line of clothing for her.

Chabel’s legacy

«They were my most beautiful outfits ever made for a mass doll, which meant democratization», she explained to SModa a couple of years ago. Chabel also had a number of careers (she was a doctor) and versions of herself linked to fairy tales or current themes (from the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games to Madonna).

But, not only did the doll draw on popular culture, she also had an impact on it. The Spanish trio of comedians Martes y 13 even dedicated skits to her.

Despite her success, Chabel’s life was limited. Her presence on the market lasted for just under a decade: Feber, which also manufactured other classics from the early ’90s – such as the Pocas Pecas doll or Baby Feber – stopped producing dolls in 1992.

Chabel began a new journey, that of a toy haunting the nostalgic memories of Generation X (those who went to primary school) and of the older millennials. The doll became a star of the collectors’ market but also of petitions calling for her comeback.

Chabel is back

Feber no longer exists: Since 2006, it has been part of Spanish toy giant Famosa. Today, it is Famosa that is bringing the doll back to life.

«We want those who played with Chabel in their childhood to relive these memories and, at the same time, new generations to discover her charm for the first time», said Famosa CEO José Miguel Toledo. The company has just launched a limited edition of the Chabel High School model, just as it was in 1989. «This reissue of Chabel represents much more than the return of a historical doll; it is a bridge between generations».

Whether Chabel will be played with by today’s children or by their parents is another matter. One of the major toy consumption trends today — as confirmed by the Toy Trends for Christmas 2024 forum, led by Famosa itself and involving different voices from the toy industry — revolves around adults buying toys that induce a feeling of nostalgia.

And they do so for themselves: The report talks about the «kidult market» and how childhood toys are seen as a way to «revive memories and keep that youthful essence alive».

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This content is part of a collaboration agreement of ‘WorldCrunch’, with the magazine ‘Ethic’. Read the original at this link.