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American Girl (formerly Pleasant Company), a subsidiary of Mattel, Inc. more...

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, is a direct marketer, children's publisher, and experiential retailer that provides an array of premium-quality books, dolls, clothes, toys, and accessories for girls ages 8 and up, Bitty Baby dolls are for ages 3 and up.

The company's flagship line is a collection of historical characters that come to life through books, 18-inch dolls, and accessories. The fictional heroines--who each start their series around the age of nine and turn ten in the middle--live during important times in America's past, providing "girl-sized" views of significant events that helped shape the United States. In addition to the historical collection, the company also offers a wide range of contemporary 18-inch dolls and accessories, called Just Like You (formerly American Girl of Today), as well as the Bitty Baby line of soft, huggable baby dolls and related toys that encourage nurturing behavior.

History

In 1983, educator, writer and entrepreneur, Pleasant T. Rowland was looking for special Christmas gifts for her young nieces, dolls specifically. As it turns out, she was disappointed with her options. She knew she couldn't be the only woman looking for an attractive, high-quality doll that said something about what it meant to be a girl growing up in America and something that girls could treasure for years to come. That shopping experience, coupled with a visit to Colonial Williamsburg, inspired the historical line of books and dolls that would bring history alive and provide girls with role models.

To achieve her goal, Rowland basically broke most of today's standard "marketing rules." She had no experience in the business she was about to tackle, she invested her entire life savings in the idea, she had no money for advertising, and she conducted no focus groups. Not surprisingly, she hit brick walls when she proposed her idea to bankers and investors and very few people at the time believed her idea would come to fruition. But Rowland's belief in the product line--along with her determination, persistence, and courage--paid off. And, a little over 10 years later, she had an immensely profitable--and very real--doll, clothing, and publishing empire. The first dolls were designed by Göetz in Germany; older dolls have tags that say "Made in West Germany." In the 1990s production was moved to Hungary for a year and then to China.

In 1986 the first catalogs were sent out. They contained the first three dolls in the line: Kirsten Larson, Samantha Parkington, and Molly McIntire. These catalogs featured only the first three stories of each character's eventual six-book series, as well as their pajamas, beds and trunks. These dolls established the original format of the collections. Historical details were scrupulously observed.

Read more at Wikipedia.org