y 1958, the doll industry
had perfected the process for manufacturing
vinyl dolls, and it produced some of the finest dolls in the
decade that followed. Women's fashions were very elegant, and the
time was perfect for the return of the fashion doll, which had
not been popular since the nineteenth century.
That year, the Reliable Toy Company introduced Miss Canada, a 10.5-inch
doll that had an extensive wardrobe, which could be bought separately.
The Dee an Cee Company also produced a small fashion doll, called Toni.
In 1959, Mattel Inc. introduced Barbie with a great deal of hype. It
also came with a large wardrobe and accessories. Reliable responded
with Mitzi, a Barbie look-alike, but it was not advertised on
television like the Mattel doll. Miss Canada became available in
larger sizes in 1959 and 1960.
Life-size walking dolls were a hit in 1960, but they were awkward to
play with because they were so big. Large realistic babies were
available for little mothers, including one whose eyes followed you.
Dee an Cee obtained a licence from Mattel to produce Chatty Cathy, a
talking doll, in Canada. She was an instant success and was followed
by various members of her family.
As competition increased from other parts of the world, however, the
quality of Canadian dolls gradually decreased and the industry began
to decline.