I got my first Barbie doll when I was 31 years old. When I was 11 I did not know of Barbie at all. She was outside of my world as many other things were, only some of them had entered my dreams and became something very special. Those were banal consumer items from outside (western) world, which I knew of somehow, or others my age knew and dreamed. We developed special ways of substituting those missing 'beautiful goods' to keep up with fashion and obtain status among other kids.