More than a doll - BRAINS BEHIND BARBIE

The iconic toy's had many makeovers in her time, including some Kiwi inspo

As the world's most-recognised doll, fans might think there's nothing they I don't know about Barbie. After all, she's been part of children's lives around the globe since 1959.

There's been Tropical Barbie, Peaches 'n' Cream Barbie, Malibu Barbie- and in more recent times - even a Dame Valerie Adams Barbie!

But it turns out the iconic doll-all 29cm of her - has had a secret life all along and it's about to be revealed, with the release of the Barbie movie, starring Hollywood heavyweights Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling.

In the film, narrated by Helen Mirren, Barbie gets expelled from Barbie Land for being a less-than-perfect looking doll and from there, well, the plot gets a little mysterious.

"Whatever you think it is, it's not that. It's something else," teases Ugly Betty actress America Ferrera, who also stars in the film.

Whatever fate Barbie meets on the silver screen, there's no denying the origin story of the Barbie doll is intriguing. Back in 1956, US businesswoman Ruth Handler was holidaying in Switzerland when she spotted a doll called Bild Lilli.

The doll was based on a German comic strip character of the same name - a postwar, gold-digging buxom broad who went through life seducing wealthy men.

Bild Lilli dolls were marketed to adults as novelty gifts, but Ruth figured that little girls might also appreciate this kind of toy.