Barbie designers Mario Paglino, 52, and Gianni Grossi, 55, died in a head-on collision with an 82-year-old driver going the wrong way on an Italian highway on Sunday.
Two others, including the elderly driver, Egidio Ceriano, and a passenger in the Barbie designers’ car, Amodio Valerio Giurni, 37, died. Giurni’s wife, Silvia Moramarco, 36, is being treated for serious injuries in Milan’s Niguarda Hospital, the Italian publication ANSA reported.
Ceriano, who reportedly had just renewed his license in 2023, had been driving in the wrong direction for a little over four miles before the fatal crash.
Dollmakers Paglino and Grossi were both romantic and professional partners, and founded Magnia2000, a designer Barbie doll company and Mattel collaborator that occasionally raised money for charity.
The dollmaking duo started their Barbie enterprise in 1999 and was particularly known for their custom Madonna Barbie dolls, which they showcased in their London “Simply Madonna” exhibit in 2009.
Paglino and Grossi made Barbie doll tributes to many other celebrity icons, including Cher, Victoria Beckham, Lady Gaga, and Sarah Jessica Parker, as well as a handful of Italian stars, such as Sophia Loren.
The Barbie designers also collaborated with Mattel for creative projects. Paglino and Grossi provided the dolls for Vogue’s 2008 “The Black Barbie Issue.” In 2016, the dollmakers were awarded the “Barbie Best Friend Award” by designer Carol Spencer. In 2020, they collaborated with the toy company to release one-of-a-kind “Role Model Barbies,” modeled after female athletes.
In the weeks leading up to their tragic deaths, Paglino and Grossi debuted their art-inspired Barbie collection on their shared Instagram.
On Monday, Mattel posted a tribute to the doll makers. “The Barbie team is heartbroken by the loss of Mario Paglino and Gianni Grossi, two treasured creators and Mattel collaborators who brought joy and artistry to the world of Barbie as Magnia2000,” Mattel wrote. “Beyond their remarkable talent, they shared an energy that lit up every space they entered.”
“Barbie mourns the loss of two treasured artists whose work has forever shaped the world of dolls. Mario and Gianni, you will be missed.”
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