Two of the most beloved figures in the world of Barbie design, Mario Paglino and Gianni Grossi, tragically lost their lives in a high-speed car crash over the weekend in northern Italy. The couple, known internationally for their extravagant and celebrity-inspired Barbie creations, were involved in a head-on collision with an 82-year-old man who had been driving the wrong way down the Turin-Milan highway.
Paglino, 52, and Grossi, 48, were traveling in a Peugeot 3008 SUV alongside two friends, Amodio Giumi, 37, a bank employee, and his wife, 36. The vehicle was reportedly traveling at 130km/h (80mph) when the crash occurred. The elderly driver, Egidio Ceriano, was reportedly disoriented and had mistakenly re-entered the highway going in the wrong direction after missing a toll booth. Ceriano also died in the crash. Giumi was killed instantly, while his wife is the sole survivor and remains in intensive care with multiple fractures and chest trauma.
The duo, who founded the doll design company Magia 2000, were long-time collaborators with Mattel and well-known in the global doll-collecting community. Their custom Barbie dolls paid homage to icons like Madonna, Cher, Victoria Beckham, and Lady Gaga. One of their one-of-a-kind creations sold for €15,000 at a 2015 charity auction.
Tributes have poured in from fans, friends, and the official Barbie Instagram account, which honoured them as “visionaries” who “brought joy and artistry to the world of Barbie.”
“They shared an energy that lit up every space they entered,” the post read.
As leaders of the Italian Doll Convention and frequent exhibitors at international shows, Paglino and Grossi were much more than designers, they were central figures in a global creative community now mourning a profound loss.
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