Mattel May Copyright Barbie’s Facial Features

Mattel Inc.’s Barbie is entitled to copyright protection for her wide eyes, pert nose and bow-shaped lips, a U.S. appeals court said in a ruling that gives the world’s largest toy maker more power to block copycats of its bestselling doll.

Mattel sued Radio City Entertainment, which runs Radio City Music Hall in New York, over “Rockettes 2000” dolls named for the Rockettes chorus line. Mattel claimed the central facial features copied “Neptune’s Daughter Barbie” from 1992 and “CEO Barbie” from 1999.

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a lower court ruling that the noses, lips and eyes of youthful female dolls are so common they can’t be protected by copyrights.