Esther LevineIndustrial & Toy Design LeaderProduct Innovation  |  Creative Direction  |  Play Experiences

Turning
Imagination
Into Iconic Toys.

I create innovative, award-winning products that connect with people and succeed in the marketplace.

View Selected Work
Watch Commercials★Awards
The Barbie Dreamhouse designed by Esther Levine: three stories, a spiral slide, a pool and an elevator
2024CircanaTop-Selling ToyDolls · US, Canada & Brazil
$500M+Lifetime global sales
100’sOf designs, including award-winning products and Toy of the Year–recognized lines
15+Years leading concept-to-market toy & product design

All Work

Jump to a project.

Tap any project to go straight to it. The play icon marks projects with a TV commercial.

Dreamhouse 2023–2026Dreamhouse 2023–2026Barbie Dream AirplaneDream AirplaneBarbie Dream BoatDream BoatBarbie Deluxe Style ClosetDeluxe Style ClosetBarbie Dream PoolDream PoolBarbie Beach BuggyBeach BuggyCampers & VehiclesCampers & VehiclesDreamhouse 2017–2023Dreamhouse 2017–2023Compact HousesCompact HousesBarbie DreamtopiaDreamtopiaMini Worlds & Maker ToysMini Worlds & Maker ToysRestaurantRestaurantPet Shop, Groomer & VetPet Shop, Groomer & VetInteractive Toys & PlaysetsInteractive Toys & PlaysetsBeauty & FurnitureBeauty & Furniture

Portfolio

Selected Work

Travel, water and fashion play, from first sketch to store shelf.

Ultimate Travel Play

Barbie Dream Airplane

★Macy's Top Toys 2024

The ultimate flying experience: realistic airplane sounds, a working microphone/radio so kids can voice pretend pilot and flight-attendant commands, fully reclining seats from sitting to sleeping, TVs, food service, a kitchen galley, luggage, and puppy-travel storytelling.

Watch Commercial

Water + Vacation Play

Barbie Dream Boat

★TTPM Holiday Most Wanted Toys 2023

Large-scale boat play featuring a removable top deck, outdoor seating, bathroom/shower, convertible sleeping space, a slide, a pull-out pool, and room for multiple dolls.

Watch Commercial

Fashion & Style Play

Barbie Deluxe Style Closet

★Total Girl Toy Awards 2025 · Most Fashionable Playset

A portable fashion studio that folds up like a book. A Spin & Style dressing tube swaps Barbie's look with a twist, a full vanity with mirror and ring light rounds out the styling play, and real doors and drawers keep 20+ pieces organized before it all folds into one closet with a carry handle.

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Water + Resort Play

Barbie Dream Pool

★The Toy Book Commercial of the Year Nominee 2026

Multi-area resort-style water play with a dramatic slide, real bubbles for the jacuzzi, a trampoline, a food counter, rotating drinks, an outdoor shower, lounge moments, and layered storytelling areas.

Watch Commercial

Adventure Vehicle Play

Barbie Beach Buggy

A beach adventure vehicle with room for dolls, beach accessories, roof storage, a folding chair, a cooler, and trendy pickleball play pieces for day-at-the-beach storytelling.

See It at Target

Travel + Adventure

Campers & Vehicles

Vehicle and camper play for camping, road trips and the beach: the Pop-Up Camper with slide and pool, the Sisters' Deluxe Camper, a party camper with a dance floor and heart-shaped pool, a camping-under-the-stars camper with lights and sounds, plus the Barbie electric car with charging station, the Convertible and adventure-vehicle concepts.

Play Environments

The Dreamhouse Collection

More Dreamhouse generations and compact houses.

Dreamhouse Generations · 2017–2023

Dreamhouse Generations

★Parents Best Toys 2018 · HGTV Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge · Good Housekeeping Best Toy 2021 · TOTY Finalist 2022

Two earlier Dreamhouse generations. 2017–2020: the first Dreamhouse with a big slide running from the third floor to the second, an open garage, and an elevator that fits four dolls instead of one, later joined by a wheelchair-accessible elevator; featured on HGTV's Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge. 2020–2023: soundscapes, songs and light settings, party play, and a movable pool and slide.

2020–2023 Commercial

Compact & Portable Architecture

Malibu, Townhouses & Portable Houses

Houses that open for generous play and close for storage or travel. The Malibu House folds out into six rooms with 25+ accessories; the two-story townhouses unfold around a central elevator with rooftop and terrace play; the one-story portable houses go on vacation or to grandparents.

Portfolio

More Designs

Fantasy worlds, pet play, role-play sets, and product design beyond toys.

Castles & Fantasy

Barbie Dreamtopia

Fantasy castle play for the Dreamtopia world: rainbow and candy castles with tower rooms, canopy beds, tea parties and transforming spaces, developed from process sketches and colored renderings into finished, shippable castles.

Ideas & Exploration

Mini Worlds & Maker Toys

Toy designs exploring new play patterns, mechanisms and characters: Paw & Play, an eco pet-care carry case with bath, climbing tower and slide; the on-the-go Polar Zoo Keeper and the Iceazia igloo world with a magnetic skating penguin; a mini pet mall; Luli vanity, candy shop and compact worlds; Pet Pal Maker; plus a styling vanity, bakery, popsicle stand and Mini Food Maker.

Food & Role Play

Barbie Cook 'n Grill Restaurant

A fold-open restaurant with a pizza oven under a gold hood, a grill and stovetop, a counter with stools, a drinks station and fridge, and a tufted booth for diners. It closes into a storefront with a menu board, an awning and a sidewalk café table, and carries like a case.

Pet Care Play

Pet Shop, Groomer & Vet

Pet-care role play kids can carry: a Pet Shop and Groomer with 25+ pieces, and a folding Pet Vet Center with a working X-ray reveal, scale and treadmill, and a waiting area that converts to a grooming station.

Interactive & Role-Play

Interactive Toys & Playsets

Yumzi Pets, scented food-surprise collectibles you feed and watch grow, with a food truck world; Qumzi, an emotionally responsive plush with a color-changing heart and five care stations; plus spa, fitness, McDonald's restaurant, playground, knitting, jewelry making, pony stable and island resort playsets. Sketch-to-product thinking, accessory design, transformation mechanisms, portability and storytelling.

Consumer & Lifestyle

Beauty, Wellness, Storage & Furniture

Product design beyond toys: a Glitter Nail Case with a padded hand-rest and hinged drying door, developed through full control drawings; Zenwarmth reusable heat-pack packaging and point-of-sale; a Corrugated Rolling Tube wardrobe designed across recyclable and moisture-resistant materials; and the Oruga Lounge Seat, a sculptural caterpillar-form chaise featured in a magazine profile.

On TV

Watch the commercials.

Products designed by Esther that went on to national TV campaigns. Each opens on YouTube.

Barbie Dreamhouse 2023–2026 commercialBarbie Dreamhouse 2023–2026Circana 2024 Top-Selling ToyBarbie Dream Airplane commercialBarbie Dream AirplaneMacy's Top Toys 2024Barbie Deluxe Style Closet commercialBarbie Deluxe Style ClosetTotal Girl 2025 · Most Fashionable PlaysetBarbie Dream Boat commercialBarbie Dream BoatTTPM Holiday Most Wanted 2023Barbie Dream Pool commercialBarbie Dream PoolToy Book Commercial of the Year Nominee 2026Barbie Dreamhouse 2020–2023 commercialBarbie Dreamhouse 2020–2023Good Housekeeping Best Toy 2021

Awards & Recognition

Recognized by kids, parents and the industry.

Circana, Good Housekeeping, Parents, Toy of the Year, TTPM, Macy's, Total Girl and more. Select a board to see it full size.

Process

From cultural insight to production line.

Every project, whether a house, vehicle or playset, moves through the same disciplined, imaginative process, with innovation and the child at the center of every step.

1

Insight & Trend Forecasting

Consumer research, cultural and generational trends, and mood boards that frame where play is heading next.

2

Brainstorms & Sprints

Leading cross-functional brainstorms and design sprints that turn insight into play patterns, features and new technology ideas.

3

Sketch, Render & CMF

Concept sketches and renderings, plus color, material and finish (CMF) direction that gives each product its look and feel.

4

Foam Core & Prototypes

Foam-core architecture studies, appearance models and working prototypes, directing model makers and sculptors.

5

Child Testing & Presentations

Testing with kids to refine the play, then presenting concepts to leadership, retail partners and licensing clients.

6

Production & Launch

CAD and control drawings, then partnering with engineering, packaging and global manufacturing to protect design intent through to shelf.

About

An industrial and toy design leader who brings innovation and consumer-centric design to products people love and buy.

For fifteen years as Key Staff Designer at Mattel, I designed and led play environments, vehicles, playsets and consumer products. I sketch, render, model and develop each concept myself, and I also lead design teams, segments and multi-year programs. That work includes seven generations of the Barbie Dreamhouse, the Dream Airplane, Dream Boat, Dream Pool and Deluxe Style Closet, plus campers and vehicles, Malibu and fold-out townhouses, Dreamtopia castles, pet-care, restaurant and role-play playsets, and many more.

Innovation drives my work: innovative mechanisms, transformation features, and play brought to life with lights, sound, electronics and interactive technology. I use AI tools daily to explore ideas faster, and I build every concept around the child, validated through consumer research and child testing.

I lead brainstorms and design sprints, set CMF direction, present to leadership and clients, and partner with engineering, marketing, sourcing and global manufacturing. Mentoring young designers has been part of every role. Today I lead Esther Levine Design, an independent product and industrial design consultancy.

  • Adobe Illustrator
  • Photoshop
  • InDesign
  • SketchUp
  • SolidWorks
  • AutoCAD
  • Vizcom & AI Tools
  • Rendering
  • Foam-Core & Prototyping
  • CMF
  • Trend Forecasting & Mood Boards
  • Brainstorms & Sprints
  • Child Testing
  • Leadership & Client Presentations
Now
Founder & Creative Director, Esther Levine Design
Mattel
Key Staff Designer, Barbie & Toy Brands, 2011–2026. Designer and team lead across segments and product programs
Spin Master
Staff Designer, Toys, 2010–2011
Education
ArtCenter College of Design, BS Industrial/Product Design, Honors
Mentoring
Young designers and interns at Mattel; ArtCenter, Otis and CSUN
Languages
English and Spanish

“Esther had an innate talent to understand the big picture of toy innovation but a more acute view of what little girls loved... details, fantasy and endless fun. She always brought magic to every design project she worked on.”

Margo MoschelVP Design / Product Development, Mattel Inc.

“Her work is meticulous, creative, expertly executed, well thought out, and accurate. I highly recommend Esther for your design projects.”

Stefanie EskanderSpin Master Girls' Toys
Silver Matty, InnovationMattel, 2024. For product innovation across Barbie segments and the Fall 2025 GBR show.
Applause, DrivenMattel, 2020. “You knock it out of the park time and time again! After a record breaking year for the Dreamhouse…”
Applause, CollaborationMattel, 2021. “Cheers to making the 2023 Dreamhouse the best one yet!”
Thank You, Play With PassionMattel, 2014. “Everyone is amazed by your incredible creativity and design vision.”

Contact

Let's design what sells next.

View ResumeResume PDF
Esther Levine · Los Angeles, CA estherlevinedesign@gmail.com linkedin.com/in/estherlevine