Two renowned Barbie doll designers, Mario Paglino, 52, and Gianni Grossi, 48, were killed in a head-on collision on the Turin-Milan highway in Italy on Saturday. The crash occurred when an 82-year-old driver, Egidio Ceriano, entered the wrong lane and drove for several miles before colliding with their Peugeot 3008 SUV at 130km/h (80mph).
Paglino and Grossi were celebrated for designing Barbie dolls inspired by celebrities such as Madonna, Cher, Victoria Beckham, and Lady Gaga. In 1999, they founded Magia 2000, a company that collaborated with Mattel to create customised dolls. One of their creations sold for €15,000 (£13,000) at a charity auction in 2015.
The couple were travelling with Amodio Giumi, 37, and his wife, 36, who is the sole survivor. She is in intensive care at Milan's Niguarda Hospital with a fractured arm, leg, and chest trauma, but her injuries are not life-threatening.
Traffic police reported that Ceriano missed the toll booth, turned around, and re-entered the motorway on the wrong lane, travelling for seven kilometres before the collision. He was driving alone and survived the crash.
The official Barbie Instagram account paid tribute, stating: '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 Magia 2000.'
