Inside The Twisted Life Of The ‘Human Barbie’ Who’s Turning Herself Into A Living Doll
Every little girl that played with dolls eventually grows up, but even as a woman, they still remember getting their first Barbie. However, no one gets to experience becoming a Barbie. Well, no one except, 30-year-old Valeria Lukyanova. With a handful of surgeries and cosmetic touch ups, she found a look that works for her — though it's not what anyone else expected.
Valeria Lukyanova
Valeria was born in 1985, to parents Valery and Irina Lukyanova. Valeria had big, doll-like eyes and everyone marveled at her beauty. She stood out in a country torn apart by an ugly war.
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Born in Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic — a part of the USSR — Valeria grew up with her two siblings, Olga and Ivan, towards the tail end of the Cold War. Poverty and destruction swept her homeland. She always turned to one source of comfort.
Barbie
Like most little girls, Valeria had a collection of Barbie dolls growing up. Playing with them distracted from the pain around her, and they gave her a reprieve from her straight-laced father and mother, a builder and soldier, respectively.
A Source of Comfort
Turning to her dolls as a child, Valeria said on many occasions that she thought of them as magical and the embodiment of female perfection. Whether she was happy or sad, she took comfort in knowing that her dolls would always be there for her.
