By: Express Web Desk New Delhi | Updated: July 30, 2025 18:29 IST 2 min readPaglino and Grossi were celebrated in the global Barbie community for their intricate and glamorous celebrity dolls. (Barbie Instagram)Renowned Barbie designers and partners Mario Paglino and Gianni Grossi, the creative force behind the custom doll brand Magia2000, died in a car crash in Italy on Sunday. The head-on collision occurred on the A4 Turin-Milan highway after 82-year-old Egidio Ceriano reportedly drove in the wrong direction travelling at a speed of 129 km per hour. Ceriano also died in the crash.Also traveling with the couple were bank employee Amodio Valerio Giurni and his wife, Silvia Moramacro. Giurni was killed, while Moramacro was hospitalised with injuries.Paglino and Grossi were celebrated in the global Barbie community for their intricate and glamorous celebrity dolls, having created likenesses of icons like Madonna, Cher, Lady Gaga, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Sophia Loren. Their Madonna doll was featured in the 2009 Simply Madonna exhibition in London, and the pair even met the pop legend in person on The Graham Norton Show. In 2015, one of their custom dolls fetched $15,000 at the National Barbie Convention to support a charitable cause.View this post on InstagramA post shared by Barbie (@barbie)In 2016, they were honoured with the Barbie Best Friend Award by legendary Mattel designer Carol Spencer.Mattel, the parent company of Barbie, paid tribute to the duo with a heartfelt message on Instagram: “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 Magia2000. Barbie is better because they loved the brand, and our beloved collector community is richer for having known them and shared in their passion. Barbie honours their memory with deep gratitude.”Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd