The Belville theme which was introduced in 1994 and later discontinued in 2009 was created to appeal primarily to girls. While the sets revolved around the concept of the LEGO system it featured doll-like figures known as Belville Figures instead of regular LEGO minifigures. The Belville Figures featured multiple joints to make play more like normal doll play and were larger than minifigures. The Belville theme was the predecessor to LEGO Friends.
1996 LEGO Sets
1996 marked LEGO’s early digital pivot with the creation of LEGO Media and the launch of LEGO.com, establishing the company’s online presence. LEGO Technic was rebranded for global consistency, and several new themes expanded creative play. Wild West explored frontier adventures, Dark Forest revived outlaw factions within Castle, and Time Cruisers combined multiple eras through time travel. Exploriens emphasized scientific exploration within Space, while Pirates introduced the Imperial Armada, expanding LEGO’s nautical storytelling universe.