Italy: Two Barbie designers killed in a head-on crash

The two vehicles that collided were speeding over 80 miles and hour.

Mario Paglino, 52, and Gianni Grossi, 48, died in Sunday’s crash after an elderly driver going the wrong way down the highway plowed into their SUV, killing himself in the process, reported New York Post quoting Italian neswpaper.

Barbie's official Instagram accounts described the deceased designers as 'treasured artists'.

The official Instagram page mourned their deaths and posted: "Barbie mourns the loss of two treasured artists whose work has forever shaped the world of dolls. Mario and Gianni, you will be missed."

“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,” the tribute said.

“As passionate and talented designers and lifelong collectors, their spirit and love for the brand turned every creation they touched into a masterpiece. Beyond their remarkable talent, they shared an energy that lit up every space they entered,” the post further said.

The New York Post reported that Amodio Giurni, 38, a banker traveling in the car with Paglino and Grossi, was also killed in the crash.

Giurni’s wife, Silvia Moramarco, 37, was also in the SUV and she was rushed to the nearby hospital in Milan for treatment.

Her condition is said to be critical.