NEW YORK (Reuters) - Mattel Inc's <MAT.O> holiday-quarter profit beat Wall Street estimates, mainly on strong demand for the top toy company's Fashionista Barbie dolls and Hot Wheels cars.

The company, which recently gave its 50-year-old iconic product Barbie a facelift, also benefited from tighter cost controls and a weak U.S. dollar.

Fourth-quarter net income rose to $328.4 million, or 89 cents a share, from $176.4 million, or 49 cents a share, a year earlier.

Excluding a tax benefit, the profit was 81 cents a share, beating the analysts' average forecast of 68 cents, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Net sales rose 1 percent to $1.96 billion, including a benefit of 4 percentage points from changes in currency exchange rates. Analysts had expected sales of $1.98 billion.

El Segundo, California-based Mattel saw gross sales fall 2 percent in its domestic markets and rise 3 percent internationally. It is expanding its presence in emerging markets like China and India to offset weakness at its home turf.

The company, whose rivals include Hasbro <HAS.N> and Hello Kitty creator Sanrio Co Ltd <8136.T> of Japan, pointed out weakness at its Fisher-Price and American Girl brands.

(Reporting by Dhanya Skariachan; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn)