The Doll Observer
Tonner Dolls launched a brand new website which is sure to whet fans appetites prior to the upcoming revamp of the main Tonnerdolls.com website. And what a bundle of fun it is too, even whilst still in beta!
The crux of the site is good old fashioned voting for your favourite Tonner Doll photo out of the two presented to you on the screen, hense the nature of the ‘duel’! However don’t worry if you can’t decide, you do have the ability to call off the fight and declare a ‘draw’. The best thing about this site is the fact that all the doll photos are submitted by Tonner Doll fans and lovers themselves.
So be sure to check it out dollduels.com
According to Toy News Fashion doll Barbie is the US’ most imported Christmas gift, according to a survey comissioned by Bloomberg Businessweek.
An analysis of the ‘States 75 most-popular Christmas gifts found that a total of 2,598 shipments of Barbie products were received in the US throughout August and September, when retailers receive Christmas stock.
Barbie’s popularity continues to rise despite competition from other doll brands. Recovering from a slip in 2008, US sales of Barbie went up 4 per cent in 2009 and 14 percent in 2010.
Related articles
- Barbie & Stardoll Join forces! (dollobserver.com)
- Deck The Halls With Fashion Dolls & Holly! (dollobserver.com)
The December fashion doll Theme And Photo Contest gets festive
The social networking site for Fashion Doll Lovers, DollObservers.com, is pleased to announce another theme of the month. And what better theme for the wintery month of December than Christmas! The festive season is ripe for theme photos, whether they take in aspects of winter, family, presents or even a hall decked with boughs of holly. Even if you don’t celebrate Christmas itself there are still countless ways to creatively interpret this theme. As long as fashion dolls are square and centre and the spirit of the theme is represented then your photo will be in with a chance of winning!
Be sure to check out the December Theme: Christmas group on DollObservers.com.
And the prize just go a whole lot more interesting…
This month we have an even better suprise: the prize is better too! Instead of $20 you will now be in with a chance to win a whopping $50 straight into your PayPal account for splashing out on dolls!
Be sure to vote for a winning photo of last month’s theme: ‘Let’s Go Shopping!’
Find more photos like this on Doll Observers
In order to enter the photo contest you will need to be a member of DollObservers.com the Social Network for Fashion Doll Lovers. A place where every Fashion Doll lover can feel at home…
Barbie®, the world’s most popular fashion doll and Stardoll®, the globally renowned online fashion and gaming community for girls, The partnership marks the Stardoll® brand’s first foray into translating its popular online fashion portal into physical dolls, allowing Barbie® fans to extend the limitless possibilities of the Stardoll® world offline.
The “Stardoll® by Barbie®” collection will feature eight new fashion dolls, based on four of the most popular virtual Stardoll® stores in Starplaza. Inspired by Stardoll® avatars, “Stardoll® by Barbie®” dolls come packaged mirroring signature avatar poses. Each doll features amazing details like rooted eyelashes, a unique face and body sculpt, as well as a distinct signature style, for a play experience that is authentically Stardoll®.
“We’re pleased to be launching a big line of fantastic physical toys, going from virtual to the physical world,” said Mattias Miksche, CEO at Stardoll. “We’re partnering with Mattel because they share our passion for empowering girls and their creativity. We have forged a strong relationship and have lots of exciting things planned – watch this space.”
“This partnership represents two of the world’s largest girls’ brands uniting to create the ultimate fashion play experience,” said Stephanie Cota, Senior Vice President, WorldWide Marketing Barbie and Girls. “We look forward to inviting the Stardoll community into the three-dimensional world of Barbie with new signature dolls and fashions.”
About the “Stardoll® by Barbie®” Collection
“Stardoll® by Barbie®” will be available at retail in the United States beginning November 2011, with another five dolls slated for spring 2012. “Stardoll® by Barbie®” will introduce two dolls inspired per Stardoll® store: Fallen Angel, Bonjour Bizou, Doll Space and Pretty n’ Love. Sample fashions from each line include Fallen Angel, who rocks a gothic look in fingerless gloves and chain accents; Bonjour Bizou, a fashion-forward Stardoll® sporting ruched miniskirts and graphic prints; Doll Space, in gorgeous ruffled tulle numbers with cropped tweed jackets; and Pretty n’ Love in cozy pink sweaters and heart-patterned tights. Three accessory packs let Stardoll® fans mix and match the trendy, original fashions and accessories, and give girls the same fun interchangeable closet experience of the Stardoll® virtual world in the real world.
“Stardoll® by Barbie®” dolls will come with a gift card for complimentary membership on Stardoll.com for new and existing members, Stardollars to spend on all Superstar items on the Stardoll® site as well as free exclusive virtual gifts, connecting the online world to the real world and then back again.
The partnership plans to expand globally with the addition of more collections, products and online extensions in the future. The dolls will retail for $20.99 SRP and accessory packs will retail for $15.99 SRP each.
Although this is a diversion from my usual Fashion Doll related posts I think that this doll will be of interest to many of you. Especially those of you who have young children. Her name is Matilda and she is the brainchild of a British designer in response to the lack of, to her mind, educational and suitable dolls for her daughter.
She is very much in the same vein as the American Girl dolls and as such is a historical doll, taking her place in the court of Henry VIII with a thoughtfully designed period costume and backstory.
Toy maker Frances Cain believes the fashion and music industries are stealing little girls’ childhood forcing them to grow up too quickly. This means there are no toys for the tween age group. As an antidote, Frances Cain has created a doll specifically for eight to twelve-year-olds.
Matilda is the first in a series of tween dolls being launched by Frances’ boutique toy company Daughters Of History. Themed to Tudor times, she comes complete with a range of period clothing and accessories. The aim being to allow girls to play intelligently and femininely without feeling pressured to be skinny and fashion conscious.
Frances takes up the story:
“It was impossible to find a doll for my daughter when she reached the age of ten so I decided to create one. Matilda has a young teenage figure to deliberately challenge aspirational fashion dolls like Bratz and Barbie.
The doll is not just about play. As well as introducing history to young girls, Matilda helps children to get to grips with some real life issues such as coping with loss”.
Standing 16 inches high, Matilda is beautifully crafted out of high-quality vinyl. Whilst looking like a porcelain doll, she has been made with play in mind and has fully-jointed arms and legs. Her extra-long hair will withstand endless brushing and styling.
Frances Cain has also extended the range with other Matilda products. As well as costumes, there’s also a keepsake book brimming with unique ideas such as a Tudor sleepover or making a pre-execution wish list. Matilda’s Secret is the accompanying novel which tells the story of her role as lady-in-waiting to Katherine Howard at the court of Henry VIIIth.
Matilda comes in her own sturdy carry case and costs £89.99 from www.agirlforalltime.com
The Dynamite Girls by Integrity Toys are going all Urban for their Fall line of dolls. These crazy gals seem to have added a new boy to the group, Curt, along the way too. Mighty fine they look too with a retro 70′s, Taxi Driver vibe. Jasper’s look, especially, seems to be channelling actress Joedy Foster in her most infamous role!
These new urbanites are certainly proving popular too, with Curt especially, selling out on pre-sale at several online vendors. With his looks its little wonder!
Curt is proving a popular choice for collectors
Meet Joedy, ahem, I mean Jasper...
Regular visitors to my blog will know that I am a huge fan of articulation in my dolls and like to keep a keen eye out on any developments in this field. To this end I had my sights on JAMIEshow dolls, available through the fantastic Angelic Dreamz, for sometime. However until recently I was not as taken with the face-ups as much as I was with their amazing physiques.
That changed when I came upon their St Tropez range of dolls earlier this year. The dark beauty of Angelica took my heart and, credit card at the ready; a pre-order was eagerly made. So from this point the wait was on to receive her and after what seems like an eternity and a rude visit to customs, she finally arrived a week ago (see my reveal video below to savour the moment). The long wait between pre-order and delivery was certainly worth the wait for I was far from disappointed and have found myself a little bit in love!
Angelica came in an exquisitely packed box with lots of quality details such as welcome note and finely printed postcards. The doll herself comes packed minus her wig cap and wearing her dressing balled hands, which is a slight shock for the uninitiated. However what a revelation both of these technologies are! The dressing balls put an end to struggling to get dolls fingers and hands through tiny sleeves (especially for those of us with chunkier fingers lol) and the nightmare pulled sleeve seems. The actual hands which come with Angelica are finely and realistically sculpted as well as surprisingly easy to change and attach. Separately sold hand sets can be purchased from Angelic Dreamz.
The wig cap is also easily attached and gives the doll a smooth and neat hairline without the slightest hint of unsightly plugs. The hair is very long and thick and a variety of separate wig caps can be purchased from the AD site. As if this wasn’t enough JAMIEshow dolls also come with a skull cap so that they can wear conventional wigs. I tried a number of Superfrock wigs on Angelica with great success, although I do find that due to her colouring and exotic beauty darker tones seem to work best. Angelica’s face-up is realistically done with expressive eyes, with applied lashes, as well as sensual pink and glossy lips. She is also able to wear earrings, although the basic dolls do not ship with any.
And now to the body sculpt and what a joy it is! Exquisite resin which is matt and wonderfully hand blushed, yet feels substantial in the hand and not scarily delicate as some BJD fashion dolls can be. This is a doll to be played with, posed and loved! Her 19 points of articulation are stiff enough that she isn’t floppy, yet loose enough that she poses easily and holds the pose well. She feels as if she could even stand unsupported, given the right shoes perhaps! The nuances of her pose-ability make her amazingly realistic, and I am sure I have only just begun to discover all she can do. Her body is overall is lithe and well proportioned.
As she is a basic doll she comes wearing a 2 piece bikini, sandals and sarong. With the St. Tropez basic Angelica the bikinis come in randomly selected colours of blue/green/purple or orange. I had hoped for blue but my Angelica came wearing orange, but this is rather a minor set back in the scheme of things! I also purchased the separate St Tropez outfit consisting of crisp white shirt, denim pants and matching sandals for those evenings after the beach!
Overall I am mightily impressed with the JAMIEshow range and I am sure this will not be my last foray into this new Fashion Doll territory.
The ability to change wigs adds lots of dimensions to JAMIEshow
Barbie and Frank Sinatra: two American icons, one classic look.
Inspired by one of the world’s greatest and most iconic performers of all time, Sinatra Barbie® is the definition of class and sophistication as she takes center stage in Fall 2011.
Beloved not only for his melodic voice, Frank Sinatra did things “his way” with refined style and effortless grace. In a tribute to Ol’ Blue Eyes, Barbie® puts a spin on one of Sinatra’s most iconic looks, a custom-fitted suit as seen on many of the singer’s album covers, including “Nothing But The Best.”
Looking dapper in tweed, Barbie® wears a tailored houndstooth printed suit complete with a black tie, polished white shirt, and Frank-inspired fedora. Barbie® adds a twist of her own style to the classic look with bejeweled matching earrings and high- heeled saddle shoes. Barbie® also pays tribute to Frank Sinatra with her chic pocket square in orange, Frank’s favorite color.
Available September 2011, the Sinatra Barbie® doll will be a truly tasteful touch to any Barbie® collection and is a must-have for Barbie® and Frank Sinatra fans alike.
Available September 2011 at www.barbiecollector.com
Our second DollObservers.com Superstar is Mark, a genuinely nice guy and very talented artist and doll fanatic. He has made a big impact on the community since he joined us, runs several groups and never ceases to dazzle with examples of his design and sewing talents. I hope you enjoy this question and answer session with him…
What made you decide to join DollObservers?
I had searched for some time, of a way to express my art with my doll collection the same way I do with my comic book illustrations and character/fashion designs. I feel than in that search, Doll Observers best shows what I was looking for in and from a doll collector’s community. It has a tremendous amount of group projects to keep you busy and an awesome, growing family of supportive and eclectic members.
When did you start collecting/playing dolls?
I have always drawn and painted since I was a child, and I have also always enjoyed collecting toys. since about 3 or 4 yrs old, I loved to play with, and customize the physical representations of what I liked to draw. Barbie of course, but also Jem and the Holograms , Superfriends and She-Ra.
You have been a champion of Ellowyne Wilde on the site. What it is about her that you love?
I have never fallen in love with a face sculpt for a doll more than Ellowyne’s ever before. She is Robert Tonner’s best. I just love her profile and her huge Anime eyes, pouty lips and sad eyebrows. The doll’s character bio says that she lives in San Francisco and suffers from chronic ennui! I lived in that great city throughout my 20′s and, (sigh) …let’s just say the doll is very endeared to me. 
lol , She has the perfect amount of camp and class!
The wonder of Mark's artistic talent
You also run a group on DollObservers for Wonder Woman dolls. Why is Wonder Woman so special for you?
When I was 3 yrs old, I used to watch the television show for Wonder Woman starring Lynda Carter. She was the first thing I ever drew and it got me collecting comics too. Incorporated with my love for dolls, it had me at a young age making custom Wonder Woman outfits for my dolls to wear. She has always been my favorite character to read about and draw.
You are pretty handy with a sewing machine. What got you started sewing for your dolls?
Well not only did I want to make Wonder Woman costumes for my dolls but when I got into my early teens I started to draw fashion designs based off Vogue Mags and Betty Page and badly wanted to see them realized on my dolls. I used a lot of crafting supplies when I was younger and worked with Barbie mostly. But when my collection turned to Ellowyne and her delicate, stainable skin, I wanted to make sure that I made the clothes fully removable and of quality design and fabric.
Where does your design inspiration come from?
Mostly my work is based on comic book and pop icon themes. I like a lot of drama and camp. The outfit also has to have a lot of accessories and jewelry to get me wanting to create it to scale. From Wonder Woman and Marylin Monroe to Lily Munster and Lady GaGa.
Any tips for any members thinking about taking up sewing for their dolls?
Well, when I decided to start suiting up my Ellowyne dolls, I just bought some beautiful and affordable patterns made just for ellowyne on Ebay, got a used sewing machine from a friend, and taught myself how to sew from reading the instructions. Then, with some natural creativity, (I like to think, lol) started making my own custom patterns too. It’s addictive once you see what you can get yourself create.
Other than playing with dolls what else do you do to relax?
I love to spend my down time working out and then napping with my cat/best friend, “Mam-Bam”.
Lastly how would you describe yourself in 3 words?
I once took a personality test in which the question was to list your 3 favorite animals in order and why. the Answer ended up being that; the First animal is how Others see You, the Second is how You see Yourself, and the Third is what You really Are. My animals were, “Cat, Skunk, Horse”. I always thought that pretty much summed it up
Thank you Mark. You really are a DollObservers Superstar!
Over on DollObservers.com we have a monthly Fashion Doll Theme. For june this year the theme was ‘In The Sun’. I thought it would be a cool idea to put the photo entires into a video. I will do this for every competition from now on if folks like it. Enjoy!
About The Author
Simon Farnworth AKA 'The Doll Observer' is a fashion doll aficionado. He is owner of the DollObservers.com community and columnist for Haute Doll magazine.
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