Everybody’s saying Claudia Schiffer is the real Barbie, so Mattel made one to prove it!

Ever since Claudia Schiffer was catapulted in the upper strata of the galaxy we know as Fashion, she was frequently compared to Barbie. People kept saying she looked like a living Barbie doll so much, that in 1994, Ellen Von Unwerth photogrhed her vir Vogue Italia as The Real Barbie. So, to celebrate 30 years of Claudia Schiffer’s career and the launch of her self titled book, published by Rizzoli, Mattel decided to recreate one of the looks in that editorial, featuring a Versace dress. Here are the four photos they posted on their @babriestyle Instagram account:

Barbie Claudia! 

Barbie Claudia! 

The original photograph by Ellen Von Unwerth for Vogue Italia

The original photograph by Ellen Von Unwerth for Vogue Italia

She does look a lot like Claudia! 

She does look a lot like Claudia! 

Close up of the doll - can we have her on sale now? 

Close up of the doll - can we have her on sale now? 

It’s amazing how well they recreated the face and style of Claudia. The doll looks perfect. It would be amazing if she became available commercially, I’m certain it would sell very well. How about it Mattel? As we wait for it, let’s have a look at the rest of the original editorial. Published in Vogue Italia , on the July 1994 issue, titled Claudia, The Real Barbie. The photographer is Ellen Von Unwerth, fashion editor is Alice Gentilucci, Ward is the hairstylist and Francois Nars did the makeup.

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As you can see above, the original photograph in the editorial was mirrored for the Instagram post (probably for the book as well, where Von Unwerth wrote the foreword). We end this with a backstage photo, with Claudia holding a Barbie in hand.

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​Update 18th of October: The OOAK Doll made an appearance in Saks NY windows dedicated to the debut of an eight piece capsule collection that Claudia did with Aquazzura. So if you are in New York, you can see the doll if you visit the Saks NY flagship store. Photo from the model’s instagram account:

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All doll photos courtesy of Mattel. All Claudia Schiffer photos by Ellen Von Unwerth. 

Cosmopolitan India celebrates its 20th anniversary - and fashion dolls are photographed for the issue!

Fashion dolls have been featured quite a while in fashion magazines in the last few years. Even models have been photographed as dolls many times. I had done a photo shoot with doll-sized clothes designed by the cream of Indian fashion designers some years back, for Grazia India. This year, Cosmopolitan India celebrates its 20th anniversary, with their October issue. And thanks to its amazing editor in chief, Nandini Bhalia, I got a chance to have my doll photos featured in this special issue for an editorial about blush, by talented fashion editor Navya Anand. Below is the pages of the magazine as featured in the October 2016 issue, now on stands. Click to see them bigger. Again I must thank Nandini and Navya for their support and for choosing me to participate in this special issue of Cosmopolitan India.


The opening two-page spread with Intrigue Elise Jolie in a Jason Wu jumpsuit and Going Public Eugenia in a valeyofdolls gown.


Of course Style Notes Isha Kalpana Narayanan would be featured in Cosmopolitan India!


Main Attitude Adele Makeda in all her glamour


And the final page featured a guide on how to blush, with Daring Imogen, Power House Ayumi, Take Me On Vanessa and Belissima Natalia. Sorry to say that Eugenia and Poppy did not make the final cut. Tantrums could ensue!


The 20th anniversary October issue of Cosmopolitan India is out now, with Kangana Ranaut on the cover.

French Vogue editorial: models as Barbies

It seems the fashion world is still firmly in thrall of the doll world. French Vogue has done a whole editorial called "Panoplies", with models photographed like NRFB Barbie dolls in their boxes, each with a distinct look, the appropriately styled box and a wealth of accessories inside. The whole thing is magical, from the photography of Giampaolo Sgura and the impeccable styling by Claire Dhelens & Celia Azoulay, The sets are designed by Vincent Olivieri and made by Office Neochrome. Hair by Laurent Phillipon and make up by Lloyd Simmons. Models Magdalena Frackowiak and Elisabeth Erm are wearing looks by Dior, Chanel, Saint Laurent Paris, Louis Vuitton, Ralph Lauren, and Valentino. And it is all a very unique and clever way to make the ubiquitous Christmas issue gift editorial so much more interesting. Need I add that I want all of these as fashion doll gift sets? Please?