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.

Coincidence or rip-off? Modoll 3D printed doll copies Popovy Sisters creations

It has been little more than a month that Santiago and Mauricio Sierra, fashion photographers, announced their 3d printed doll, Modoll. Based on the 3d scanned face of model Lindsay Wixson, the doll is 3d printed then painted by make up artist Ralph Siciliano, hair styled by the incredible Thanos Samaras and dressed by fashion stylist Charlotte Stockdale, who picks real fashion outfits and has them made in scale. I was preparing to dedicate a post to the project but then I repeatedly saw this photo comparison posted in Facebook and Instagram:

Comparison of Modoll and Popovy bodies from Elcatka flickr page

Head sculpt comparison between Modoll (top) and Popovy Sisters (bottom) - photo from Sofaika Instagram account

Face comparison between MoDoll (left) and Popovy Sisters (right) - photo from Sofaika Instagram account

Numerous doll artists and collectors have chimed in and re-posted these images all over social media, denouncing the rip off and accusing Santiago and Mauricio of theft. Linday Wixson commented below one of the posts in Instagram that she had no idea and is very sorry. Comments about the theft on Santiago and Maurizio Instagram posts of the doll got deleted repeatedly (there are some still left). And while one may argue that Lindsay's face bears a resemblance to the Popovy Sisters dolls so that it was inevitable that the dolls would look alike, the comparison of the doll bodies leaves no doubt. The Modoll body looks like a cheap imitation of the Popovy sisters creation, with much less detail and refinement, especially visible in the joints of elbows and knees and the less detailed hands of Modoll. The finished dolls look much less alike of course, as they represent completely different visions.

Modoll wearing Saint Laurent - photo by Santiago and Mauricio

Popovy Sisters WhoYouAre Hollywood showroom exclusive - photo by Popovy Sisters

If you want to see the comments and photos related to the issue, check the #modoll hashtag on Instagram here. What  do you think? Let me know in the comments.

UPDATE: It seems that Lindsay Wixson is apologising to Popovy Sisters and distancing herself from Modoll, she posted this on her instagram just before she turned it to private, (probably to avoid negative comments - thanks to Elatka for the repost).