Horst P. Horst tribute

I was lucky enough to visit London three times this year (twice working) after my first ever27 years ago. Among the things I was lucky to see in my last trip this September was an incredible exhibition in the V&A museum for the famous fashion (and not only) photographer Horst P. Horst. You can read about it here. I also made this image and uploaded in on my Instagram account in tribute and may do some more as well.

Evening In Montreal Victoire Roux

Fashion Teen Poppy Parker goes to Paris for the collections

In a (slightly) surprising e-mail, W Club members were notified by Integrity Toys about four new released dolls in the Fashion Teen Poppy Parker line - the 16" version of the popular doll. Many had already seen the dolls photographed by the extremely talented Saron Wright in this month's DOLLS magazine. David Buttry, the line's designer (interviewed in the magazine), said they wanted to continue the Paris theme from this year's Tulabelle line but of course adjusted to the early 60s period. The dolls are available now at IT dealers and will be shipping in two weeks.

Item # 84005
Sunny Splash
Fashion Teen Poppy Parker™ Dressed Doll 
Suggested Retail Price: $120.00 US 
Limited Edition Size: 300 
Estimated Ship Date: Approximately the Second Week of October 2014 

Doll Tech Specs:
Body Type: Fashion Teen (16-Inch) 
Head Sculpt: Poppy Parker (16-Inch) 
Quick Switch Feature: No 
Skin Tones: FR White 
Hair Color: Brown 
Eyelashes: Yes, Hand Applied 

Sunny Splash Poppy is complete with a lovely beach bag, oversized hat and a little two piece swimsuit. She is a 16-inch fully articulated vinyl doll with rooted hair and hand-applied eyelashes. A doll stand is included. For adult collectors ages 15 and up.

Cute but nothing to phone home about. Second bathing suit this year from IT (remember Victoire?). Kind of a basic doll (reflected in the price) with a little extra in the towel and accessories.

Item # 84006 
Fashionably Suited
Fashion Teen Poppy Parker™ Dressed Doll 
Suggested Retail Price: $140.00 US
Limited Edition Size: 300 
Estimated Ship Date: Approximately the Second Week of October 2014

Doll Tech Specs:
Body Type: Fashion Teen (16-Inch) 
Head Sculpt: Poppy Parker (16-Inch) 
Quick Switch Feature: No 
Skin Tones: FR White Hair 
Color: Light Ash Brown 
Eyelashes: Yes, Hand Applied

Sharply Suited Poppy wears a pink double breasted tweed suit, paired with a navy blue satin blouse and scarf that can be tied in a bow around her neck. The look is complemented by a signature gold chain necklace with matching bracelet, earrings, a hat, shoes, gloves and embossed purse. Fashion Teen Poppy Parker is a 16-inch fully articulated vinyl doll with rooted hair and hand-applied eyelashes. A doll stand is included. For adult collectors ages 15 and up.

This is by far the best of the collection, If I could, this is the one I would get. The suit reminds me of 60s Chanel (and the chains help a lot in that direction). The blouse and extra bow add class along with the hat. I hope the gloves are tight and easy to put on otherwise they will look like oven mittens.

Item # 84007
Ma Chérie 
Fashion Teen Poppy Parker™ Dressed Doll 
Suggested Retail Price: $140.00 US 
Limited Edition Size: 300 
Estimated Ship Date: Approximately the Second Week of October 2014 

Doll Tech Specs:
Body Type: Fashion Teen (16-Inch) 
Head Sculpt: Poppy Parker (16-Inch) 
Quick Switch Feature: No 
Skin Tones: FR White 
Hair Color: Strawberry Blonde 
Eyelashes: Yes, Hand Applied 

Ma Chérie Poppy Parker wears a turquoise satin cocktail dress with a black lace overlay, cinched at the waist by a black satin belt tied in a bow. The look is completed by a matching veil, gloves, a clutch purse, jewellery and shoes. Fashion Teen Poppy Parker is a 16-inch fully articulated vinyl doll with rooted hair and hand-applied eyelashes. A doll stand is included. For adult collectors ages 15 and up.

This one is the weird one out - there's something off about her that I can't put my finger on. Love the shoes. No accessories photo with this one, if one is made available I will update the post.

Item # 84008
Floating Dream 
Fashion Teen Poppy Parker™ Dressed Doll 
Suggested Retail Price: $140.00 US 
Limited Edition Size: 300 
Estimated Ship Date: Approximately the Second Week of October 2014

Doll Tech Specs:
Body Type: Fashion Teen (16-Inch) 
Head Sculpt: Poppy Parker (16-Inch) 
Quick Switch Feature: No 
Skin Tones: FR White 
Hair Color: Platinum 
Eyelashes: Yes, Hand Applied 

Floating Dream Poppy is wearing a multi-layered gown, complete with jewellery, a clutch and a pair of shoes. Fashion Teen Poppy Parker is a 16-inch fully articulated vinyl doll with rooted hair and hand-applied eyelashes. A doll stand is included. For adult collectors ages 15 and up.

This one looks like a wedding cake. Too Barbie for my taste, but I am sure there will be people who will love her. I think last year's release was much better designed and executed.

**Please note that the photos are of a prototype doll and subject to changes and modifications. All photos and information contained herein is copyrighted Integrity Toys, Inc. and Intercap Merchant Partners, LLC 2014 and may not be reprinted or disseminated without express written permission.**

Lagerfeld Barbie is Net-A-Porter's fashion correspondent from the Paris collections

In another fashion moment for dolls, which seem to be running high on the list of fashionistas around the globe right now (enjoy it while it lasts), Net-A-Porter, who is one of the shops one can buy Lagerfeld Barbie tomorrow, enlisted her as their fashion correspondent for the Paris Spring Summer 2015 collections. Their instagram feed is full of the doll's photos in various settings. 

 

Third strike: Dolce & Gabbana feature dolls in their Spring/Summer 2015 fashion show

It seems fashion dolls finally hit their stride with the catwalk. After the Lagerfeld Barbie, soon to be unleashed to the world (or more precisely to the very few lucky people who can get her) during Paris fashion week beginning immediately, and Moschino's all out fun Barbie extravaganza, along comes that incredible Italian duo, Dolce & Gabbana, and feature dolls in their Spring Summer 2015 fashion show in Milan.

The dolls were in bag-like boxes with a clear front, dressed in the same outfit the model carrying them was wearing. Detailed accessories were completing the outfits. The dolls look like archetypal Dolce & Gabbana women, more Mediterranean than fashion like. I would love to have them for the accessories and the outfits as well as duplicates to keep for display.

This Dolce & Gabbana collection had Spain as the main inspiration, so all outfits and accessories drew heavily on the rich cultural and historical treasures of the Iberian peninsula. Combined with a strong theme of catholic church artifacts incorporated into accessories like bags and shoes, it made for a very strong show. Red of course was the dominant colour, combined with lots of black.

I would love to have some of these outfits translated to doll size, along with some of the intricate accessories. The bags alone were more than 10 different designs.

The Guardian reported that Vogue's Editor In Chief Anna Wintour "grinned broadly when models marched down the catwalk holding fashion dolls in perspex boxes. Dressed in typically Dolce & Gabbana black, tailored skirt suits with widow's veils and crucifix necklaces, the toys, said Gabbana, were "ironic and funny", inspired by princess dolls in the Disney store and those sold at train stations in 1950s Italy".

Below is the video of the entire runway show - you can see the dolls in their bags too.



Photos: Yannis Vlamos / Indigitalimages.com from Style.com

There's a Moschino Barbie in Milan and she's not for sale!

It seems Moschino - or more appropriately, its designer, Jeremy Scott - found a way to outmanoeuvre even emperor Karl. They have a Barbie doll too - but this one is not for sale like the one made in the likeness of Lagerfeld. Instead, she comes dressed in one of the brand's outfits from their Spring/Summer 2015 collection, which of course was inspired by Barbie in the 1980s. Even the box fits the era to a T. 

All models had huge wigs styled like Barbie's hair and all styling and make up was coordinated to match. Half of the collection is in Barbie pink and the rest plays with 80s shades of purple, aqua blue, yellow and green. Guests were even given human sized Barbie combs and mirrors.

There were reports that people in the back rows were mildly disappointed (to put it lightly) not to get one of the dolls - and even of a little girl crying because she could not get one. What was a little girl doing in a fashion show anyway? And why didn't any front row guest politely give her their's?

The last time Barbie took Milan by storm was back in 2009: she was the main inspiration for Kartell's shop windows in Milan - complete with the doll boxes and even Barbie dolls in the displays. Photos of Kartell from Flickr.