Cool Blue

At the beginning of the 21st century, a beautifully creative collaboration between Tonner Doll Company and Reverie Publishing began: High Style magazine.  Each issue featured exclusive photography and stories, and, most delightfully, accompanied a limited edition doll from Tonner's Tyler Wentworth line. For the debut issue 20 years ago, 2003's High Style, published by Thomas Farrell and Krystyna Goddu, spotlighted a blonde goddess in an ice blue gown fit for a James Bond movie! And who else but Sydney Chase? 

With an asymmetrical Sassoon-style platinum bob, blue eyes (a first for Miss Chase), and her wildly popular pout in deep rose, Sydney wore a silk and Lurex long sleeved gown with a boat neck collar and a glimmering fishtail skirt, cut on the bias. But what made (and makes) this gem of design grand are the expertly achieved cut-outs at the sides of the bodice that gather at front center in an illusion knot embroidered with ice blue bugle beads. The look was daringly sexy, proud of its sparkling blueness, and strong. Not every 20 year-old gown can claim to be ready for any red-carpet event today, but 2003 High Style magazine's, in our opinion, does.

Dolldom was very lucky to be part of High Style and produced, in harmonious collaboration with Goddu, many features celebrating the world of Robert Tonner's Tyler Wentworth. 

Today, we celebrate High Style Sydney with yet another exclusive portfolio. This time, though, the delight with which we undertake this feature is even more, for as time passes, one cannot but idealize further what was a pretty ideal time in fashion doll collecting, when in-person trade and doll shows abounded, when photography was still made with Velvia 50 slide film, when the quality in doll making made it evident that the sky was the limit. 

Here's to High Style magazine in all of its fabulousness. Here's to Sydney Chase in all of her eternal mystique. Here's to the power of fashion doll play.