Nancy's Tribute to Elegance

The elusive Nancy doll by Bella Poupée, circa 1966, makes a second appearance in Dolldom and we could not be more honored!

 Thanks to the generosity of Mike Buess, creator of the equally captivating Fabiola doll, a brunette Nancy came to Dolldom's studios for photos carrying her own fabulous trousseau by two powerhouses of dolly fashion: Rosina Haskell of Rosiebows MiniCouture on Etsy and Tania Lawrence. 

Haskell and Lawrence conceived Nancy's fashions with a soothing silvery palette that makes their pitch-perfect late 1960s designs even more captivating.

Nancy pays tribute to the elegance of days gone by, to the charm of women of substance who after satisfying the demands of their daily lives dressed up to live the fantasies of fashion. Here's to them all! 

A lace mini with silver lame at neck and hem by Tania Lawrence exemplifies the impact of minimalism. 

Coquettish baby pink silk shantung dress is elevated by a mini cape with faux fur by Rosina Haskell. Roger Sterling Ken is impressed. 

A suit for work in a sweet shade of blue by Haskell is perfect for Nancy's busy day. 

Goldfinger! Nancy's golden lamé column dress is showstopper if we ever saw one. A multicolored bead necklace by Vince Tibavido adds an extra layer of vivacity. Manhattan, anyone? Roger Sterling Ken is captivated. 

Dressed to the Nines! A blue and silver gown and faux fur stole are two classic components for a formal night out. By this point, Roger Sterling Ken cannot keep his eyes away from the rare French beauty.

Dolldom expresses deep gratitude to Mike Buess, Rosina Haskell, and Tania Lawrence for making this exclusive entry possible. 

 

 

Nancy? Oui, Enchantée!

In 1965, the French company Bella, under license from American Character, produced and sold the Tressy doll and fashions. In later years, the company produced dolls using  the same body sculpt with two different head molds: Marilyn and Nancy.  Marilyn was the company's version of Mary Make-Up, whereas Nancy was...

That's were all past similarities end, for Nancy had no antecedent in Tressy's history, but she did have a face to sink a thousand ships. Not that Tressy is not an iconic sculpt, but we at Dolldom appreciate a doll sculpt that conveys intention, challenges expectations of beauty (which is as relative as success), and focuses on character, attitude, and individualism, something that Nancy, with her side-glacing eyes, well-defined philtrum, and fleshy, pulpy lips with a hint of smile (no sour-puss expression, thank you very much) exemplifies. Nancy (most surely conceived by sculptor José Cotaina) was produced and sold in 1966 and only appeared in the company's catalogue for that year, as a Black doll, modeling a fashion called "Martinique".  

Dolldom conjectures that perhaps Nancy was a doll sold directly to department stores, just like Bellas' Bellita, at a lower price point as neither had the growing hair mechanism. Was Nancy, then, only found at Monoprix and other stores of the same type during the final quarter of the 1960s? How many were made? How many survived play? As Nancy seldom makes an appearance on the secondary market, we surmise that few did. But thanks to a generous Dolly Angel, Dolldom is able to feature Nancy wearing her original sheath in this exclusive entry. Thank you, Dolly Angel! 

For more information on Bella dolls and the history of Tressy, make sure that you visit Tressy and Orasée vous racconte la vie des poupées Bella. If you would like to share any information on Nancy by Bella, Dolldom would be delighted to learn more. 

Je m'appelle Nancy!