Knitting Dreams with Petit Tricotage

Wendy Ward is happy in candy colors courtesy of Petit Tricotage

Handmade. Yes and absolutely. We live in a time when the return to made-by-human-hands-reality is not only attractive but utterly necessary.

Blythe's memento mori cap by Petit Tricotage is also a radar for good vibes.

Vintage Barbie set the standard back in the late 1950s with the exquisite making of her wardrobe, handmade to be sure by the hands of many talented Japanese ladies. Today, those in the know know where to go to for not only the handmade but for the exclusive and unique.

A Skipper with Color Magic hair is delighted to wear 

Petit Tricotage's signature Lettuce dress.

Petit Tricotage is such a label. Run with zest and humor by the stupendous Margaret Smith, Petit Tricotage supplies the congnoscenti with the very best in knitwear. 

Viktor and Blythe wear Petit Tricotage's memento mori caps.
It's the cap to wear this winter.

From caps for kids (both porcelain and flesh and blood) to flirty dresses with a young and decidedly spiègle vibe, Petit Tricotage offers luxurious items to enrich a doll's wardrobe and life.

Spa Getaway Barbie wears one of several knit 1940s-inspired 

turbans by Petit Tricotage.

These treasures are hand knit with great attention to scale and fit. The knitting is seamless to avoid the added bulk of seams. The fibers selected by Petit Tricotage for the miniature knits are chosen not only for their color and tactile pleasing qualities but also for their scale.

 

They are knit on tiny needles ranging in size from 2mm to 0.50mm in diameter to allows for garments constructed with stitches to be scaled believably small and in proportion to the dolls who will wear them.

 Two more 1940's turbans impart color and style to the same sober black dress.

But the real sign of an artist is found not only in the technical prowess but also in the poetic expression conveyed though the designs. As the Squiggle cap (modeled by Katarina Carlsson's Myling doll) below proves, it's more than expert craftsmanship that makes a Petit Tricotage garment special. It takes a playful heart to gives birth to such magic.

Fall into Fall in style. Visit Petit Tricotage

The Urban Turban

"The turban. Are we really ready for it?" At DOLLDOM, we smile when we learn of the so-called challenges of the world-at-large as for some of our most stylish denizens the turban has always been a surefire outil de glamour. Like the nude head, the turban stylizes the wearer and makes all eyes focus on the face. Self-perceived pioneers, like Mary Kate Olsen, have dared something like the turban but acts that lack real conviction seldom lead to victory. On the other side of failure, were success reigns supreme and Shocking by Schiaparelli scents the air, Hong Kong Lilli pays tribute to fabulous 40's fashion in a turban that would make Paul Poiret cry with envy. This bejeweled jewel, above left, by Liz Cole boasts sixty-nine beads.

Joan Crawford illustrates that a simple black silk turban is all a face - well, her fantastic face - needs to stun and bewitch adults and children alike. Our advice? Live the Life Deluxe and by all means do what Norma Desmond did - wrap your pretty head in beaded silk brocade.

Summer Gold

So what is a glam puss to do when the gala event takes place in summertime? Go for the gold. The precious metal's hue compliments all skin tones adding the sun's glow to your presence. Ivy Jordan (Dolldom's favorite movie director) shines in a Tim Alberts' halter gown, circa 1995.

Madra Lord and American Girl Barbie go the Retros route and don a fantastic gold sheath with a flirty turquoise tulle over skirt and matching gloves. Fantabulous! 

  
Dazzle in gold!

Retros Wins Dolldom's Award of Excellence

Dolldom celebrates life deluxe in a smaller scale. Yet, there are times when we have to flex our own rules and be amazed by those who actually enjoy la vie de luxe in all scales possible. Such is the case of Liz Cole, head designer and doyenne of Retros, the celebrated Seattle fashion empire that has been delighting us for many years now. 

 The mood is über-cool in Seattle’s hippest atelier de mode. The music is conga-rich, mambos by Pérez Prado saturate the air. The reception area boasts a Tiki bar desk, 50s Moderne furniture, poodle plaques on the walls, and a phenomenal flying saucer ceiling lamp. It is in this eclectic and electric environment that the Retros look is conceived.

 Liz, who embodies Beauty & Glamour in all aspects of her life and infuses everything her magic fingers touch with that inebriating essence, is of a simple and powerful philosophy:  

Embrace our fashion past as best we can. 

By learning to eschew trends and run away from all that is cheap and mean, Retros creates a timeless and ever relevant style that makes all mouths water.

Retrograde mentality you say? Nothing father from the truth. Retros is the opposite of old fashioned. It is a vibrant and current fashion energy that gives life the charm and chic of an idealized time that exists in shiny perfection in the fertile mind of its creator.

 Retros is a world where lounge lizards hang out with Bleuette and BJD giants, all united by their unique sense of style and impeccably constructed fashions. From spooky knit sweaters to cocktail lounge singer gowns, Retros offers something for all. 

And that includes your home too. Darren Cole, head designer of furniture and a respected authority in mid-century design, crafts gorgeous suites of chairs, sofas, tables, and bars that turn any box into a style palace.  

“Frankly, what can be better than a dress that is hand stitched, cut to fit like a glove, and made out of dead stock or  unique vintage fabric? Is there anything out in the market? Anything with the same degree of precision, panache, and wit?” 

“I love the references and tongue-in-cheek humor, in a way it reminds me of Betsy Johnson couture." 

“A doll feels liberated in a Retros original. She can dare to be different, to break free from the mold, to be naughty and haughty and still be clad in a perfectly constructed and lined garment." 

 I take immense delight in all the little extras and the attention to detail that make me feel like the exuberant star of a 50s B-movie.” 

 “A girl need not take fashion so seriously or allow current political correctness to come in the way of looking one’s best. After all, a curve is a curve is a curve. If you have them, flaunt them!”
 

“Do you think we fashion dolls do not have fun?

 

Fashion is not only about fund raising events or black and white galas. It is about the stuff that makes life good, marvelous, cool… like a barbecue and drinks with your friends or going to a reading of Beat Generation poetry. And for those special moments, there is Retros. 

Drop by any time as Retros is open 24-7! 

The Legacy of A Fashion Queen

It was 1963 when Mattel issued the Fashion Queen Barbie doll in a fabulous gold lame swimsuit and turban set. Most shocking was the sculpted head of brown hair that begged to be covered with any of the three synthetic fiber wigs that came with the playful new model. We at Dolldom love to see these distinguished fashion icons wearing the turban and the ingenious swimming cap issued with Miss Barbie in 1964. Why? The wigs, although fun, when improperly styled, can make a woman look, well, fake.

Today, ladies enjoy the luxury of natural fiber wigs that come from animals such as humans or goats. Yatabazah, peruquier to the stars of Dolldom, knows very well that fit and scale can make or break the deal. As Persia Idols Habanita and Carla show us, the right wig not only enhances but also allows the woman to change her identity in order to meet the exigencies of real life.

Habanita au naturel

Habanita and Carla model an Alexandre de Paris wig most commonly seen on Dheei.

Although beautiful,  the scale, shall we confess, can be overpowering. 

 Now in Yatabazah's human hair Mensonge...

Habanita wows us...

and Carla makes us salivate.

In Yatabazah's baby mohair wonder,

Habanita reigns supreme, 

and Carla owns the place.

The lingering question for us all now is: How would a Fashion Queen Barbie look in Yatabazah?

Yatabazah

MforMonkey Designs for Wataru Tachibana

Licca Chan's boyfriend, the ever-dashing Wataru Tachibana, was in dire need of a new wardrobe to enjoy his summer advetures. So he hopped on his plane and went to Barcelona to get the very best in fashions for the elegant young man. María Yepes, designer of the fab label MforMonkey, created a superbly tailored set of four mix and match pieces that gives Wataru sartorial options galore.

Wataru wears MforMonkey's plaid Bermuda short and black cotton shirt. The hat is vintage Premiere for Ken.

Wataru enjoys the high quality of these sur mesure garments made with exactitude and flair by the super friendly and accommodating María.

 The black cotton shirt is paired with black and a baby blue tweed pair of slacks for evenings of casual fun.

Mad Men style. In his vintage Premier straw hat and Dragons in Dreams aviator sunglasses, Wataru combines his slacks with a baby blue cotton shirt with comfortable short sleeves.  

Bermuda elegance! Thanks to MforMonkey, Wataru wears a 1960's styled set that looks masculine and well-groomed at all times of day. Tammy's camera is a must for photographing the sites. Reading glasses are vintage Judy Littlechap.

We at Dolldom salute this young Argentinean designer and hope to see more of her designs modeled by other denizens of this magical realm.

MforMonkey

Mary Magpie by Joey Versaw

For someone as jaded as this writer, it takes magic and soul to create a doll that moves me. And Mary Magpie by Joey Versaw moves me in so many ways. Mary Magpie combines the play of fashion dolls with the power of engagement of an art object.

Handmade and hand painted by this 21st Century Geppetto,  Mary is sturdy in her construction and undeniably beautiful when displayed. This Mary Magpie, wearing the Dolldom favorite Louise Brooks' bob, is a perfect example of Joey's sensibilities as an artist.

 Mary's profile photo shows her exquisite pout

When compared to several of Joey's other models, it is easy to see the artist's style of painting and also the integration of several references to vintage boudoir dolls.

 Mary arrived at our studios and immediately went to be dressed for her photo portfolio.  But after the commotion, it became clear that Mary looks best in her lovely and very special gown made by Joey.

Mary wears Mark G. Harris' pastel tweed coat, a vintage dress, and a hat by Tess Barton. 

But in true Dolldom style, here is Mary Magpie wearing the deluxe fashions of Liz Cole, Mark G. Harris, and Franklin Lim-Liao.

Mary models a sexy and chic brocade set by Franklin Lim Liao

Joey joins a growing number of artists creating handmade uniqueness that proves to the world yet again that the future of dolls is handmade.

For her Ana May Wong moment, Mary wears a fab qipao by Liz Cole for Retros

Dolldom looks forward to welcoming Mary's friends in the near future. 

Mary Magpie