Gentleman and Gentle Soul

Bill Cunningham is one of those human beings who could easily inhabit Dolldom. This modern day Peter Pan is the best illustration of the individual who lives to play and is lucky to be "in the flow" for most of his waking life. For Bill Cunnigham lives to play in the same pure way that children get to work when they engage in creative activities.

The documentary "Bill Cunningham New York", by Richard Press, offers a delightful opportunity to meet the iconoclastic Cunnigham who has devoted his life to documenting the real life of fashion in the streets of New York. Getting to know this creative force of nature gives Dolldom reason to believe that there are other kindred spirits in this world who channel their intellectual and artistic energies into the examination of how the human race employs fashion to express its sense of self. Bill Cunningham is an anthropologist, an objective commentator who gives The New York Times readers the most accurate report on the pulse of fashion.

In one of its most touching moments, the documentary delves into Cunningham's personal life to reveal the essence of an individual whose clear sense of integrity, mission, and focus serves as an example to us all.

Bill Cunningham New York

Coming Soon!

Nothing can beat a good poster to sell a movie. Be it on a billboard, in a subway station, or at a bus stop, a movie can be sold based on the impact of this simple and yet foolproof means of communication. Movie trailers can be dazzling, but the public has to be in the theater, glued to the TV or to the computer to experience it. Therefore, for immediate message transmission, the film industry relies on the poster. In these venerable feats of graphic design, every component is artfully manipulated to communicate a message that will titillate, amuse, and convey in a second the emotional impact of the movie's plot.

In this special tribute to Hollywood,  many familiar faces reappear playing imaginary stars in imaginary movies that could have been (or perhaps will be) in a theater near you. Sit back and enjoy the show!

Twilight of the Mind

Holiday Gala Sydney is transformed into the quintessential silent movie vamp by Joshard. Lady of Mystery ensemble is from Brenda Starr's 2006 line.

Zappers!

Liz Cole designs the costumes and jewelry for this low budget horror flick where giant insects from space threaten to extinguish human life – forever! 1960's Vivian by DAE Originals plays the fearless smart girl who says no to bugs.

High Altitude

24 Carat Sydney and University Sean team once again in a classic comedy that takes the battle of the sexes to the friendly skies. Airport 1944 and Shall We Dance ensembles from Effanbee's Brenda Starr line. Bar by Darren Cole for Retros.

 
Killer Blow

In this martial arts extravaganza Modern Mood Sydney fights the bad guys in style wearing Daisy and Willow's Trafalgar Square ensemble by Doug James and Laura Meisner. Monty by DAE, in his Shore Leave ensemble, stands in for the bad guy.

St. Louis Symphony 

Song and dance and an old-fashioned love story make for a winning combination. Fantasia Tyler plays an always-hopeful showgirl who encounters love in all the right places. Tyler's ultra glamorous make up is by Billy Lope. Her scintillating ensembles are by Franklin Lim-Liao. Jewelry by VJT Designs. Resin Vivian dolls by DAE Originals wear ensembles from the debut line.

Giuliana's Travels

A psychedelic fantasy in Technicolor is the perfect vehicle for Ice Blue Sydney. In Tyler Wentworth's Palm Beach Night's ensemble, Princess Giuliana visits a wonderful world where dreams magically materialize. Jewelry by VJT.

Poisonous Blossom

Billy Lope, make-up artist and hairstylist extraordinaire, turns The Brass Horse's In the Presidio Carrie into an Anna May Wong-like seductress. Amber Glow Esmé's gown by Tyler Wentworth won a Silver Orb nomination for best costume design. Jewelry by VJT.

 Agent 700

Dashing Russell Williams has a license to thrill! In this action-packed spy flick, Russell dons Wentworth designs for the Matt O'Neill Collection. Violet Waters' wardrobe by Liz Cole. Colin Deehan's wardrobe by Collectible Chic.
 

Mansion of Sorrow

Tears will be shed before there is a happy ending. Cherished Friends' RTW Luxury Tyler is cast as the innocent yet steadfast heroine, wearing Premiere Pink's skirt and FAO exclusive black wool gabardine jacket, also by the House of Wentworth. Millinery by Margo Nickel.

Possessed

Aunt Regina plays a woman suffering from a past she never lived in this mind twister with a heck of a surprise ending. Costumes by Liz Cole for Retros. Rhinestone pin by Marcia Friend for Facets.

Madame's Girl Wonder

Madame Alexander's Cissette doll, first introduced in 1957, continues to delight collectors. Vintage issues are the most desirable, yet there is still much charm to be discovered in a "Portrette" doll that uses the classic Cissette sculpt. Some of these "Portrette" darlings are found deshabillées in auction sites, begging to be redressed and styled. Once adopted, they shine in the spotlight.

Liz Cole of Retros designed a glamorous trio of fashions for this Dolldom exclusive to show that Cissette, like many other great classic characters of the fashion doll world, remains au courrant and exciting, all she needs is the right dollector.

 

Cherry print cotton skirt and a knit top create a stylish day dress. A vintage straw hat and a Barbie doll necklace add texture and more graphic interest. Blue pup by Liz Cole.

 

Polka dots! In a blue, yellow, white and black palette, the playful skirt is paired with a cotton knit blouse. Necklace by DAE Originals for the Vivian doll. 

To end the fashion show, Liz concocted one of her signature sparkly dresses for Cissette's 10-inch height. Black gloves also by Liz and a black pearl necklace from Integrity's Violet Waters finish off this timeless evening style. Sunglasses, cigarette package and miniature cigarette also by Liz Cole for Retros.

Go ahead, adopt a Cissette and take part of her fabulous little world of fashion. 

And Beauty for All

Mattel, oh-so-swell back in 1959, changed the world of dolls with Barbie's introduction. The concept of a basic doll in a swimsuit gave many a child the opportunity to play dress-up and live vicariously in a world of sophisticated glamour. The manufacture of Barbie's garments in Japan brought a reality of quality that to this day serves as the golden standard to which all doll companies aspire. Far from inexpensive, these miniature works of art, fascinated the children (and many an adult) of the burgeoning middle class of 1960’s America. The rest is history, as we well know.

Fast forward to the end of 2009. Mattel’s whiz-kid Bill Greening designs a new line of dolls aimed at the adult collector. The concept is genius: offer a rich variety of basic dolls in basic black dresses. Capitalizing on Barbie's ineffable connection to fashion, Barbie Basics™ fill a gap as deep and broad as the Grand Canyon. 

Inexpensive chic. Affordable quality. 

Democratically priced luxury. 

And all the fun that comes from feeling that one, as a collector, has a custom-made collection.  

These characteristics are evidenced in everything from the cut and fit of the little black dresses to the embroidered back pockets of the blue jeans of the 2.0 Collection. Rich face-up designs and detailed facial and body sculpts make the dolls desirable by themselves, and when paired with iconic fashion looks – LBD’s and jeans – the whole package is nothing short of irresistible. 

To add even more cachet and fashion verity, the official logo of The Council of Fashion Designers of America gives Barbie its formal blessing. 

Necklace by Joy Jarred

Dolldom appreciates the care and attention to detail that Mr. Greening and Team Mattel have given to all aspects of the line and the high standards applied to its production. Once out of their overly protective boxes (Dolldom dreams of a future where doll packaging is simplified), Barbie and her It’s-a-Small-World-like clan delight collectors with their stylish looks and supermodel attitudes evoked by the Model Muse body sculpt. 

The men fare equally well with a healthy dose of toned muscles, well-cut jeans, and excellent black shoes. Dolldom does expect to see a future offering of a suit or even a jacket to complete the sartorial exploration on what basic means in menswear.

Barbie Basics™ is about play. And play we like. As the accompanying portfolio proves, it is easy to give a doll a completely different look simply by switching models and dresses or by adding a bracelet or a necklace by one the many talented freelance designers. Be bold and dress your model in a handmade gold chain mini dress. Or finally open that NRFB Hong Kong clone fashion and let your MaleMuse live it up. 

When you look back at your re-styled doll, your satisfaction will come from knowing that your collection is all you and that it did not break the bank to get to there. 

 Model #15 wears a Fashion Royalty Homme sweater from the Criminally Chic set. This little knit wonder is hidden underneath a jacket and seldom discovered by collectors who keep the doll in the box.
Tables by Ron Shivvers.

Sunglasses by Dragon in Dreams

Model #14 wears a necklace by Joy Jarred. 

Model #14 wears the pseudo-controversial dress originally worn by Model #10 and Christian Louboutin's red mules.
Tables by Ron Shivvers.

Model #11 wears a gemstone necklace
by Mark G. Harris for Mode de M.

 In Model #8's dress, Model #11 shows that she smoothly glides from jeanfest to cocktail party.
Tables by Ron Shivvers.

 

 Model #13 wears the cream cotton shirt from Fashion Royalty's Thrill Seeker fashion and his original jeans.

 

Model #14 wears a vintage mod tux made in the British Colony of Hong Kong for the mysterious Ricky doll and "all 12-inch action figures".

To accompany him, Model #15 wears a gold chain mini dress by Italian designer Francesca Pigliapoco.

Model #17 wears Mod Ken's V.I.P. Scene's suit and shirt. Skipping the tie expresses freedom in fashion. 

Model #4 wears Versus by Versace and a necklace by Joy Jarred. 

 Model #13 adds excitement to her LBD with Joy Jarred's red sensation.

Model #15 wears his original jeans, Thrill Seeker's jacket by Fashion Royalty, and real leather engineer boots by Dragon in Dreams. Vintage Takara sunglasses complete the look.

Viva Barbie Basics™!

Necklace by Joy Jarred

Evolution Is Thy Name

Dolldom friend Joey Versaw has collected dolls since childhood and ever since this modern day Gepetto has wished upon a star to have his very own doll line. And after much blood, sweat, and many tears, Mr. Versaw has realized his dream fully and beautifully. Last May 2010, we profiled Mary Magpie, a boudoir-inspired beauty who took our collective breath away. Since then, Dolldom has rolled out the red carpet to welcome four more characters from this enchanting line of art dolls. 

Each Mary Magpie Evolution doll is a one-of-a-kind piece of art to which Joey devotes an average 5 hours. From assemblage, to hairstyling, to the hand painting of their fabulous faces, the end result is Joey’s vision. Joey kindly listens to ideas for the next special look and much to our delight and amazement, each 12-inch doll always exceeds our expectations. In addition to commissions, Joey offers basic dolls with which the lucky dollector can play fashion for hours as Mary fits into many similarly scaled fashion doll clothing. Joey tells us that he plans to offer Mary’s own mini comic books, illustrated by comic artist James Meadows, to narrate her fabulous life and adventures. And very soon too, Mary and her friends will be issued with a new body with increased articulation. 

As proven by the accompanying photos, Mary not only felt right at home in Dolldom’s collection, she and her friends stole our hearts in a second. 

Boudoir Mary is Dolldom's first Mary Magpie doll. 

A strawberry blond Mary with mohair wig styled by Joey in a braid wears a Barbie Basic's black knit dress and a necklace by Joy Jarred. 

Corrinne, a different sculpt and character in the Evolution line, wears a cocktail dress made by Joey with sparkly vintage fabrics. 

Corrinne wears her original Chinese style dress made by Joey using luxurious brocaded silk.

Bastian, is Joey's male sculpt and a much welcome addition to the line. All dolls need a best male friend. Bastian can wear some Ken and Fashion Royalty Homme fashions. 

One of Dolldom's favorite's is this ebony Mary. Her hairstyle is painted so that she may wear cool wigs like this Monique beehive. In this photo, Mary channels her inner Emma Peel in a Debbie Drake leotard, Lilli Lalka belt, and Ken boots. Super!

Mary Magpie Evolution Dolls