Five Days Until Christmas Eve

Mattel Partners with charitybuzz for a very special OOAK Barbie Auction

Benefiting Project Angel Food, which takes a holistic approach to nourishing the body and spirit of men, women and children affected by HIV/AIDS, cancer, and other life-threatening illnesses.

The auctions have ended, but you can still visit the site to see these eight beautiful creations.  What a fitting way for Barbie to wrap up her whirlwind 50th Anniversary Year and spread some generous Holiday cheer to those truly in need.

Project Angel Food's Exclusive Barbie Online Auction

10 Days Until Christmas

Christian Louboutin Barbie

Let's get right to what collectors want to know...

• Yes, the hands are painted
• Yes, the catsuit is sewn on
• Yes, the shoes are plastic

HOWEVER...the head is fully rooted under the hood, so if you were brave enough to open the stitching on the catsuit, you could transplant her to another Model Muse body (not really necessary, as there are 3 other dolls in the line that should allow for redress opportunities).  I must caution you, her skin has a sallow/orange-y color and that may be a challenge to find an appropriate match.  Or, just do what I plan to do and use the catsuit as a base for skirts/jumpers/smocks et al.   The boots are a quality leopard fabric shaped to the leg with minimum stretch so you need to be careful when putting them on.  I also find that the production doll really does resemble the promo pics, and as I am primarily a Silkstone/Designer collector, I am quite pleased with this new modern visage for Barbie.

My only disappointment was that the stand does not have Louboutin's name on it!  Come on, Mattel, how much production would it cost to have a nice metallic or quality designer label made for the stand.  You used to do that.  Heck, one of your receptionists could have run them off in Photoshop on a quality printer.  Better yet, why not send me the template and I'll do them.  For the right fee, of course.

And now, the photos...

Contemplating the Holiday Season to Come

Vogue Australia, Scanlan & Theodore Celebrate Barbie’s 50th Anniversary

I recently picked up the Vogue Australia 50th Anniversary edition, and there on the last page was a Special Edition Barbie created by Robert Best to commemorate this milestone.

It appears Australia was also very fond of Barbie and eager to help celebrate her 50 years of branding success.  Several exhibits were staged, and these dolls I'm sure would be the envy of any American Barbie collector.

Scanlan & Theodore Celebrate Barbie’s 50th with Runway Installation

Sloane's Night with Tord Boontje

Intellectual Chelsea Girls like Sybarite Sloane enjoy spending an evening on campus listening to a design master like Tord Boontje.  The lecture was part of the exhibition Lace in Translation at Philadelphia University, which features the collaborative work of Tord Boontje, Dutch design studio Demakersvan, and Canadian artist Cal Lane.  Their respective lace interpretations celebrate Quaker Lace and Philadelphia’s critical contribution to American textile design.

For more information, please visit the exhibition website. The exhibit runs through April 2010.

Peter Jensen Previewing S2010 in Miniature

According to WWD, London designer Peter Jensen added a modern twist to showing his Spring 2010 collection.  Peter collaborated with Laurie Simmons to shrink the collection for display on paper dolls.  Now how novel is that!

Peter Jensen S2010 by Laurie Simmons

Head to Jeffrey NY for a OOAK Fashion Doll Exhibit/Charity Auction

In honor of their 10th Anniversary, Jeffrey New York has partnered with Jason Wu and 70 of the international designers represented in their store for a very special exhibit/auction.

The exhibit opens August 10th and concludes with Fashion Week. This would make a nice side trip if you are planning on participating in Fashion’s Night Out, the multi-city retail extravaganza planned for September 10, during Fashion Week, when virtually every chic shop is staying open late and hosting special events. The auction will close on the last day of Fashion Week.

The Doll Project at Jeffrey

Nice to see the tradition Robert Tonner popularized back in the 1980s continuing, especially in this bleak economy. If you are able, open your wallet and bid (the starting bid is set at $250). Call Jeffrey New York at 212-206-1272 for more information.

My very own Pop-Up Shop !

All the rage in this economic climate, as landlords of vacant store fronts and Creatives with limited budgets work a happy medium to survive. Driving sales and attracting customers has even hit the local flea markets, where Quik Shade canopies have become a trend. I purchased mine off eBay, driving to Reading, PA for the local pick-up. And yes, it really makes the difference, and not just for those looking to get in from the sun. My foot traffic increased 25%, with an 8% increase in sales. That may not sound like much, but when you are dealing in vintage/secondhand every bit counts.

One of the best compliments I received was the woman who walked in, looked around, and said "Now THIS is a shop".

Barbie 50th Anniversary National Convention Weekend

Altho I wasn't able to attend the full convention due to family commitments, I did manage to sneak away for two days to attend Public Day, thanks to my niece Laura who looked after my parents while I was away. Many thanks, Laura!

To view all the photos, including the famous Chinese pandas, please visit my Kodak Gallery Album.

Barbie Gets a Fashion Tribute in Moscow

An exhibit celebrating Barbie's 50th Anniversary recently opened at Cara&Co in Moscow.  To complement the 50 Barbie outfits by foreign accessory designers featured in the show, Roza Kamenev, owner of the concept store, commissioned outfits by Russians and the brands she sells in her shop.  The exhibit will run through June 14.

Barbie Gets a Fashion Tribute in Moscow - WWD.com

Photos from the exhibit:

Cara&Co Barbie 50th Anniversary Exhibit

Look At Me Blog

My Etsy Shop is Now Open!

I'm very excited to have a new avenue for my designs and vintage merchandise, and invite everyone to stop by and check out my latest offerings.

Welcome to my Blog!

Spent a very relaxing weekend learning how to set up a blog, and actually managed to create three of them, all with a different slant and geared to specific viewers. So just bear with me as I dive head-on into the latest vehicle in networking.

Stay tuned!