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Photo by Moshe Zusman |
Monday, April 26, 2010
Marymount University Gets "All Doll'd Up"
The senior Fashion Design and Merchandising students of Marymount University in Arlington, VA presented Portfolio In Motion, a marvelously-inspired, doll-themed fashion show of student work. Concluding the presentation, their well-regarded Designer of the Year award was presented to fashion innovator Isabel Toledo, who was present along with her husband, famed illustrator Ruben Toledo. The designing couple, long-time supporters of emerging talent, spent the following day with the students reviewing senior portfolios and offering encouraging words.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Paris Fashion Doll Festival, March 12-14, 2010
This report is well overdue, but think you will understand...
I so look forward to my yearly fix of Parisian life, especially now that I'm blogging and can add fashion trend watching to the mix. This year's preparations, however, proved quite daunting, as not only did I have to resolve a family medical emergency prior to departure, but then came home to find 2 inches of water dumped in my studio/reference library from a nasty Nor'easter which blew through at 80 MPH and killed my sump pump. My only consolation while mopping over the last 3 weeks was watching the news reports of the Northern regions of New Jersey under water, reminding me that it could have been so much worse.
These six days in Paris provided a much-needed break from business overload and caregiving responsibilities.
Kathy Moreau and her team, the Club de la Poupee Mannequin, consistently work hard to bring a pleasurable experience to conventioneers each year. This year was especially exciting, as Charles and Desmond of Superdoll fame were celebrating the Fifth Anniversary of their marvelous Sybarite art dolls. While I did not attend the Un-Conventional Speak & Spell exclusive Thursday night event, the Friday night Disco 3000 cocktail party was a "golden" night to remember, as you will see in my photo journal.
We received a FABulous Sybarite, TICK, and I was equally excited by the necklace we collectors received, as in my rush I had packed a minimum amount of accessories and my Donna Karan luncheon ensemble was now completed by the *V* Sybarite pendant. Thanks for thinking of us, C&D!
The Saturday luncheon is now more low-key and ends at a reasonable time, allowing for sightseeing and a dinner out with doll friends at an outdoor cafe. This year was the 10th Anniversary of the Silkstone Barbie, and we all partook in a trivia game with charming prizes going to the winners. Our table missed by one question, even though there was a presentation which included the answers, provided you paid attention (and I really REALLY did, honest!). There was some disappointment that Mattel did not provide an exclusive Silkstone to commemorate the anniversary, but we were compensated with a selection of Repro Anniversary Barbies, my choice being the American Girl Astronaut. Some collectors also received an exclusive Ellowyn or Antoinette.
The luncheon ends with the annual My Favorite Doll fashion show, featuring collectors dressed in human re-creations of their favorite doll's fashion, and this year's show was especially notable for the abundance of children modeling, especially those dressed as the Tonner Mini-Martians. Just precious!
That evening, all conventioneers headed over to the Musée de la Poupée to mark the opening of the exhibit Nouvelles Icône, which explored the correlation between the early history of The Pandores luxury fashion dolls and modern day Sybarites.
This exhibition highlights the work of Charles Fegen and Desmond Lingard, Superdoll creators, their company Superfrock Ltd., and the first five years of their collaboration in creating the Sybarites. Rare early prototypes, OOAKs and that lusted-after Sybarite trunk were all featured in highly imaginative displays. Photos were not allowed, but the exhibit runs until September 19, 2010, and I highly recommend a visit.
My advice, should you attend next year's convention (March 11-13, 2011), is start planning NOW, and bring plenty of Euros!
In between fashion doll events, I spent a good part of this trip skirting all about my favorite boutiques, discovering new salons, and honing my street photography skills, which will be posted in another album and linked at my Global Design Gypsy blog, should you be interested in my *other* life. For now, follow the link below to view my photos of all the fun I had in Paris.
I so look forward to my yearly fix of Parisian life, especially now that I'm blogging and can add fashion trend watching to the mix. This year's preparations, however, proved quite daunting, as not only did I have to resolve a family medical emergency prior to departure, but then came home to find 2 inches of water dumped in my studio/reference library from a nasty Nor'easter which blew through at 80 MPH and killed my sump pump. My only consolation while mopping over the last 3 weeks was watching the news reports of the Northern regions of New Jersey under water, reminding me that it could have been so much worse.
These six days in Paris provided a much-needed break from business overload and caregiving responsibilities.
Kathy Moreau and her team, the Club de la Poupee Mannequin, consistently work hard to bring a pleasurable experience to conventioneers each year. This year was especially exciting, as Charles and Desmond of Superdoll fame were celebrating the Fifth Anniversary of their marvelous Sybarite art dolls. While I did not attend the Un-Conventional Speak & Spell exclusive Thursday night event, the Friday night Disco 3000 cocktail party was a "golden" night to remember, as you will see in my photo journal.
We received a FABulous Sybarite, TICK, and I was equally excited by the necklace we collectors received, as in my rush I had packed a minimum amount of accessories and my Donna Karan luncheon ensemble was now completed by the *V* Sybarite pendant. Thanks for thinking of us, C&D!
The Saturday luncheon is now more low-key and ends at a reasonable time, allowing for sightseeing and a dinner out with doll friends at an outdoor cafe. This year was the 10th Anniversary of the Silkstone Barbie, and we all partook in a trivia game with charming prizes going to the winners. Our table missed by one question, even though there was a presentation which included the answers, provided you paid attention (and I really REALLY did, honest!). There was some disappointment that Mattel did not provide an exclusive Silkstone to commemorate the anniversary, but we were compensated with a selection of Repro Anniversary Barbies, my choice being the American Girl Astronaut. Some collectors also received an exclusive Ellowyn or Antoinette.
That evening, all conventioneers headed over to the Musée de la Poupée to mark the opening of the exhibit Nouvelles Icône, which explored the correlation between the early history of The Pandores luxury fashion dolls and modern day Sybarites.
This exhibition highlights the work of Charles Fegen and Desmond Lingard, Superdoll creators, their company Superfrock Ltd., and the first five years of their collaboration in creating the Sybarites. Rare early prototypes, OOAKs and that lusted-after Sybarite trunk were all featured in highly imaginative displays. Photos were not allowed, but the exhibit runs until September 19, 2010, and I highly recommend a visit.
Sunday is reserved for s-h-o-p-p-i-n-g, and this year's salesroom did NOT disappoint! Temptations abounded, and in addition to fashion dolls there were beautiful handcrafted dolls of wood and felt, in addition to delicate antique dolls and even teddy bears.
Nunzio Carbone and Jayro Bustamante introduced their latest collection of Fashion Doll Agency divas, coming later this year.
Nunzio Carbone and Jayro Bustamante introduced their latest collection of Fashion Doll Agency divas, coming later this year.
In between fashion doll events, I spent a good part of this trip skirting all about my favorite boutiques, discovering new salons, and honing my street photography skills, which will be posted in another album and linked at my Global Design Gypsy blog, should you be interested in my *other* life. For now, follow the link below to view my photos of all the fun I had in Paris.
Fashion Doll Conventions
Convention season is upon us, and once again we are faced with a recurring issue that has irked many a collector.
Known fact: most doll collectors are adults, with adult responsibilities, families and lives that do not usually revolve around the pursuit of the next *HOT* doll. Not that we sometimes wish we could make that happen, but certainly, at least, not among the collectors I hang out with.
The gripe: If you make a deposit on a convention, then for professional/medical reasons cannot attend, why is it impossible to receive a refund, especially when there is a Wait List of potential attendees which will mean no financial loss to the company? Why not, feasibly, grant a credit towards a future convention? Why is this a very *cut and dry* *black and white*, non-negotiable issue?
And, in those rare, extreme cases where a refund was granted, why must it be given with a *scolding* and *lecture*, as though one were a five year old child.
I've been involved with businesses large and small for over 30 years and have yet to meet a consumer-driven company that is not willing to accommodate a long-standing customer, especially when it will bear no financial cost/risk to their business.
That is...until I became a doll collector.
Known fact: most doll collectors are adults, with adult responsibilities, families and lives that do not usually revolve around the pursuit of the next *HOT* doll. Not that we sometimes wish we could make that happen, but certainly, at least, not among the collectors I hang out with.
The gripe: If you make a deposit on a convention, then for professional/medical reasons cannot attend, why is it impossible to receive a refund, especially when there is a Wait List of potential attendees which will mean no financial loss to the company? Why not, feasibly, grant a credit towards a future convention? Why is this a very *cut and dry* *black and white*, non-negotiable issue?
And, in those rare, extreme cases where a refund was granted, why must it be given with a *scolding* and *lecture*, as though one were a five year old child.
I've been involved with businesses large and small for over 30 years and have yet to meet a consumer-driven company that is not willing to accommodate a long-standing customer, especially when it will bear no financial cost/risk to their business.
That is...until I became a doll collector.
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