Yves Saint Laurent Barbie dolls - a dream come true

We had been teased for quite a while with images of the Yves Saint Laurent dolls, mainly from the instagram account @barbiestyle . At the beginning they were supposedly OOAK dolls, then it emerged that they would enter production. And now, finally, they are here. Available to buy at Barbie.com (only the pink and black gown available) for $150,00 each and, in Paris, at the department store Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche (not online). The release is in collaboration with the Musée Yves Saint Laurent Paris.

Let’s see what Mattel says about the collaboration:

With a shared passion for personal style, Barbie® honors French fashion designer, Yves Saint Laurent (b. 1936 - d. 2008), for his vast impact on women’s 20th century fashion. One of the greatest names in fashion history, Yves Saint Laurent invented the modern woman’s wardrobe: the pea-jacket and trenchcoat in 1962, the first tuxedo in 1966, the safari jacket and the pantsuit in 1967, and the first jumpsuit in 1968.

While constantly in search of simplicity, each collection was also a chance to bring his dreams to life. Fascinated by different cultures, nostalgic of a ‘lost time,’ he came up with dresses that transported the public to an imaginary elsewhere, from Russia to China, from India to Morocco. He also developed numerous garments directly referencing the artists he admired such as Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Georges Braque, Vincent Van Gogh, and of course Piet Mondrian.

And now the dolls, one by one:

Barbie® Yves Saint Laurent Doll Mondrian dress

Paying homage to the visionary designer, Barbie® models Yves Saint Laurent’s iconic Mondrian dress from the Autumn-Winter 1965 collection. The multi-colored knit dress recalls the Dutch artist’s sense of geometry, while a seamless patchwork and sleek back zipper reflect the designer’s keen attention to detail. Black heels with silvery buckles and pearly earrings finish the timeless look. This beautiful doll is presented in collaboration with the Musée Yves Saint Laurent Paris.

Collection: Barbie® Yves Saint Laurent Dolls

Label: Platinum Label®

Designer: Linda Kyaw

Release Date: 11/05/2018

Body Type: Model Muse

Fashion: Multi-colored geometric knit dress, pearly earrings, black heels

Eyelashes: Painted

Fashion Sewn On?: No

Included with doll: Earrings, dress, shoes, doll stand

Doll Stand: Yes

Package Dimensions (H/D/W): 16/9/5

Package Weight: 5.0706 lbs

SKU #: GCM97

I have been writing it time and time again but nothing changes - and it does not seem it ever will. Charging $150 for non-articulated dolls is preposterous. If Mattel cared about collector dolls, I mean really cared, they would have created a good articulated body, an evolution of their early pivotal one for example, to use for special dolls like these, that could be made to pose elegantly in a variety of poses as befits their high fashion style. Instead, one gets the Model Muse body, immovable, frozen like a statue, doing no service to the exquisite clothes it is wearing.

And yes, this is a gorgeous dress, not only being a miniature YSL dress but being faithful to the original. It is made of separate pieces making up the Mondrian pattern instead of a print, just like the real one was. The dress is lined and the quality is good. The detailed earrings and specially designed shoes complete it perfectly. More about the gorgeous box at the end of the post.

Barbie® Yves Saint Laurent Doll Safari Jacket

Paying homage to the visionary designer, Barbie® models Yves Saint Laurent’s iconic 1968 safari jacket. This garment was specifically created for Vogue (Paris) for a spread in their magazine. The desert-hued, front-laced safari jacket, which is inspired by clothing of westerners in Africa, includes a stylish hip-hugging O-ring belt. It’s a fresh, modernized look that features black knee-length shorts, jaunty sueded boots, and is topped with a floppy, fringed bush hat. This beautiful doll is presented in collaboration with the Musée Yves Saint Laurent Paris.

Collection: Barbie® Yves Saint Laurent Dolls

Label: Platinum Label®

Designer: Linda Kyaw

Release Date: 11/05/2018

Body Type: Model Muse

Fashion: Safari jacket, knee-length shorts, suede boots

Eyelashes: Painted

Fashion Sewn On?: No

Included with doll: Hat, earrings, boots, belt, blouse, shorts, doll stand

Doll Stand: Yes

Package Dimensions (H/D/W): 18/7/11

Package Weight: 5.0706 lbs

SKU #: FJH71

What a gorgeous rendition! The jacket is almost perfect, a fantastic recreation of the original, made famous in the iconic Verushka image, photographed for Vogue in 1968 (photo by Franco Rubartelli). Attention to detail is again good, with fabric boots and hat. Pity the Karl sculpt is not a match for Verushka’s face - I think each doll should have had a different sculpt.

Barbie® Yves Saint Laurent Doll Paris gown

Paying homage to the visionary designer, Barbie® models Yves Saint Laurent’s iconic ‘Paris’ evening gown from 1983. A ruched pink satin bodice culminates in the back with an oversized pink satin bow, while luxurious black velvet drapes to the floor with an elegant slit. Black pumps, red and black rhinestone bracelets and earrings, and an iridescent statement necklace are the finishing touches to this glamourous look. This beautiful doll is presented in collaboration with the Musée Yves Saint Laurent Paris.

Collection: Barbie® Yves Saint Laurent Dolls

Label: Platinum Label®

Designer: Linda Kyaw

Release Date: 11/05/2018

Body Type: Model Muse

Fashion: Evening gown with a ruched pink satin bodice, oversized satin bow, black pumps

Eyelashes: Painted

Fashion Sewn On?: No

Included with doll: Bracelets, earrings, necklace, doll stand

Doll Stand: Yes

Package Dimensions (H/D/W): 18/7/11

Package Weight: 5.0706 lbs

SKU #: FPV66

The Paris gown photographed by Gilles Tapie in 1983

This is the only doll still available at the Barbie.com shop, so run if you want it. For me it is the least desirable from the trio, but still want to get it. Would have liked to see another iconic YSL dress though, from his later years, or even better the “Le Smoking” tuxedo.

Special mention goes to the box design, with the logo of the museum at the front and the Yves Saint Laurent info and photo inside, plus the fabric ribbon tie (like the Poppy Parker older boxes). Great job Mattel. I wish I could afford these. 

The Iris Apfel Barbie dolls are coming!

Back in March of this year, Mattel made a Barbie doll to honour Iris Apfel, the fashion icon extraordinaire that has defined her own particular look of multicoloured chic for ages. That was an OOAK doll but it was announced that a series of dolls would follow. And here they are, making their fist appearance at HSN online store, as part of her Rara Avis (rare bird) Collection. They look very Iris, even though the original OOAK had a better outfit. Each costs $30,00 and I’ll try to get them when they appear in shops selling outside the US. Below are the first photos and descriptions of the two dolls as they appear on HSN. 

Barbie® Dolls Iris Apfel Jacquard Look Doll

Chic. Inspirational. Original. Iconic! This must-have Barbie® doll captures the style and spirit of design legend Iris Apfel in all her glory. From her signature specs to her sophisticated suit, she's sure to become a favorite collectable for Barbie®lovers of all ages.

What You Get

• Barbie® Doll - Includes glasses, medallion necklace, chain necklace, 2 cuffs, 4 bangles and loafers
• Doll stand
• Certificate of Authenticity

• Contains small parts
• For ages 6 and up

Doll measures: Approx. 11"L

Country of Origin: Indonesia

Features

Styled by Iris Apfel

• Celebrate the vitality, wit and unwavering fashion sense of a true original
• One of the most dynamic personalities in the worlds of fashion, textiles and interior design, Iris Apfel is a genuine fashion icon

• With looks from the designer's Rara Avis collection
• Doll wears a floral-patterned brocade suit with striped blouse, plus a bright lip
• Chic accessories include Iris' signature oversized black glasses and layered necklaces and bracelets

Barbie® Dolls Iris Apfel Faux Fur Doll

Chic. Inspirational. Original. Iconic! This must-have Barbie® doll captures the style and spirit of design legend Iris Apfel in all her glory. From her signature specs to her faux fur vest and statement-making pants, she's sure to become a favorite collectable for Barbie® lovers of all ages.

What You Get

• Barbie® Doll - Includes glasses, medallion necklace, chain necklace, 2 cuffs, 4 bangles and loafers
• Doll stand
• Certificate of Authenticity

• Contains small parts
• For ages 6 and up

Doll measures: Approx. 11"L

Country of Origin: Indonesia

Features

Styled by Iris Apfel

• Celebrate the vitality, wit and unwavering fashion sense of a true original
• One of the most dynamic personalities in the worlds of fashion, textiles and interior design, Iris Apfel is a genuine fashion icon

• With looks from the designer's Rara Avis collection
• Doll wears a multi-hued faux fur vest over a black turtleneck and fringed bell bottoms, plus a bright lip
• Chic accessories include Iris' signature oversized black glasses, a multi-strand "pearl" necklace and bracelet cuff

Above is the OOAK Iris Apfel doll pictured with another OOAK Barbie wearing Gucci and styled like Iris. 

Above is Iris and her doll miniature at her Accidental Icon book presentation back in spring 2018.  Book and OOAK doll shown below.

Rodarte designs for Barbie - but it’s not for sale

Designers Kate and Laura Mulleavy are the latest designers working with @BarbieStyle to create OOAK designs, inspired from their Spring 2018 collection. W magazine reported:

"We were very excited as we have always loved Barbie," said Kate Mulleavy. Added Laura, "We always loved all of her accessories, especially her shoes. We played with the dolls [growing up] and made fashion collections for them all the time! We even created runway shows with our Barbie dolls."

Rodarte used four designs from their spring 2018 collection that was shown in Paris in June 2017. Then they worked with the Mattel team to choose looks and fabrications that would translate in doll scale. The dolls modeling the outfits use different body types and skin colors.

The designs, debuted Wednesday on @BarbieStyle's Instagram account. I love the attention to detail, even down to the miniature baby-breaths as used in the real runway. The dolls are one-of-a-kind and not available for purchase. Would you like to see them produced?

All doll photos by Mattel. Runway photos from Vogue Runway, Kim WestonArnold / Indigital.tv 

The traditional Net-A-Porter debacle goes live once again with a new Jason Wu doll and his perfume

A few days ago, W Club members received information about a new Jason Wu exclusive in collaboration with Net-A-Porter: an offer of the Jason Wu Perfume with a limited edition Elyse Jolie doll, dressed in the designer’s gown that Lily Aldridge, the face of the fragrance campaign, was wearing in last year’s CFDA Awards. I’m not crazy about either doll or dress (she’s like a pale version of Séduisante Elyse) and with the price it comes with, it was the easiest pass ever. More below.

The doll went live today in most Net-A-Porter websites in Europe but not Asia (apart from Nepal it seems) and certainly not in the USA, causing much grief and causing lots of conversations in forums online from disgruntled doll collectors not being able to get a doll. The doll/perfume combo means no air shipping, causing problems with ordering if you live in a country that cannot receive packages with ground shipping from the respective Net-A-Porter warehouse. Price of the combo? $380 US, or £292 UK still available at time of writing this post. There was an email from the W Club informing members that the US Net-A-Porter website has not put up the doll yet and is unclear when that will be, maybe later tonight or tomorrow.

The W Club secured a second version of the doll, with blonde hair, for a members only lottery this September. The catch: overseas members have to pay the full set price but never receive their bottle of perfume due to the airmail restrictions. The club gives options for members to ship to a US address so that the full package can be sent but no way to sent it directly overseas. The easy way would have been, since this is a special version of the set for W Club members only, to make the set available with or without the perfume, or with a special coupon to get the fragrance from a shop in the members country. 

This is a description of the offer: “To celebrate the exclusive launch of the Jason Wu Fragrance on NET-A-PORTER, designer Jason Wu created a limited-edition scented doll wearing a replica of the point d'esprit tulle gown embroidered with Swarovski crystals and worn by Lily Aldridge, the face of the Jason Wu Fragrance campaign, to the 2017 CFDA Awards.  Only available through NET-A-PORTER, the NET-A-PORTER x Jason Wu doll will be sold with a 3oz Jason Wu fragrance starting on Wednesday, August 15th, 2018”.

And Jason Wu said: “I love the idea of immersing my worlds: doll design, fashion, and beauty. All three worlds are authentic to me and I’m excited to integrate all of my loves into one project with one of my greatest partners, NET-A-PORTER.” Exclusively created just for this special offer, the packaging perfectly matches with the fragrance and is even scented with the delicate scent of the Jason Wu fragrance. Which could be cause for worry to those suffer from allergies. 

Doll specs:

12-inch/1:6 scale, fully articulated, scented vinyl collectible doll with velvet touch finish, rooted hair, delicately hand-applied eyelashes. Includes gown, shoes, jewelry and a doll scaled miniature replica of the Jason Wu fragrance bottle prop (this is a doll accessory only and the miniature does not contain fragrance). The doll cannot stand alone and certain poses may require hand support. A doll stand is included. For adult collectors ages 15 and up. Sold in tandem with a full-sized, 3oz bottle of the Jason Wu Fragrance.

Edition Size -300 dolls (Brunette version, exclusive to NAP starting on August 15th, 2018)

and 225 (Blond version, exclusive to the W Club via right-to-buy lottery in September 2018)

For Jason Wu 3oz Fragrance specs, please see the NET-A-PORTER website.

As always, the doll pictured is a prototype. Final colors and textures may vary slightly in final production.

ALLERGY ALERT
This doll's package is scented with JASON WU Fragrance oil (contained in a hidden scent pad inside a compartment of the packaging). Please take careful note of this if you have allergies or are sensitivitie to fragrance.

NET-A-PORTER EXCLUSIVE VERSION(applies to the brunette version only):

• Price is $380 for doll & 3oz fragrance (fragrance and doll not sold separately);

• The plan was that the offer was expected to go live on NET-A-PORTER.com on Wednesday, August 15th, 2018, 7:00 am ET as a target, however we now know this never happened (the original date of release was supposed to be the 13th and it changed, often retailers don’t follow their release plans exactly). Please check their site at your discretion, since previous offers have gone up early as well.

• There will be severe shipping limitations due to the presence of the fragrance in the set, as fragrance is considered flammable goods, which cannot be shipped internationally via air. THIS OFFER IS RESTRICTED TO MOST US AND CANADIAN LOCATIONS, as well as select other locations where NAP has physical warehouses (i.e., the UK and Hong Kong). Unfortunately, NET-A-PORTER cannot ship this set internationally; exact shipping information will be available on the site once the offer goes live.

 Here is the blurb and photos from the Net-A-Porter website. There does not seem to be a special packaging with both perfume and doll, but separate boxes for each:

“Part of a collaboration with renowned perfumer Frank Voelkl, Jason Wu's Eau de Parfum is created to evoke a sense of nostalgia - it's expertly blended with Jasmine Sambac which reminds the designer of his childhood memories in Taiwan, where he would pick the flowers from a neighbor's stone wall. The blend of fresh Pink Pepper and Fig top notes are balanced by a woody silky Musk base. Fans of integrity toys will love the included doll, dressed in a replica of the crystal-embellished gown worn by Lily Aldridge to the 2017 CFDA Awards. The limited-edition figure is beautifully detailed with hand-applied eyelashes and carefully rooted glossy hair.

- Doll comes with miniature platform sandals, crystal earrings and perfume bottle
- Can be attached to Perspex stand
- Packaging is scented with Jason Wu fragrance”

Let’s see the blonde version, identical in all but the hair colour.

W CLUB EXCLUSIVE VERSION

(applies to the blond version only)

As a special courtesy to W Club members, particularly given the shipping restrictions from his retail partner, Jason has created a special W Club exclusive hair color variation of the doll and fragrance set, which will be offered via a right-to-buy lottery this coming September. Retail Price will be $380 for doll & 3oz fragrance plus shipping (fragrance and doll not sold separately).

Shipping limitations will apply for international Club members: Unfortunately, due to postal restrictions, please be aware that it will not be possible to ship a package that contains fragrance to an international destination using any air mail methods. For this reason, when the time comes for the W Club right-to-buy lottery to occur in September, The club will offer international members different options:

1- Ship the full set to a US/Canadian Address via UPS ground only;

2- Forfeit the perfume (but still pay full price of the offer), in which case we will be able to ship worldwide using regular shipping methods;

3- Have the doll shipped to you directly (as per point 2 above) and have the fragrance shipped separately to a US/Canadian address of your choice via UPS Ground.

Below are some photos of Lily Aldridge and Jason Wu from the CFDA 2017 Awards., plus the main perfume campaign image.

So did you try to get one? Let me know in the comments.

All doll photos (except those from Net-A-Porter) and information contained herein is copyrighted Integrity Toys, Inc. and Intercap Merchant Partners, LLC 2018 and may not be reprinted or disseminated without express written permission. FASHION ROYALTY, POPPY PARKER, NU. FACE, EAST 59TH, THE INDUSTRY and all other character marks followed by ™ or ® are trademarks of Integrity Toys, Inc. Chesapeake City MD USA 21915. All rights reserved. The W Club is a trademark of Intercap Merchant Partners, LLC. All rights reserved.

Doll Photography by Jayme Thornton. Layouts and graphics by Alain Tremblay, Marketing

Italian Doll Convention 2018 - Day II: the Gala night

Saturday is the busiest day of IDC: seminars, presentations, the fashion show and the gala dinner! For most of us It begun early in the morning, as we had to go and get the extra blond version of the convention doll, Ciao Poppy! She’s gorgeous but I do prefer the pink haired one. This one will go to my friend Maria of Habilis Dolls, who could not attend. And that is why you see her in the box.

Then it was time for a great presentation. My dear friend (we finally met!) Ada of Papusile Mele was giving us a lecture about Manga in Doll Culture! She showed us all the famous manga characters that got made into dolls, like Astro Boy, Lady Oscar, Sailor Moon and Candy Candy, giving us many details about manga history in between. Lots of rare and OOAK dolls were shown in the accompanying slideshow. 

We stayed in Japan with the next presentation: the story of the doll Licca, by the lovely Kazuko Hosokawa. Not only she told us the amazing tale of how Licca came to be, with lots of details and how she developed throughout the years until now, but also brought with her part of her incredible Licca collection, with the complete original Licca family a stand out. Both this and the previous presentation had the awesome Antonio Russo helping out with the translation, from English to Italian. Some dolls and gifts were raffled to attendees, ending the presentation in a most ideal way.

Third presentation of the day was called PoppyParkerly, this time dedicated of course to last night’s star, the lovely Poppy Parker: Daniela Ferrando talked about how the 60s are perceived aesthetically nowadays through our modern sensibilities compared to how it was back then, by using the 60s contemporary Barbies and today’s Poppies.  

The last presentation was a much anticipated interview: dear Ada got the chance to ask the talented Linda Kyaw, Mattel designer and stylist of @barbiestyle, lots and lots of questions about her career, Barbie in the past, now and the future. The questions were send by Ada’s readers and, strangely enough, Mattel did not censor them! The interview was very informative even for people who are not even doll collectors. Linda is very intelligent, gracious and kind. She answered all questions, avoiding pitfalls and confidential information of course, and, with Ada being a wonderful interviewer, the session was a blast. It was accompanied by lots of Linda designed Barbies in displays and ended with lots of dolls and other gifts being raffled to attendees.

Linda’s OOAK contribution to the IDC auction  

Me with Linda Kyaw  

After a brief interval (and a change of clothes), it was back at IDC for the Cartoonia parade fashion show! Anyone interested had registered for participating in this show, dressing up as a cartoon or doll character of his choice. The catwalk was set up in one of the hotel ballrooms. The show was a hoot: participants had incredible outfits, that had taken them countless days to make, complimented by styling, make up and hairstyles matching their characters, not to mention the choreography each one had prepared for their presentation. Lots of compliments, applause and bravos to all participants for the show that everyone thoroughly enjoyed! The photos of the show below (as a slideshow) are by another Greek collector that was there, Makis (thank you so much dearest!), as my seat was not ideal for catwalk photos.

Everyone attending the runway show could vote for his favourite costume, which was quite difficult as they were all amazing! You just had to give your favourite the corresponding coupon that was given with the rest of the registration stuff.  All participants were assembled at the hotel’s stairs for a last photo op and then it was time for the welcome drink before dinner, or, as Italians call it, l’aperitivo. An hour later, we were ushered into the ballroom for the gala dinner.

Athena was the winner of the runway show

Me with Antonio Russo and Oriele  

The welcome drink space

The whole room was decorated with lots of cartoon elements. Each chair around the big rotunda tables had a transparent balloon tied to its back, lit up with a string of colourful led lights. The centerpiece was a Barbie doll made up as a comics/cartoon hero by doll design duo Lantis Kelly and Catia Destro. Each seat also has a pair of sketches made by Living Plastic Doll for the gala.

The centerpiece doll

I had been assigned to one of the Spanish tables, table no.20, with the lovely Lionel as our wonderful and amazing host. The table gifts were all amazing and I added mine to the bunch: cute mini polka dot dresses in various colours, with matching headband bows and earrings, all made to order by my dearest friend Maria from Habilis Dolls. I already knew Lionel and José from Facebook and got to meet the rest of the table mates there for the first time, all amazing and some of the best I could have: Christelle, Fito, Francisco, Gloria, Maria, Nuria and Pepita! My warmest thank yous and best wishes, you were all amazing!

From left: Lionel, me, Gloria and Fito

Table gifts! You can see one of the Habilis Doll polka dot dresses I gifted on the top left of this photo.

After a beautiful ballet introduction, with the dancers dressed in Disney prince and princess outfits, Mario Paglino took the stage, welcoming everyone. He talked about the recipient of this year’s charity auction profits, Dynamo Camp and introduced their team. Then it was time for a speech from Linda Kyaw about Barbie, its history and its future, as next year is the doll’s 60th birthday. There was no preview of anything regarding that front, but we got to see lots of gorgeous Barbie photos, some of which were shown for the first time in public. Then Gianni surprised everyone by announcing that there was a gift for everyone, a special limited edition book (300 copies) dedicated to Linda Kyaw and filled with photos of her Barbie dolls, exclusive to the convention and Mattel approved: The World Of Linda Kyaw. A gorgeous book, printed in quality paper, with lots of doll photos! 

The dancers  

Mario welcomes everyone  

Linda Kyaw speaking  

Karl Lagerfeld OOAK doll  

Ralph Lauren OOAK doll  

60th anniversary logo

Lots of gifts were raffled off to attendees during the night, including many dolls. Our table won two of them! After dessert it was time for the convention doll. No surprises here, it was the same doll that was presented in the Paris and Tokyo conventions, Striking In Stripes Barbie. She is Gold label, has the Karl sculpt and a model muse body. Designed by Bill Greening, she wears an asymmetrical striped evening dress, with black strappy sandals, silver clutch bag and matching jewellery. It’s my first official convention doll (that I get while attending I mean), so I’m keeping her.  

Then it was time for the extra convention Barbie, the one designed by Magia 2000, Mario and Gianni. This one was based on the Totally Hair Barbie, remade by Magia 2000, with new hairstyle, make up, freckles and a spectacular dress with an overskirt in custom printed fabric (with comic related print) and a black body hugging Lycra dress encrusted with colourful rhinestones. She wears black stockings, pink shoes embellished with crystals and star crystal earrings. Miniatures of her own special box and the official convention booklet created by Roger Corbeau were included. 

One could see the OOAK benefit auction dolls in display in a corner of the ballroom. The talented creators really outdid themselves, as you can see in the photos below. How lucky are the people that bought them! The centerpiece dolls were raffled to each table, ours was won by Christelle - contrary to IT conventions, here you win both centerpiece doll and base for free.

After lots of fun, laughs, raffles and doll fun, we were ready to wrap things up and call it a day - there was a disco set up in another hotel hall for people that wanted to continue but it was already late and I had to catch the last metro train back to my hotel. The next post will be about the third and final day of IDC. 

Milano Centrale station