DOLLS

Celebrating a Decade of Style!

The place is Schaumburg, Ill. The dates are Oct. 1-3, 2009. The sold-out occasion is The Jason Wu Event VI: Iconic. The theme is Celebrating a Decade of Style! And the fashion phenomenon in attendance will be Jason Wu.

Oh, those ever-so-pretty, brooding vampires that we love so much and call our very own. The Twilight series as everyone knows by now is a modern-day love story between a teenage girl and the “good” vampire, who feels he must protect her from the “bad” vampires and yet still resist his own natural instincts.

Whether it’s her charming marionette dramas, realistic wool animal miniatures, museum-quality oil paintings or porcelain ball-jointed dolls (BJDs), Patricia Cabrera puts every ounce of heart and soul she possesses into creating an enchanted world of art for all to enjoy.

What can we say about a girl that appears to be both prim and improper, naughty yet nice, vulnerable but invincible? Such an ethereal enigma—a literal interpretation of the term “mystery woman”—can be found in The Ashton-Drake Galleries’ creation, “De­lilah Noir.” The vinyl ball-jointed doll is more than just another way for grown-up guys and gals to indulge their playfulness and desire to experiment with costuming, wigging and accessorizing. She is a true tribute to the renegade who resides in all of us.

The Internet is often dubbed “the information superhighway,” but this fall, it will also be known as the “international super-runway.” In autumn 2009 Hasbro is debuting a new line of fashion dolls and oh-so-fashionable clothing called the Lorifina Collection.

Paulette Goodreau Teaches a Primer on How to Build a Business and Cement a Dream

When doll visionary Paulette Goodreau is asked about her early, formative years, she answers with her characteristic great humor and insight. “I grew up in East Grand Rapids, Mich., a very small suburb of Grand Rapids. It was like growing up in a movie—not so much like Leave It to Beaver but more Desperate Housewives! I loved it and still go home to visit.”

Eye Manufacturer Branches Out with Its First Fashion-Forward Line

Attendees at January’s IDEX doll extravaganza in Orlando, Fla., were positively perplexed. There, amid the mazes of rosy-cheeked porcelain beauties and precious toddlers from expected exhibitors like Gregg Ortiz and Madame Alexander, sat a stand of dolls manned by Pabol International.

Horsman’s MBJD Combines the Best of Both Worlds

Edward Horsman began his doll import business in 1865—the same year the Civil War ended. When one realizes how much in the world has changed since then, it is affirming to know that good things indeed last more than one lifetime. What began as a company that brought German-made dolls and toys to this country changed when Edward Jr. joined the firm in 1905. He had an eye for design, and soon the company was producing American-made dolls unlike anything the old country ever created. Though there have been the ups and downs, relocations, transitions and changes in ownership that all long-standing companies experience, Horsman has stood the test of time and has once again re-invented itself to serve today’s doll enthusiasts and collectors.