By Stephanie Finnegan
In 1964, the American pop music scene happily surrendered to the British Invasion. Teenagers, and even their parents, merrily twisted and shouted to the infectious music of the Beatles, followed by the Rolling Stones, the Animals, and the Kinks. It was a feast for the ears catered by English singers and songwriters.
Fast-forward to the past decade, and it’s plain to see the collectible world has been conquered again by a definite British brand. This time around, it is a doll company aptly named Kingdom Doll, and rather than Lennon and McCartney, the artistic forces are Alexandra Forbes and Amanda Arnold. Forbes and Arnold are best friends who are united by their affection for dolls. Both collectors, the duo took their affinity for fashion dolls and launched their own line in 2014 that is theatrical, dramatic, sophisticated, and majestic. Each sculpt and costume is a jewel of creativity.
Located in North Yorkshire, the company strives to redefine and reimagine “the perfect 16-inch resin fashion doll,” Arnold and Forbes said. “The main Kingdom Doll line consists of 16-inch female high fashion dolls, with three distinct body types and a current total of 22 released head sculpts, reflecting a diverse range of ethnicities. The Kinsman are 17-inch male high fashion dolls, with seven head sculpts. Finally, the Monarchs are perfect 1:6 scale fashion doll miniatures of the 16-inch dolls. Unlike the 16-inch dolls who are all unique characters for each doll release, the Monarchs doll line consists of five individual characters, who have their own interwoven backstories.”
The Kingdom Doll company is comprised of just the two BFFs, and they relish the opportunity to bring their artistic gifts to the table. Their pairing is a dream come true for themselves and their admirers. They said, “We have both had to learn to wear many hats. Amongst many things, Alexandra draws on her extensive background in the ceramic and sculpture industry to create the dolls, whilst Amanda brings her knowledge of running a busy family business to bear when navigating the complex areas of strategic planning and financial management. We both had existing talents and skills, which we further developed over the past 10 years, such as painting, wig making, photography, and sewing. Although Alexandra co-founded one of the biggest doll community boards in the world, Prego, it was still a learning curve to develop and maintain a social media brand presence that would engage and excite collectors into discovering Kingdom Doll and then hold their interest for years to come. Likewise, Amanda was a talented seamstress but had to develop the skills and expertise required to create fashion designs that could be replicated at a factory level, from creating the commercial pattern to developing a working sample and sourcing all fabrics, etc.”
Additionally, Arnold and Forbes utilize the proficiencies, abilities, and inventories of neighboring small businesses to help their doll lines flourish and thrive. It is a beautiful example of acting locally while ensuring global visibility. “All the fabrics we use are typically high quality and luxurious. The wools are sourced from local Yorkshire woolen mills, while the silk is procured from a U.K. supplier who specializes only in silk and has supplied fabric for royal wedding gowns. All our packaging is bespoke, made to our personal specifications and sourced from a local small family-run business, creating unique boxes for each brand across the Kingdom Doll family,” the doll artists shared.
It is quite telling that Forbes and Arnold view their business, their colleagues, and their collectors under the umbrella of “family.” The two creators are deeply connected to one another, to their customers, to their fellow U.K. small businesses, and to their fans and followers who join in their adventures both physically and virtually. It is a tight-knit circle of like-minded folks, and it continues to grow wider with each passing year.
The Kingdom Doll artists said, “We have been very fortunate to have had the opportunity to meet hundreds of our collectors in person over the past 10 years, many of whom have loyally supported the brand and our vision from the beginning. Kingdom Doll has hosted many large conventions, both here in the U.K. and in the USA, which typically extend over three days. We have also held online conventions so those unable to travel can still participate in all the fun. When it comes to our collectors, there is no such thing as a typical collector. They range in ages from their early 20s through to their 70s, and they come from all around the world. We both believe we have been incredibly blessed to have such a loyal, supportive, and enthusiastic collector group.” Lucky attendees who migrated to the firm’s 10th-anniversary convention in Scotland were given autographed hardback editions of their coffee-table book of photographs. “We are especially proud of the publication of our 240-page book of Kingdom Doll photography. It is a celebration of the brand, and we gave this exclusive edition as a thank-you for sharing this journey with us.” (Acknowledging that not everyone could make the trek, they now provide a soft-cover version to purchase on a print-on-demand basis.)
In addition to the special convention meet and greets, Kingdom Doll also has a private Facebook community, The Realm of Kingdom Doll. Imagine a witty, vivacious salon where collectors congregate to voice their love of the dolls in a fun, interactive, and welcoming environment. Arnold and Forbes said, “We enjoy engaging with collectors, not just on a daily basis but also on a more personal level, and the group provides the perfect place for this. It has been an invaluable opportunity to communicate with our collectors, to gain insight into what they would love to see from the brand, holding fun online votes for future projects and even creating a mini gift set doll just for our Realmies (the playful nickname we have given our Realm collectors).”
As dollmakers, Forbes and Arnold begin each workday with the challenge of envisioning and fleshing out a brand-new collectible identity and then coaxing it to life. They are always up for this task, though, and said, “Our process typically starts with a brainstorming session over a pot of English tea with Scottish shortbread biscuits to get the creative juices flowing! Current fashion and beauty trends, our extensive library, and historical knowledge all contribute to the references we draw from. The process is both fluid and organic, from creating an evolving mood board to trial-testing new makeup palettes on a variety of sculpts and drafting different fashion toiles until the final complete look for the doll is realized.”
Their ancestral culture forms the bedrock of their creations: “We have always been very heavily influenced by the British heritage that surrounds us. There are thousands of years of history at our fingertips in the form of the architecture, landscape, literature, and fashion of Britain, as well as the rich mythology of the British Isles, which provide a constant wealth of inspiration. Likewise, the names given to each of the dolls released reflect a part of our British heritage — whether they are inspired by real people, such as Chaucer and Churchill, or imagined, such as the Red Queen Rosalind of Durham or the Countess Scarlet DeWinter. We love to use masculine names for our very feminine and sexy dolls, such as Nelson, with her 18th-century Empire-line-inspired fashion, or Sherlock, with her asymmetrical suit jacket that gave a nod to the classic detective’s cape.”
It’s not just the kings and queens who ruled from castles and thrones that have motivated Forbes and Arnold. It is also the handsome leading men and gorgeous female stars who have dominated movie palaces around the world. You cannot get more British, more charismatic, and more memorable than Ian Fleming’s superspy character, James Bond. “Our 00 Fabulous collection of five dolls (both Kingdom Dolls and Kinsman), launched in 2018 and continuing through to 2021, was inspired by the James Bond genre. However, of course we had to subvert the storyline by making the main character a female aristocrat turned MI5 spy, and the doomed love interest is a male scientist!”
KINGDOM DOLL
Cinematic and clever, historical yet modern, aspirational and inspirational, Kingdom Doll is a brand for all seasons, and Forbes and Arnold are the ideal women to perpetuate its legacy.
