P.S…I Love You, Barbie® and Ken® OOAK Auction
Charitybuzz and Mattel are teaming up again for a OOAK auction. This time, it will benefit the LGBT Community Center of the Desert. Here is the write-up taken directly from the Charitybuzz website. http://www.charitybuzz.com/catalog_items/325204
“Mattel Principal Designer, Jim Holmes, collaborated with Photographer Steven Henke, to create this stunning one-of-a-kind duo Barbie® and Ken® dolls for the Barbie Does Palm Springs Charity Event.
The ultimate Palm Springs girl, PS… I Love You, Barbie® is in a 60’s inspired strapless patio-pant lounger with a citron animal-print caftan. The neck of the caftan and hem of the patio pants are encrusted with gems and jewels.
Ken®, the ultimate poolboy, is dressed in matching hipster stovepipe pants, cropped white knit top, citron flip flips, pork pie hat and sunglasses. And, to show his devotion, Ken sports a tattoo of "Barbie" on his arm.
And no Palm Springs pool party would be complete without a few festive drinks. Pool lounge furniture, a mid-century screen, and pool towels with Barbie and Ken embroidered on them, complete the flagstone set.”
** Photos are property of Charitybuzz **
Oh if only I had a money tree!! Auction ends October 31st.
There are also three photographs by Steven Henke (http://www.barbiedoespalmsprings.com/) up for auction. They are gorgeous!!
If you want to check out the all of the Barbie related auctions, here is the link http://www.charitybuzz.com/search?keywords=barbie
Here are a few photos of other collaborations between Mattel and Charitybuzz.
Warning!! Severe Eye Candy below!!
Pink Diamond™ Barbie® doll
proceeds went to benefit MAC Aids Fund organization
Winter Bliss Barbie®
proceeds went to benefit 2011 Project Angel Food
Oh my!!! Gorgeous dolls and supporting our local communities!! That’s a solid win in my book. 
Haunted Beauty Ghost™ Barbie® Doll
I may not be in the market for this one but it does not stop me from admiring her. Many, many collectors have been greatly anticipating this beauty and the pictures will show you why. Here is the write up from Mattel on this ghost….
“An ancient mansion sits beneath ink black skies. Midnight winds whisper through deserted rooms. Softly, the sound of clanging chains and supernatural murmurs rises and grows. From the darkness, an apparition appears, sheer and barely visible. Frightfully beautiful, she lives between this earthly life and an unknown world beyond. You are indeed fortunate that this sublime spirit has revealed herself to you!
Haunted Beauty Ghost™ Barbie® wears an ethereal, off-white gown featuring fitted bodice, bell sleeves, and full skirt with tattered hem. A silvery earthly chain wraps around her body. Her long, pale platinum hair and dramatic face paint take her far beyond the paranormal to extraordinary!” —From Barbiecollector.com
Oh my! She was designed by Mr. Bill Greening and is available only from Barbiecollector.com….just in time for Halloween too. Cool! Just click on her picture if you want to go to Barbiecollector.com to take a look at her.
** Photos are property of Mattel Inc**
If interest on the doll boards is a good gauge ( and I believe it is 
), then this is another one that may sell out sooner rather than later. Just an FYI.
The Agony of “Sold Out”
We have all been there. Something we really want sells out before we get a chance to buy it. In the doll collecting community, it seems to be happening more often lately. Case in point, two dolls that I wrote about previously have sold out rather quickly.
** Photos are property of Mattel, Inc**
Many collectors, it would seem (if talk on the doll boards is a good gage of distress), were caught unaware. It got me to thinking…why does this seem to be happening more often lately? Is it because there are more collectors all of the sudden? More likely, it is the toy companies like Mattel and Integrity Toys figuring out that very tricky supply/demand line and managing it more prudently. Let me clarify that these “sold out” signs are coming up at Barbiecollector.com and not necessarily at all of the dealers and here is my thought. Perhaps Mattel is limiting the supply on their site so as to drive more traffic to their dealer sites. I think this would be a really good thing as I have always thought the dealers kind of get shafted when Mattel’s product is so readily available on the Barbiecollector site. What incentive do buyers have to go through a dealer if they can get it directly from Mattel? It never made sense to me why Mattel would undercut their own dealers. I really like to see the dealers getting some highly anticipated dolls in first..before Mattel’s Barbiecollector.com site. It makes sense to me that the dealers should get some perks and the customers who support these dealers should get it too. I love supporting the local dealer because it feels like you are supporting one of your “tribe”. Typically these local dealers are collectors just like us and it is not only a pleasure to get to know them but it just feels good to support their business.
Okay, my plug for the local dealer is done. 
On to other business…like the next possible “sold out” doll. Tomorrow Mattel will have this lovely lady on their site available for purchase and the news I am getting from various dealers is that she is flying off the shelves. She has been available from dealers for the past week. It was a bit surprising considering her whopping price tag but folks..as a silkie collector I have to say…she is a must have. I think sooner rather than later should be the mantra on this one…she may be gone before you know it.
Limited Edition of no more than 6500 worldwide.
Gala Gown…The Studio Shots
Gala Gown Silkstone Barbie: No more than 6500 worldwide. She retails for a whopping $150.00….and I paid it with gladness in my heart because I LOVE THIS DOLL.
The detail on the gown ( as you will see in the detail shots) are fabulous. The gown is a soft butter yellow and is so frothy every ‘girly’ tendency you have in your body will stand up and cheer. Her hair is a deep red like the platinum ‘Joyeux’ or ‘The Siren’. Her skin tone is pale like CC Debut. The outfit is completed with a pair of silver star rhinestone studded drop earrings , grey chiffon ruched gloves and soft grey strappy slingbacks. There is a hint of grey tulle under the butter yellow gown so it is full and flowing. The fabric on the gown is incredibly soft…LOVE!
Mr Best ……. 
The hair is set but not crusty clumped and caked. This is good because the hair is soft…the bad part is the hair can be messed up easily so take care with it.
Detail
And….Rebecca having fun with her macro lens AGAIN.
And some fun with photoshop and Mattel’s promo shot. I think she is even better than Mattel’s promo shot and that just doesn’t happen that often. Please don’t reproduce this photo as It’s Mattel’s image on another background.
Gala Gown is Here!!!
It feels like I have been waiting for this lady for a year…it has been since February when sketches started to circulate within the collector crowd of a redhead in a divine yellow ball gown. Now she is “in da house!” and I could not be happier. She is better than the promo shots in my opinion folks. She feels like a return to the grand ball gowns of “In the Pink” and “Provençale”
Run don’t walk for this one! 
Here is a view inside the reveal. Claudia of Pink Ponytail always wraps your purchase so you feel like you are receiving a birthday present….LOVE IT and her. (www.pinkponytail.com)
Gasp!!
A word of caution when deboxing this lady….the hairstyle is set but moves easily ( doesn’t have hard caked on gel with this one) so be very, very careful removing the hairnet. I ended up carefully cutting the hair net off so as not to disturb the coiffure. She came out perfectly! And these are all taken with my quick point and shoot. Can’t wait to get her into the studio.
New Silkstone Info for 2013
There was a designer chat over at the Barbie Fan Club yesterday and here is what we learned about our beloved Silkies …
1. New Silkstone sneak. I can’t publish the photos because it was designated for BFC members only but once it’s been released to retailers, I can share it. If you are a member, run on over to the BFC and check it out under “Sneak Peaks” in the forum. She is a lovely redhead wearing a spring floral pink print day suit ( dress and coat) and ….a pink turban hat. Yes, I called it from the video. ( Wow!! can you hear Rebecca tooting her own horn there?!…shameless!). She has a beautiful face with blue or green eyes and rose pink lips. Her name at this point is “Luncheon Ensemble” Barbie. She should be available early 2013.
2. The “Luncheon Ensemble” Barbie will not be the club doll.
3. There will be more AA dolls in the BFMC lineup next year. That’s dolls with an “s” so hopefully more than one. Yipeee!! This is definitely an underrepresented skin tone in this line.
4. Robert Best confirmed again that the Atelier theme will continue into 2013 and that there will be day looks, evening gowns and…wait for it….maybe a tuxedo. Quoi!? Does he mean a tuxedo for Barbie or a BFMC Ken??!! Have absolutely no idea as it was not clarified. Let the speculations begin.
5. Drum roll please……There is a platinum Silkstone planned for 2013. Should we all put aside that big bucket of valium now? I can only imagine the nightmare server error mess that will ensue on the day this baby becomes available. I may have to enter the quagmire for this one folks. We have not had a platinum Silkie since FAO’s pink Soiree right? … If you don’t count the Golden Gala Silkies given at 2009 BarbieCon. How do I feel about the idea of a platinum Silkie???
I may look on with prim disapproval…but the reality of it is…I will be down in the mud with all the rest of the collectors fighting over the limited number like it was a Kmart blue light special. Yes, my name is Rebecca and I am addicted to Silkstone Barbies.
The Birth and Upkeep of a Diorama…..
I love to build dioramas. I don’t seem to make much time to do it though. Most of my inspiration goes in fits and spurts. Once I start a project, I tend to finish it but it’s the getting it started that is my main hurdle. When Robert Best did “Shop girl” I knew I needed to do a shop for her. After thinking about it for a while and doing some research, I finally had an idea in my head and put a plan into action. When shop girl arrived, a new home was ready for her. Belles Choses, as it came to be known as, had it’s grand opening.
I was so happy with how it turned out that I decided to move it to a larger venue so the vintage fashion shop was packed up and “Belles Choses” moved in to the newer and bigger space.
When I originally did the back wall of the diorama, I used a beautiful soft blue paper and used spray adhesive to fix it to foam core to give it a nice smooth finish – like wallpaper. What I did not take into account was that this type of adhesive will lose it’s hold over time. So..fast forward a year later…and you have this
The heavy picture frame I was using for the inset display case was pulling the paper away from the backing and I was seeing these big voids…like the one above this frame. YIKES! I knew if I left it as is, the frame would eventually pull away and fall taking the paper with it…not good. So, I went about trying to come up with a fix.
First, the space had to be vacated……so sad and lonely in there.
The displaced horde….LOTS of little pieces in this diorama….good excuse to dust everything
Let the repairs begin! I decided to swab behind the paper gaps with adhesive and see how it went. It’s not as smooth as the spray adhesive but…it may do. I shored up the heavy plaster frame with an equally heavy candlestick while it dried.
et voilà!
What did I learn? If you are using spray adhesive, you may also want to swab with some additional adhesive in key support points. I will be doing that from here on out. A big “Thank You” to all who commented on flickr and emotionally supported me through this weekend while I fixed it. It always helps if you know someone is pulling for you
Evening Gown and a Matisse….Take Two
Nobody expects to win the lottery twice but amazingly enough some people have. I was lucky enough to be able to add another pink Matisse to my collection a few weeks back and it is fabulous! I knew that Ms. Evening Gown was going to look stellar in it so had to wait for her to arrive to photograph. On a side note, if you ever want to spend some time looking at the most exquisite Barbie fashions, take a moment to look at the collection of sold items on Brenda’s ( Matisse) Etsy site. http://www.etsy.com/shop/MatisseFashions/sold?ref=shopinfo_sales_leftnav
DROOOOOOOLLLLLLLLL 
Model: Evening Gown Silkstone Barbie
Dress, wrap and hat: Matisse ( http://www.etsy.com/shop/MatisseFashions )
Gloves: Dressmaker Details
Jewelry, shoes and clutch purse: Mattel
Diorama: See previous blog post https://insidethefashiondollstudio.com/2012/09/07/evening-gown-and-a-matisse/
Yuletide Yummies Barbie
If you are a member of the BFC ( Barbie Fan Club) and a fan of the Holiday Hostess Barbie series Bill Greening has been giving us over the past year, tomorrow is a day you should have marked on your calendar. The next installment for this series will be available tomorrow and the fun begins at 9:00AM PT. As this is not a platinum edition….I don’t expect to need my valium. 
She will set you back $75.00 and I suspect this one will sell out quickly so if you want her, get her soon. Christmas is my all time favorite holiday so I plan to be online at 9AM PT with bells on for this one.
** Photos are property of Mattel, Inc.**
How cute are these accessories I ask you??!!! It’s almost worth it for the Santa mugs alone! Here is a shot I took of her at Barbiecon. Hair on this one at Barbiecon looks like its been messed with quite a bit. I am kind of liking the promo shot better than the one we saw at Barbiecon although…the IRL photo makes her look softer. LOVE the cat eye eyeliner and holiday red lips on this one.
Evening Gown and a Matisse
For those of us in the 1/6 OOAK clothing arena, scoring a Matisse can be a bit like winning the Lotto. She sells on her Etsy site( info below) and if you happen to be at the right place at the right time ( i.e. online when one of her notices hits your inbox that she has something new on her Etsy site), you may be lucky enough to get one. Her work is truly beautiful. The attention to detail is superb and the accessories never disappoint. I only have a few of her pieces and I treasure each and every one. I even managed to snag not one but two pink little works of art by her and I was waiting for Ms. Evening Gown to make her way here to model them. Now that I have shown you Evening Gown in her original Robert Best couture, I hope you will enjoy her in one of Matisse’s pink confections.
Model: Evening Gown Silkstone Barbie
Dress and veil: Mattise Fashions ( http://www.etsy.com/shop/MatisseFashions)
Wall Panel and gold urn with flowers: Made by me
Pink and White 1/6 Kissing Chair: http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-6-Scale-Lover-Chair-For-Fashion-royalty-barbie-Momok-BJD-1-6-Scale-dolls-/320977023146?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4abbb8b0aa
Evening Gown Silkstone Barbie®
I have been busy the past few days populating my Pinterest “Inside The Fashion Doll Studio” board with photos from the archives and I realized…I don’t usually photograph my dolls in what they came dressed in originally. I guess I always figured Mattel and Integrity photographers do such a beautiful job with their promo photos that I didn’t need to redo it. That whole philosophy changed this year with Robert Best’s Atelier Silkstone collection. I believe I have photographed each one this year in the outfit she came in…then went on to redress. I guess you could say I am just thrilled with the Silkie offerings this year. Evening Gown is the next one to land in front of my camera. Designed by Robert Best, she became available to collectors on 06/14/12. You can find her at your local dealer or at www.barbiecollector.com
First Look at Barbie for 2013
Photos are starting to show up on retail sites so I believe it’s okay to share them here. Mattel shared some preview photos of dolls coming up in 2013. If you like Dolls of the World, you will perhaps be happy with the offerings. I don’t know about you guys but….I am getting a little tired of France and Spain coming out again and again. I can’t deny they are cute but it shows up so often it’s making me feel like Mattel is brokering some kind of trade deal with these countries. I mean no disrespect to the lovely countries of Spain and France….just want to see some different ones from Mattel and their Dolls of the World series. Based on early pricing from dealers sites, the Dolls of the World will cost around $25.00 and are due out in December of 2012.
** Photos are property of Mattel, Inc.**
Miss France
Miss Spain
Miss Philippines
Bill greening debuted the successor to his highly successful Barbie Basics line with The Barbie Look series:
The Barbie Look 1:
Oh my word!!! Is she wearing Missoni??!! She is a Steffie faced beauty with rooted eyelashes. Toooo cute! Priced around $30.00 and due out first quarter of 2013.
The Barbie Look 2:
Very Chic! Uses the Mbili face mold I believe. Priced around $30.00 and due out first quarter of 2013.
Since this new series is all based around “ The Look”, there had to be fashion packs as well….
The Tea Party Accessory Pack
The The Poolside Accessory Pack
The Golf Accessory Pack
The Red Carpet Accessory Pack
Each pack should retail for around $25.00. There is not date as to when these are expected but I suspect it will be the same time as the dolls. Girl has to have her clothes when she arrives right?
Randall Craig is Having a Sample Sale Today!!
“Please join us for our sample sale next Saturday, 8-25. It’s going to be hosted through our Dayzees-by-Randall-Craig eBay store:
http://www.ebay.com/sch/dayzees-by-randall-craig/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=
The schedule will be:
12:00/noon Separates– sweaters, sweater sets, skirts, pants, dresses, shoes, jewelry, and poodles.
1:00 Loose Fashions– complete or mostly complete fashions that have been deboxed.
2:00 Samples, Prototypes, Etc– various pieces of fashions and a few unproduced prototypes from the RC Home line.
3:00 Boxed Fashions– NRFB fashions that go as far back as the first fashion that we produced. There are some HTF ones in here. There are some NRFB poodles too.
Most of the items will be Buy-It-Now. The samples, prototypes, and some of the HTF items will be listed as 1 day auctions.”
The BFMC 2013 Atelier Collection: A peek into next year?
Okay…so you all know I am a little obsessive compulsive when it comes to Silkstone Barbies right? I was so excited when I learned that Robert Best was continuing the design aesthetics of the 1950’s and early 60’s for his 2013 BFMC collection. This was the “heyday” of the haute couture design houses and for many epitomized glamour. I absolutely adore that time in fashion so it stands to reason I am anxious to hear about and see sneaks with what we can expect next year. As I stated in my previous post, I believe we received a very solid sneak of one doll. It would appear that she will be blond, possibly platinum blond, with a back ponytail hairstyle. I can’t tell if she has bangs or not. To me, it kind of looks like “Movie Mixer” with black bows but I could be completely off on that one so don’t hold me to it. It would also appear that she has a cream boat necked cocktail gown with black tulle overlay and accent lace at the bottom. There is black bow detail at the bust and waist. It also looks like she is wearing white gloves.There was a most deliberate shot in the video of him working on this sketch and dipping his brush in water and releasing a light blue paint. There has to be some blue in this lady somewhere I am thinking ( blue bows?? blue accent somewhere). It looks like she will have bows on her black shoes as well…how cute!. Now….before I get going full force on my speculation train here folks…please realize these are all guesses. I have no information from Mattel save the video that we all can see so …take everything I say with a grain of salt. Disclaimer ended. We do know however, that Mr. Best’s designs for next year with have a flavor of Spring. He shared that at convention. So I am thinking lighter colors and softer fabrics.
** pictures are from video from Mattel therefore owned by Mattel. Please don’t copy or reproduce**
The other shot from the video that was intriguing me yesterday is this one…yes, I know it’s blurry but it was the best I could do.
There was another scene right before this one that showed him removing a piece of fabric from a sketch of a doll in a dark colored ( blue maybe?) suit with hat. The sketch said specifically Atelier part II so I am thinking we may see another day suit with a hat. Yippee!! I will never be upset about more suits with hats. It also looks like there is a sketch with a redhead in a soft palette suit with pink/peachy turban style hat. Oh My Word!! My hat fetish just started doing the rhumba. There is also a sketch to the left there of what appears to be an evening gown with feathered type headpiece…kind of Gloria Swansonish. Again, I have no idea if any of these sketches will be produced but they are far enough along to have detail sketches and fabric swatches. I smell….production.
It’s time for another Barbie Brouhaha
brou·ha·ha
noun
\ˈbrü-ˌhä-ˌhä, ˌbrü-ˌhä-ˈhä, brü-ˈhä-ˌhä\
Definition of BROUHAHA
: hubbub, uproar
**from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brouhaha**
Yes, I know my Midwestern roots are showing. When I was growing up, this was a term used whenever someone was causing an unnecessary fuss and it would appear a “fuss” is being kicked up over the new Blond’s Blond Diamond Barbie I blogged about a few weeks ago ( see https://insidethefashiondollstudio.com/2012/08/03/the-blonds-blond-diamond-barbie/). Apparently the Daily Mail in the UK is taking exception to the new Barbie and labeling her “Drag Queen Barbie” ( see http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2189428/Introducing-drag-queen-Barbie-Mattel-models-latest-doll-cross-dressing-designer-fashion-label-The-Blonds.html). The article seems to be aiming its ire at the doll’s designers one of which dresses in woman’s clothing from time to time ( and looks stunning by the way). I find it interesting that a UK tabloid would take exception to this. I mean come on…here is the country that has given us some of the biggest Queens of this century….Elton John, Boy George and George Michael. I also found it funny that they seem to make the assumption that applied eyelashes means “Drag Queen”. Hate to tell you Daily Mail but most of the women in L.A. and half of NYC would heartily disagree with you. Who is writing this crap? Normally I am not bothered by this. I mean it makes the rounds on blogs as link bait and that’s about it but ABC picked it up and called her “Drag Queen Barbie” so I had to make a comment. For crying out loud ABC people! Is the Daily Mail really your trusted source for content now? Unfortunately some people give absolute credence to a news outlet and its content. Now it is becoming a Barbie Brouhaha with a possible Barbie Backlash. Some are concerned that this will cause Mattel to pull the doll. Personally, I think it will turn this doll into yet another “Barbie commodity” and this one will fly off the shelves just like Toki Doki Barbie. They say any publicity is good publicity. I guess we will see on this one but Mattel may end up thanking the Daily Mail for their backhanded product endorsement.
**Photo is property of Mattel, Inc.**
Am I buying this lovely lady? H*ll yes..every eyelash-flaunting, stiletto-wearing blond and bedazzled inch of her. Put that in your offensive little tabloid pipe and smoke it Daily Mail.
Rebecca rant over.
Fun for the Francie Collector
If you are a Francie collector and a Silkstone collector, today was your day. The Barbie Fan Club opened orders for the much anticipated Fuchsia N’ Fur BFC exclusive Francie Silkstone .
** Photos are property of Mattel, Inc. **
There are only 4,000 of this lovely lady so if you are BFC member, check her out here http://www.barbiecollector.com/shop/doll/fuchsia-n-fur-francie-doll-w3517
She retails for $74.95
Photo I snapped of her at Barbiecon. She is really cute in person.
Another offering for those Francie collectors in our midst is Kitty Corner Francie. She is also Silkstone and the IRL ( In Real Life) photos that are surfacing of this lady show something better than the promo shots would suggest. She is really quite adorable and I think I might have to get this one too.
Photo snapped at Barbiecon….
She is not a BFC exclusive and you can find her on the Barbiecollector.com site at http://www.barbiecollector.com/shop/doll/kitty-corner-francie-doll-w3469
She retails for $85.00. Those Silkie Francies don’t come cheap now do they?!
Bellissima Couture is having an Event!
Hilda is calling it “Pretty Things” and my oh my are there many pretty things on her blog. She has very limited editions of these gorgeous creations so if you are interested RUN don’t walk to her blog….
http://bellissimacouturefashions.wordpress.com/2012/08/08/pretty-things/
**Photos are property of Bellissimacouture **
The Blonds Blond Diamond™ Barbie®
Don’t you just hate it when you refocus your collection and start to feel really good about it then BAM…something comes along that blows your entire refocus plan right out of the water. I had thought I was done with the expensive vinyl dolls. I absolutely love the fantasy creations of Linda Kyaw from Mattel but I decided that they just don’t fit in with the focus of my collection. I felt really good about the decision until some new photos started circulating. In 2010 The Blonds collaborated with Mattel to design three one of a kind Barbie dolls.
In a 2012 BFC designer chat, it was mentioned that a new designer doll would be available in 2012. The following photos were given as a sneak peak about a month ago for BFC members and today Mattel is offering her on their Barbiecollector.com website ( it is a BC exclusive!). She will be available in December of 2012 and will retail for $125.00 ( ouch!). She is a gold label and was designed by Bill Greening in a partnership with The Blonds. For those of us not familiar with The Blonds, here is a bit of background http://www.zimbio.com/Phillipe+Blond/articles/2/Designer+Month+BlondsIn
And now for the photos!
The Blonds Blond Diamond™ Barbie®
** All photos are property of Mattel **
Is she worth the hefty price tag? Time will have to tell on that one. I absolutely adore the glamour with a capitol “G” here. I am really hoping the production doll is what the promo photos promise. ***One important note to mention here folks*** It has been reported that the dress is NOT removable. For us redressers, that is definitely a downside. Word on the street is this baby may in fact sell out so factor that one in if you want her. I could be way off on that but the positive buzz on the boards about this one would indicate a big interest. Here is the link for purchasing on BC.com http://www.barbiecollector.com/shop/doll/blonds-blond-diamond-barbie-doll-w3499
Barbie Gets a Tim Gunn Makeover…. Part Two
Ahhhhh! I absolutely adore these ladies and their accessory sets. We sure didn’t have to wait long for these to hit the market. They are all available at www.barbiecollector.com
Tim Gunn Barbie Number 1 is available for $29.95 here http://www.barbiecollector.com/shop/doll/barbie-styled-tim-gunn-doll-1-w3470
Tim Gunn Barbie Number 2 is available for $29.95 here http://www.barbiecollector.com/shop/doll/barbie-styled-tim-gunn-doll-2-w3478
Accessory packs are both $24.99 and available here http://www.barbiecollector.com/shop/doll/barbie-styled-tim-gunn-accessories-2-w3484 and here http://www.barbiecollector.com/shop/doll/barbie-styled-tim-gunn-accessories-1-w3464
Let the restyling begin!!
Barbie gets a Tim Gunn Makeover
Word on the street today is that Mattel and Tim Gunn have partnered on a set of dolls. The Project runway guru has designed two dolls and of course clothing. It sounds like the dolls and clothing packets will be available at Target and Barbiecollector.com in August. All I can say is cute, cute, cute!!
** Photos courtesy of Mattel and Instyle.com**
Barbie’s Casual look
Barbie’s work look
Barbie’s stylish trench look
And Barbie’s evening look
Completely diggin’ this offering!!! Will be on the lookout for these come August. Two big thumbs up from Inside The Fashion Doll Studio. 
Get the full scoop here http://news.instyle.com/photo-gallery/?postgallery=124263#1
NBDCC 2012 ….The BFMC Team
If you collect Barbie, you are no stranger to The BFMC. It stands for Barbie Fashion Model Collection. It basically means “Silkstone Barbie” . Robert Best is the designer for this line of dolls for Mattel and he has a talented crew of colleagues that are responsible for the photography, styling, set design and construction and video production of the glamourous photos and videos that promote and advertise these beautiful dolls. If you are a collector of Silkstone Barbies, you have seen and drooled ( yes drooled people…I have done it and am not afraid to admit it) over the photos of these lovely ladies. This year at convention, Mattel hosted a pullout session where Paul Jordan ( Photographer), Mary Jordan ( Stylist), Lars Auvinen ( Set Designer and Builder), and Zlatan Zukanovic ( Video Editor ) came to share their experiences working with this team. The session was very informative and what impressed me as an observer was the truly cohesive and respectful support and encouragement that they projected. We, as consumers, enjoy the product that they work on. I knew that. As a team, it would appear that they genuinely enjoy working with one another and each has an important and respected part to play in this world we call the BFMC. They were very free with their experiences and advice and even took the time to speak with a few of us who stayed after the session to ask questions.
from left to right Lars Auvinen, Zlaten Zukanovic, Paul Jordan, Mary Jordan, Robert Best
While most people wanted photos with the celebrated designer of the BFMC Barbie line…{cough, cough Deanna and and Jim cough, cough},
I wanted my photo with the photographer and stylist 
They were nice enough to share some tips and I look forward to using them Inside The Fashion Doll Studio.
I think one of the people who I most wanted to hear from in this session was Mr. Auvinen. Much of his work is what is showcased in the fabulous behind the scenes videos( Thank you Mr. Zukanovic!!!!) that Mattel has given us over the past couple of years. Many of us marveled over the 1/6 scale carriage that was displayed in the William and Catherine photos and video. Mr. Auvinen shared his thought process and the research he goes in to when coming up with a sets for the BFMC photos. The historian in me rejoiced at the research and thought he puts in to each and every set. The photographer in me wanted to give him a big hug for his attention to detail and scale. He really researches and enjoys what he does people. It was a pleasure to get a look inside his world for just a moment as he explained the thought process behind the Atelier set.
NBDCC 2012 Day 4 …..Viva La Roma!
The last day of convention is always a little bittersweet. Exhaustion has usually taken up permanent residence in most convention attendees by this time but no one seems to care. I am posting this after the event has long ended ( family vacation got in the way of posting) but I decided to go ahead and continue. The last event of the convention was a dinner in Rome. The convention doll was unveiled to great applause. I had the extreme pleasure of sitting with some of the best people at convention this year. My table host Jim was fantastic and each and every person at the table made it a pleasure to go to an event. Thank you Jim and table #73!
The centerpiece was fabulous as always with a roman temple and two OOAK dolls ( nope…didn’t win either of em….I am 0 for 4 years of convention attending on centerpieces..I don’t sound bitter do I? LOL!).
I have to put in a note here to say that the food for the entire convention was THE BEST. I have never had food this wonderful at a large organized event ever…and I have been to a few. Here is our menu card for the final dinner
It was so good I had to drop my fork to take a picture…and folks that just doesn’t happen every day LOL! Yes, the food was phenomenal but the real expectation of the evening was the unveiling of the convention doll. Our table host Jim was waiting along with the rest of us for the big reveal….
And here she is…Rome Eternal by the talented duo Magia2000
The doll itself is gorgeous…the dress needs to be cinched a bit more in the back so as to avoid the problem with all empire waisted gowns….looking a bit pregnant. I am looking forward to photographing her in the studio.
One other exciting item to mention, our table mate Kathy won a big award for he Barbie quilt in the competition room. Congratulations Kathy!!! This is one talented woman folks. She had numerous entries in the competition room and all of them were fantastic. The quilt really was out of this world brilliant though and the convention attendees agreed.
The quilt
Kathy with her ribbon and in her amazing pink steam punk ensemble
It was a glorious convention beautifully put on by the host doll club and steering committee. Loved it! The National Barbie Doll Collectors Convention for 2013 will be in New Orleans. For more info on that and how to register, please go to http://barbieconvention.com/
Inside the Fashion Doll Studio 