Big OOAK Sale Today!!
Hello all! Just wanted to give a shout out about an exciting sale going on today for all you vintage and OOAK Barbie lovers out there. The talented duo of Hilda Westervelt and Maryann Roy have a new collection of Mannequin Mavens they are debuting today as well as fashions by Hilda and furniture by Maryann. They are working with some amazing prints from David Rose this time around and the results are nothing short of stellar! There is sure to be something for everyone in this epic sale and if you are one of the many who are sad about not attending Barbiecon this year, here is your chance to get some of the things you only see there. For all the images and prices of what is available, please visit Hilda’s or Maryann’s blogs at
www.bellissimacouturefashions.com (Hilda) fashions
www.maryannroy.com (Maryann) Furniture, Room Boxes and OOAK Mannequin Mavens.
To entice you to go, here are a few luscious images of some of the things available today.
The Mannequin Maven Collection
Hilda also has some fantastic OOAK fashions that she is offering. Here are a few.
All these beauties are available either through Maryann’s (OOAK’s and furniture) or Hilda’s ( fashions) blogs so go check out their websites!
–Rebecca
Black and White Forever Barbie
2020 will be the final year for the BFMC Barbie adult collector line. While it is sad to see the end, I think it is time to let this one go. The line since the articulated body made it’s appearance and economy measures were installed at Mattel have really taken this line down to the basic level. Case in point, the first doll of the final series in 2020 is “Best in Black”
- Label: Gold Label®
- Designer: Robert Best
- Release Date: 11/20/2019
- Eyelashes: Painted
- Body Type: Poseable silkstone
- Included With Dress, pair of sheer socks,pair of shoes, & Doll Stand
- Facial sculpt: Vintage Silkstone
- Fashion Sewn On?: No
- Fashion: Jet-black mini dress with stylish leg-of-mutton sleeves
Ok…so if you were looking to design and offer a doll to symbolize a funeral for the BFMC line….Mattel hit the nail on the head. This doll is indeed headed to a funeral with all the austerity and solemnity that would entail. No jewelry, no handbag, socks shoes and a black dress. Okie Dokie. Not the way this amazing BFMC line of dolls should begin the end of its career in my opinion but here we are.
Who knows what the last entries for this line will entail but at this point, my hopes are not high. For it’s last offering of 2019, the BFMC managed to at least give us collectors a ball gown so I have decided to celebrate that with a blog post. Don’t get me wrong, the BFMC has thrilled and blown this collector away many times since 2001. I am happy to have been able to collect this line for the past 19 years. I am just sad to see it ending on such a low note.
This past season, I was able to add a tree to the ITFDS studio. The theme for the tree was all black and white. Chanel was an inspiration.
And it inspired me to give the 2019 Black and White Forever Barbie a photo shoot.
Barbie® Black and White Forever™ Doll
- Label: Gold Label®
- Designer: Robert Best
- Release Date: 6/04/2019
- Included with doll: Slingback shoes, Earrings, Doll Stand,gloves, petticoat,wrist tag
- Eyelashes: Painted
- Fashion: Petticoat, Slingback shoes
- Fashion Sewn On?: No
- Body Type: Posable BFMC
- Doll Stand: Yes
- Facial sculpt: 11590
She at least has some earrings 
. I’m not a huge fan of the articulated body or the glitter eye shadow but at least she has a ballgown. I also like the two toned white with black hair in an elegant updo. Is she worth the $100 price tag? I would wait for a sale on this one.
-Rebecca
Reign of the Redheads
I have a special affinity for redheads. I have always been drawn to the vibrant hair color and often, this hair hue is what I gravitate to when I want a model for a dramatic shot. Red hair and freckles run in my family of origin and while I was not lucky enough to get the red hair ( the freckles…I did get) I was thrilled that my son was born with strawberry blond hair. So…in honor of those redheads, I did this shoot. The exquisite gowns are a recent acquisition from the talented Rimdoll on Etsy.
Models: (from left to right) 2016 Japan Barbie Convention doll, Black and White Tweed Suit Silkstone Barbie and 2016 Paris Fashion Doll Festival Barbie
Gowns: Rimdoll on Etsy
Still not a fan of the articulated bodies on these silkstone Barbies. It is very limited articulation and it irks me that you cant bend the hand at wrist joint to put it fully on the dolls hip.
Love this elegant Black and White Tweed Suit Silkstone’s facial screening though.
Gorgeous blending of hair colors on this Japan convention exclusive
This vibrant red hair color is my absolute favorite…especially when it’s paired with a green eye. Yummy!
And these gowns were so perfect in these fabulous pastel shades. Adore.
-Rebecca
BFMC Blush and Gold Arrives
This morning the Barbie Collector website was updated to release images of this new addition to the Silkstone BFMC 2017 collection. Now..here is where I would say “BFC members were given a sneak peak of this one a month ago” but…I can’t say that as there is no official Barbie Fan Club as of the posting of this blog report. Let’s face the facts folks…the BFC may not be coming back. This makes me sad but I can’t pretend I and many others didn’t see the writing on the wall a long time ago. With all the troubles on their website, crazy no win treasure hunts, questionable business practices ( {cough}, camel coat, {cough}) the demise of the BFC doesn’t surprise me at all. Oh and there is also this little factoid. Mattel stock fell off a cliff a couple weeks ago due to abysmal earnings. Way worse than what was expected…never a good thing for a publically traded stock.
This is just me speculating here but..all of these bits and pieces point to bad news for the Barbie Fan Club and the future of Barbie Collector. How much longer before the current Barbie Collection website is rolled into the new Mattel website? Bye Bye collector forums.
So, with that “Debbie Downer” opener, lets talk about the latest release Mattel DID in fact give collectors today.
Blush & Gold Cocktail Dress Barbie® Doll
Designer: Robert Best
Release Date: 5/08/2017
Retail: $100.00 !!! yes, you saw it correctly
That is one hefty price tag for a shorter dress and basic accessories ( no jewelry folks and a plastic purse). I am also not wowed by the facial screening in these images. I do realize however that she may look a lot better IRL so there is always that hope. But..as they say….a picture tells a thousand words. Do these images sell a $100 dollar doll? Not too sure about that. I think more than anything, my question for Mattel’s Barbie Collector BFMC personnel is “ Does your lack of communication, perks for your customers(BFC), and general disorganized product roll out encourage collectors to want to buy?”
Debbie Downer out….
First Silkstone of 2017 Coming Soon
It looks like these images are up on the Barbie Collection website so I will share them here too. The first Silkstone of 2017 will be available tomorrow!! While I am not a fan of this articulated body, I still love the look of this first offering.
I find it very interesting that these images are available but no news on the Barbie Fan Club for 2017 is up and available yet. Word is 03/31/2017. Let’s just say, I will believe it when I see it. In the mean time, there are images and a price point for this silkstone to mull over.
Black & White Tweed Suit Barbie® Doll
Gold Label
Designer:Robert Best
Release Date: 03/27/2017 ( release doesn’t always mean available people…just sayin’)
Price: $75.00
Love the redhead! Love the suit and Hermes inspired Kelly bag. The hat…hmmmm…will have to see. Happy that this lady has earrings! I have to be honest…I am shocked we don’t have any new information on the BFC yet…just some vague information that it would be coming out by 03/31/2017. I will be adding this beauty to my collection, club or no club.
-Rebecca
Happy Holidays from ITFDS
Sorry for the obscenely long break between posts. I realized I have not posted since IT convention in October and my only excuse is that life hit hyper drive since then. I had WAY too many projects come up at once. I need to do a big shout out to Rogier Corbeau of The Dutch Fashion Doll World who graciously and beautifully handled the blog during the Integrity Toys convention. You rock!! I could not have left ITFDS in better hands during convention.
Back in July, I began some holiday shoots that I had planned to make into holiday cards. Great idea but not enough time to turn it into reality. Oh well, there is always next year right? Since I don’t have time to send these, I thought I would just put it on the blog as one big digital holiday card to everyone. I am so very grateful to all my readers for your support. It means the world to me. I hope to continue my photography series in the year ahead and I am looking forward to bringing more consistent content to the blog. I hope this post finds you all happy, healthy and in anticipation of some really great dolls under your tree or in your stocking.
Model: OOAK Silkstone by Jon Copeland-Childers SeloJSpa
Gown: 2010Chizhik on Ebay
Fur Cape: Integrity Toys “Flight of Fancy” outfit
Holiday photo #2 up tomorrow.
More Silkstone News!!
So right after I posted yesterday, Mattel posted new images of the BFC exclusive Silkstone for 2016. We have all had a gander at the sketch for many months and many of us had a chance to see the doll in person at the NBDCC 2016. Here are a few images I took of her at NBDCC
And here is the information and official pictures
Designer: Robert Best
Release Date: 10/12/2016
Retail: $100.00
- Body Type: Posable Silkstone®
- Facial sculpt:
- Fashion Sewn On: No
- Fashion: Pink satin gown with flowing organza train
- Accessories: Black satin opera gloves, chandelier earrings
She is a BFC exclusive which means you need to be a BFC member to purchase.
Things to take note of….The IRL doll at NBDCC was sporting pink shoes not black and the fabric on the IRL doll did not show the same kind of fabric as the promo shots are indicating. Just trying to keep it real folks and set expectations appropriately. You be the judge but to these eyes, the ruffle material on the promo shots looks like it lays very nicely, whereas the IRL doll at NBDCC did not. The beading also looks very different but there are always differences between the promo shots and the actual production doll. The difference here is that the production doll was actually seen BEFORE the promo shots so, it feels kind of humorous to me. It’s like saying “ Yeah…this is what we could have done…but….we didn’t”
All else being held equal, I’m still buying the doll. She is a platinum updo with a pink gown…of course I’m buying. Whether or not I feel very good about it is another thing. I have a hard time supporting a company who is making some really unfortunate decisions regarding their collector line. I find it hard to plug a product in this blog when I have a very real concern for the direction of this Mattel division.
-Rebecca
New Barbie Look and Silkstone News!
There has been a bit of a Barbie drought in this collectors house for a while but that may change in the coming weeks. This morning, The Barbie Collection added a few items for preorder that has some collectors very interested.
First up are a couple of new Barbie Look dolls.
The Barbie Look™ Barbie® Doll – Park Pretty
Designer: Bill Greening
- Body Type: Articulated
- Facial sculpt: Millie
- Fashion Sewn On: No
- Fashion: Floral dress paired with yellow peep toe shoes
- Accessories: Doll, fashion, shoes, sunglasses, bracelets, purse, phone, coffee drink, Miss Honey, dog tag
Release Date: 9/30/2016 **** Caveat…don’t be fooled by the date people, it says release but in actuality, this one won’t ship until 11/11/16** Just keeping it real.
Retail: $29.95
I love the accessories this one comes with. Honey the dog is always a plus ( did you know this dog has her own Instagram account!) and the phone and iced coffee drink is adorable. It looks like this doll also has a semi ‘made to move’ body. The knees at least look that way and one would assume its so Barbie can sit very easily on the picnic blanket while she is at the park. Nice work Bill. I like this one.
The Barbie Look™ Barbie® Doll – Pool Chic
Designer: Bill Greening
Release Date: 9/30/2016
- Body Type: Articulated
- Facial sculpt: Karl
- Fashion Sewn On: No
- Fashion: Floor-length aqua blue halter dress with gold detail
- Accessories: Doll, fashion, shoes, earrings, bracelet, purse, phone, compact with pom pom, lipstick
Release Date: 9/30/2016 **** Caveat…don’t be fooled by the date people, it says release but in actuality, this one won’t ship until 11/11/16** Just keeping it real.
Retail: $29.95
Very elegant and I love the accessories again. Bill…you have this collector’s attention. I am really liking these Barbie Look collections so far.
Classic Black Dress Barbie® Doll (Brunette)
Designer: Robert Best
- Body Type: Posable Silkstone®
- Facial sculpt: Vintage Silkstone
- Fashion Sewn On: No
- Fashion: Little black dress
- Accessories: Boots
Release Date: 9/30/2016 **** Caveat…don’t be fooled by the date people, it says release but in actuality, this one won’t ship until 01/31/17** Just keeping it real.
Retail: $40.00
OK…first off I am really happy that a brunette version of the adorable blonde classic black dress silkstone will be available to collectors now. The price point is very attractive too! However, this doll is eerily similar to a couple of the convention dolls given in Europe this past year. If I were an attendee for one of these conventions and I saw this, frankly, I would be a little pissed off. Those convention dolls are supposed to be super exclusive, a perk for going to them. Now Mattel is offering up a doll so similar it’s uncomfortable. Here is the Milan convention doll…
Odd choice Mattel.
Opening the Treasure Chest: “Tokyo Chic”
One of the things I enjoy most about The National Barbie Doll Collector Convention are the amazing One of a Kind (OOAK) artists that bring their creations to the convention. Most of them sell at private shows or in their rooms in the days leading up to the official start of the convention. Many collectors, including myself, go up to 4 days early to convention so they can attend these private parties and see what kind of OOAK creations they can add to their collections. For some collectors, these OOAK’s are the focus of their collection. There are so many talented artists within this community.
One such artist is Julia Lapshova of Julia Originals. I was lucky to get to her room early enough and purchased this lovely creation. Her attention to detail and tailoring is always extraordinary. I am so very happy to have Ms. Tokyo Chic in my personal collection. You can also follow Julia on Facebook.
“Tokyo Chic”
-Rebecca
IDC 2016–Cocktails and Barbie for President Gala
After the amazing fashion show, it was time for cocktails, nibbles and a really amazing dinner and convention doll reveal.
Once Cocktail hour was over, it was time to go to the Gala dinner.
The amazing Monica Nuñez del Castillo!
And our fabulous table host Rogier and OOAK artist and table hostess Corinne Thorner.
It sounds like the evening was a huge success with lots of money raised for charity…approximately 20,000 Euros!!
The end of the evening brought the anticipated convention doll reveal! Many were thinking it was time for a brunette articulated silkstone…and they were proven correct.
Photos below are courtesy of Jim Taylor {Hugs}. Thank you for letting us use these photos!
Scrumptious!!
Last but certainly not least…our Rogier received an award tonight from the IDC!!! A well deserved recognition for his efforts and work in the collecting community. Congratulations Rogier and Dutch Barbie World!!! ** Thanks to Jim Taylor again for this photo!!**
Happy, Happy Mothers Day!! Sales room photos will be coming your way soon!
–Rebecca
Classic Cocktail Dress Arrives
My trusted dealer Barb of Windy City Dolls sent one of these lovelies out as soon as she received them. She isn’t even up on the BC website yet. It looks like she will retail for $100.00
So what am I thinking?? Hmmmm. Well, I like the gown and the little pearl embellishments are delightful. Her face is sweet and I like the silvery lilac eye shadow. The lashes seem a bit spikey to me but not a huge problem. I love the little pearl drop earrings. The hair on mine was a bit of a fixer upper. The curls on top are soft so when you remove the hairnet, you will get some flyaway hair. Not super crisp curls but not a deal breaker in my opinion.
The dress is a strapless gown with a little crop top overlay that snaps in the back. She comes with a white slip underneath too. Considering the quality of some of the other outfits we have seen from BFMC lately, this one is pretty good. I mean we get earrings, pantyhose, a slip and a fairly well constructed dress. It’s up to you as collectors to decide if that is worth the price. I have to be honest and say, I am not a fan of this new body. The flexibility ( or lack thereof) in the wrist joint is a major problem. I do, however, love the elegant pose of the hand. I just wish it bent so I could comfortably put her hand on her waist. My other issue with this doll are the very flimsy shoes. The heal is very pliable so it bends under the weight of the doll when she is on her stand.
Is Miss Classic Cocktail Dress a keeper at ITFDS? Time will tell. I am anxious to see how she redresses then I will make my final decision.
-Rebecca
The Quick Switch
So….yesterday I posted photos of what was believed at that time to be images of the 2016 BFMC exclusive doll. It was was advertised in the BFC ad posted on the Barbie Collection website. Here is/was the entire Ad.
As of today….this ad has been changed. To this…
Notice anything different? Yeah…me too.
Not that I’m complaining mind you about the opportunity to get a better doll than the badly done blue suited City Chic Suit, but how do we feel about this quick switch without any notice or explanation? I’m not sure I like that. It kind of makes me feel that when I sign up for the BFC and give them my membership fee, I’m not really 100% sure what I’m going to get because they have shown they can and will change what they advertised when I bought my membership. Holy cow!! My consumer red flags are at full mast. Is it ok to substitute? Is it ok to substitute without any warning or explanation? I think not. This feels like another black and white vs. grey area in advertising to me. This is certainly NOT the way to build trust with your customers. Yikes! What is happening to our beloved BFMC??? Sound off people….what do we think?
-Rebecca
Barbie and Oscar
No, Barbie isn’t stepping out on Ken but she has been spending a whole lot of time with Oscar de la Renta recently. In the past week, Mattel released the ODLR Bride Barbie through dealers and their Barbie collection website.
Oscar de la Renta Barbie® Doll
©2016 Mattel
This past week, Barbie has also been exhibiting an definite Oscar de la Renta affinity. If you are a fan of the @Barbiestyle Instagram account, you may have noticed quite a few ODLR designs making an appearance.
This one is my favorite….
Wish we could get this suit produced!! Here is the inspiration I think.. Oscar de la Renta PreFall 2016 collection
As Barbie enjoyed the Tribeca Film Festival this pastt week….
And from the Oscar de la Renta Pre Fall 2016 collection
Barbie also enjoyed some time in New York City prior to the the film festival…
And another look straight off the catwalk, from the ODLR spring 2016 runway.
Last but certainly not least…this weekend at Grant a Wish Convention, the 2016 Silkstone BFMC exclusive was debuted. Her name is City Chic Suit. Here she is… A big Thanks to Aleshia Hunley for letting me use her photos {Hugs}. No information on when she will be available or what her price will be.
Hmmmmmm….not sure about this one folks. The drawing is divine. The production…not so much. I guess it will depend on the price point but I’m thinking…..Pass. The inspiration for this one also seems to also be Oscar de la Renta. This time we go to the 2016 Resort collection of ODLR.
-Rebecca
Who Says Redheads Can’t Wear Pink?!
This is a fashion rule somewhere right? The fact that redheads should not wear pink. Why do so many of us seem to have this rule stuck in our heads? Where did this come from? I am sure there are some circumstances in which redheads in pink don’t work out. Mustard yellow and I definitely don’t mix well…but that is a different story. I recently received a few items that my brain was telling me “don’t go together”, but my eyes were giving me a whole other input. I went with the eyes and told the brain to go have a glass of wine and relax.
This statement of a gown is another beauty in sequins from PonnePP you can find him and contact him via his Flickr site( www.flickr.com/ponne1984). I featured the red version in February. The other dazzlers in this shot are the amazing Silkstone repaint of Gala Gown by Jon Copeland-Childers of SeloJSpa and a princess tiara by CHATIARA2015.
This combination just had me seeing her as a princess.
I have to admit…I am a little obsessed with this tiara right now. It’s so detailed and exquisite. It’s an investment for sure (not cheap!) and in my opinion a good investment. I received my first crown and it was damaged, so they immediately sent me a new one and paid for the return shipping of the damaged crown. Fair and fast. A class operation. The shine and sparkle of this just can’t be captured adequately in my photos. The designer’s name is Chawalit Chommuang and you can find him on Facebook at God Diamonds. Really beautiful work. The link to find and purchase this crown is CHATIARA2015. **note: the crown might be a little big on some smaller heads or tight hairstyles. Just want to mention that. **
PonnePP’s gowns are just amazing. All those little elongated sequin tiles!
-Rebecca
The Silkstone Dream
Ok so maybe this is just my Silkstone Barbie dream but I know a number of other collectors share this one. Have you ever seen one of Robert Best’s sketches and thought to yourself…ohhhhh, I wish they had produced that one. I know I have said that on numerous occasions. For us redressers out here in collector land, many times it’s a “ I wish they had produced that outfit!”
Well collectors, I have what might be a real treat for some…how about the ability to put some of those longed for outfits on Miss Debut Silkstone? Would that be something people are interested in? I know I was!! A huge thanks to Miss Missy and her delightful blog Miss Missy Paper Dolls for adapting this sketched doll and outfits from Mr. Best’s original works.
I made the picture above by combining a number of parts of the paper doll set on Miss Missy’s blog and a Photoshop brush by Elbereth de Lioncour on deviantart. You can find the entire set of paper dolls here or I have posted another link at the bottom of this blog entry. I had so much fun playing around with the combinations in this set. There are 18 different outfits in all! I really liked the outfits that were never produced but that we have enjoyed through Robert Best’s sketches.
I am going to post the link but first…read this! These works are derivatives of Mr. Best’s work but still under his copyright. This means…YOU CAN NOT COPY AND SELL THESE PEOPLE. These paper dolls and all corresponding images are for personal use only!
-Rebecca
Paris Fashion Week
It sounds like collectors are finally receiving their classic black dress silkstones after ordering them back in February. I thought it was time to bring this lady out and showcase her in a setting that touches on what is going on currently in the fashion world…Paris Fashion Week. Hope you enjoy!
Model: Classic Black Dress Barbie® Doll
Dress: Bellissima Couture
Hat: Scrapbooking element from Joann’s Fabric
Jewelry: necklace made by me
Shoes: Mattel
Gloves: Have absolutely noooooo idea. I don’t think they are Mattel. They may have come with a DEA fashion. They fit this new articulated body very snuggly though.
Set: Ornate wall made by me, gold chairs obtained through special order, flooring is checkerboard contact paper.
-Rebecca
Love in Praga
This past year at The National Barbie Doll Collector Convention, the talented Magia2000 team of Mario Paglino and Gianni Grossi presented a collection that was very close to their hearts. They showcased a OOAK collection centered on the theme of love. A fitting theme as they announced at this event that they would be tying the knot themselves later that year. How special is that?!! There wasn’t a dry eye in the house after that announcement. With all of the love going on in that room, many collectors walked away with the right to purchase some of this stunningly beautiful collection. They used a new system of drawing numbers and when your number was drawn you could choose from what was left or decline to purchase. The people who had their numbers chosen early walked away with their first choice of the options. I was lucky enough to have my number chosen while one of my favorites was still up for purchase. Her name is “Love in Praga” which I understand to mean Love in Prague. I am honored and so very pleased to have this one of a kind creation in my collection and was so happy to participate in this celebration of love at the NBDCC in 2015.
To see more of the beauties Mario and Gianni designed for this past convention, feel free to visit the gallery at their site Magia2000.
-Rebecca
Back to Basics
What do I mean by that? Good question. With all the negativity going on right now surrounding this new articulated silkstone body from Mattel and the general feeling that they are not listening to their adult collector community, I took a moment to refocus. I was getting too wrapped up in the negativity of the bad front end user interface of the Barbie Collection website and the lack of information and general feel of apathy coming from Mattel. I needed to come back to why I like to collect…”Why am I doing this?”. I needed to go look at my collection and start falling in love again. It didn’t take long. I went into the studio and took some photos and started rediscovering why I love to collect fashion dolls. It’s not about Mattel and what they do and don’t do. It’s not about Integrity Toys either. They do play a part because it is their products that fuel a passion but it’s not why I collect.
The love lies in what is done with these fashion models. It’s the creativity and support of the community that truly fuels and sustains the love of this hobby. With so much hurt and negativity going on right now, I think it’s time to pull back and refocus on my collection and what I enjoy most about it. I am not one to be driven by the acquisition of a thing nor am I what some consider a completest. Contrary to some people’s believe, I do not own every Silkstone Barbie ever made ( although I would not turn down the opportunity to LOL!). What I strive to do is have a collection of things that I truly enjoy. So…that is what I am going to try do do with the blog this year. Focus on enjoying the collection I have and not get tied up in where Mattel is going with their product line or not going with their website. It’s time to enjoy the collection I have. And I hope to share that enjoyment with you all through the photos I produce.
This gorgeous lady came to me at this past year’s Barbie Collector convention in Virginia. She is a Mannequin Maven. Mannequin Maven’s are the collaborative team of the very talented Maryann Roy and Hilda Westervelt. I love it when these two gifted artists get together and create! They never disappoint. Hilda and Maryann have collaborated for various charity donations for GAW, Kenvention, NBDCC and Rome Fashion Doll Convention.
The poodle…well…the poodle is a whole other story. That little guy came to me through a new friend made at Barbie convention and it quickly became my travel companion and sort of travel meme through the entire trip. For those in the “poodle club” …and you know who you are…it was time to bring the poodle out for a real photo shoot. We really need to give this little guy a name before next convention.
2016 Silkstone News!!!
Well, well, well. Thanks to Rogier and Dutch Barbie World’s super sleuthing, we have some new info on the 2016 articulated Silkstone line. Many collectors have known for a while that there would be a Trench Coat silkstone and a Glam Dress silkie but no images. Today that changed when these images were posted on a European sales site. I was hoping for some released info ahead of Toy Fair this week and it looks like the European market has obliged.
**Note, these images are prototype only and no indication of actual product**
Disclaimer out of the way, they look like valid promo shots to me so I will share them. Keep in mind that Mattel has not “officially” released information on these but then they have been slow as molasses to release any information so…make up your own minds.
Trench Coat Silkstone
Glam Dress Silkstone
EEEEEEEEEE! In a puddle with pure delight right now. A couple of weeks back, I was chatting with my friend and fellow blogger, Rogier over at Dutch Barbie World, and we were both discussing an outfit we had seen on Instagram and how much we liked it and how we were hoping it would be produced. I think I might have even joked “ Wouldn’t it be perfect if this was on a Silkstone?!”
Anywhoo…and it appears to be coming true!!! Thank you Robert Best!!! Best of all people…this girl has some jewelry!!!!
Articulated Silkstone Now Available to Order
But she won’t be shipping until March 1st folks. If you want her sooner, look to the dealers, they appear to be getting them first. I like this idea of giving the dealers first dibs on shipment. It makes sense to me and it helps support those dealers that have been loyally selling Mattel’s collector products for all these years. I called my trusty dealer Barb of Windy City Dolls the moment I saw these ladies showing up on Ebay ( not happy that this is where the first ones showed up but not surprised either). She sent one over as soon as they arrived at her shop.
Classic Black Dress Barbie® Doll
Designer: Robert Best
Release Date: 2/1/2016…hmmm…this is what the site says but they also clearly state that shipping won’t start until 3/1/2016.
Retail: $40.00 at The Barbie Collection
So…what do I think? I think the face on this first Silkstone of 2016 is a winner. It is one of the best facial screenings I have seen in a while from the BFMC. Very soft, and pretty. The black dress is basic. The material is nice and of a good weight…but basic. The boots are…basic. They are plastic people and almost impossible to get off unless you use the hot water trick **see below. No jewelry, purse with this one nor undergarments..yep that’s right…Barbie is going full commando.
The bigger question I think is what do I think of the body of this doll. First and foremost, the dimensions are NOT the same as previous BFMC Silkstone bodies. The bust is most definitely smaller. Clothing does not fit exactly the same which surprises me as I believe Mr. Best said that the body was going to be the same proportions in the video announcing the articulated bodies. I am not saying the body is bad…just different dimensions and for us redressers, that will be an issue. The material feels weighty and solid which is nice and the joints appear to be solid and stay where you position them. It is basically ok…but not great. Here is why: 1) The articulation on the joints is minimal except for the legs. This girl can do the splits if she wants but she cant rotate her hand enough to fully bend it one way or the other…it only goes a little bit one way or the other. She can just barely put her hands on her hips. Compare the functionality with Integrity Toys dolls and you will find that IT bodies are loads ahead as far as flexibility. The new Silkstone body can however, do the splits whereas IT dolls cannot. Not sure how that is something I will utilize unless I get the letch to do Gymnast Barbie, or Pole Dancing Barbie or perhaps contortionist Barbie. You never know…it could happen. I am hopeful that the next iterations of this body will beef up the bust size and include some additional rotation in the joints. My other big concern with these new bodies are the rough edges and seams that show. The knee joint on the one I received had a big ugly rough edge at the seam right above the knew joint. Some may argue that you will hardly ever see that…maybe but in the dress she came in, it was VERY evident. It’s not worthy of sending back, it’s just sloppy work on the part of the factory. Am I expected now to file down the seams of Silkstone dolls that I receive?
On the very positive side however, the doll is only $40. That is an extremely low price point for a Silkstone Barbie doll. So…messy seams and all, this doll photographs beautifully. I admit, I had to pin the gown on her so it fit more securing up top. It was made to be worn by the older body. She does look good though and I guess each collector will have to decide for themselves if she is a good fit for their collection. I am keeping mine for the present and still hopeful for the year ahead for the BFMC. I think it will be a very much paired down year but time will just have to tell on that one.
Beatuiful dress was made by Hilda of Bellissima Couture.
Oh..and as an added not to my loyal readers…After filing multiple DCMA claims with various accounts on Pinterest and Instagram all of which were cutting the watermark off my photos and passing them off as their own, I will have to start putting even larger and more intrusive watermarks on my photos. Not my choice people but there you have it. Sometimes…I just don’t understand some people.
**Hot Water Boot Trick** To help get those pesky black boots off, I heated up a cup of water to almost boiling then stuck the legs and boots in for about 30-35 seconds. Using a towel because they will be hot, boots should slid right off. If not, put the legs with boots back in the water for a bit more.
2016 BFMC Articulated Silkstone Sneaked
This is not an official sneak from Mattel but it is all over the internet and social media so I am going to share it here. This was first reported by my very fine friend and fellow blogger Rogier of Dutch Barbie World. Zlatan Zukanovic posted some amazing and beautiful photos on his Instagram account a few days ago of what appear to be the first articulated Silkstone. Her face is adorable!!
Gorgeous right?!! Then…this afternoon…guess what shows up on Ebay!
Original listing is here. Not a word from Mattel, not a sneak, not a whisper. I find this very interesting and I also question the sales hype of the BFC where they tout that the club is “a passionate collecting community with unparalleled access to the world of Barbie”. Yes, the collecting community is unparalleled in this arena but I am no longer sure how much of that is due to Mattel. It seems that more and more we are finding and receiving information from sources other than Mattel. Perhaps this is just the way things go with social media being the way it is or…perhaps this is just a marketing team that doesn’t really seem to know what they are doing. Either way, it looks like reaching out and watching things like Instagram, Ebay and Facebook are the way to get information going forward. Love the photos that Zlatan did so it is not a chore to look at his lovely photos whenever he posts. Bonus!
When this beauty is available….I’m buying!! 
Articulated Silkstones!
The speculation has finally ended for many collectors and has become fact. Mattel has formally announced ,beginning with the 2016 BFMC collection, Silkstone Barbie’s will be on articulated bodies. According to the new BC holiday catalogue, there will be articulation at knees, wrists, elbows and torso.
There is no information about what material is being used for these bodies. I am hoping that the quality will still be there for these bodies. I am all for articulation…as long as it is done correctly. I am excited for this new phase in Silkstone collecting. I am also hopeful that they will make bodies available so that collectors can re-body some of the older dolls. I am also wondering if the hands will be removable like the Integrity Toys dolls. This makes it very easy to redress. We will just have to wait and see.
I don’t know about you guys but I am loving the chic modern look of this new line for 2016. The black purse alone in the picture above is making me excited to see our first sneak peeks of the 2016 lineup. I am also loving the cateye liner of Miss Silkie. Looking forward to new reveals Mr. Best!
Also interesting to note…there is a new video available to BFC members where Robert Best talks about the 2015 collection. In that video both the photographer and the set builder for BFMC make very pointed comments about the gilt chairs. Something to the effect that “you can never have enough gilt chairs”. Is this a clue?!! Will we finally, after years of begging, be able to buy these chairs?!! Or…will they be a gift when signing up for the BFC next year. If I were putting things on my Christmas list, that would be at the very, very top.
Dear Santa,
I have been good. I would really, really like a pair of Barbie gilt chairs for Christmas. Thank you
–Rebecca
Never hurts to try right 
Blush Beauty Making Her Entrance
The Barbie Fan Club announced a Silkstone exclusive being offered up to members next Wednesday, October 7th. We saw sketches of her back in February and Rogier of Dutch Barbie Word shared a photo a couple weeks ago of a production doll that Mattel auctioned off for Charity. Mattel is finally sharing the promo shots and I think she is a winner.
I love the silver surprise under the coat!! I was wondering why they were not showing the dress under the coat in the sketch. I am thrilled with the silver topped sheath underneath the pale pink coat. I also adore the brunette ponytail with braid. I believe this one will redress well but am not sure how quickly I will change out this fabulous pink outfit. Let’s hope Mattel has fixed their irregular eyeliner issue from Boucle Beauty or there will be more unhappy campers on this one. Also, The Barbie Collection has announced that they are instituting the “Waiting Room” for this sale. There are instructions about the “waiting room” and what you can do to ensure a smoother purchase here. The starting gates will open to BFC members only at 9:00AM PST on Wednesday, October 7th. They are allowing 2 dolls per membership and ,according to Mattel, they are producing 4,400.
After trying to do research on this doll for the article, I am left with absolute bewilderment over this new Barbie Collection website. This new site is SLOW to respond, it has so many broken links and dead ends that I am honestly scared to click on pretty much anything because I am never sure where it will take me. I get sent to the login screen with alarming regularity. I am recognized as a logged in member one moment and when I advance to a new screen, all of the sudden, I am no longer recognized….and am asked to login AGAIN!! If this website were a person, I would be sending it to therapy and hoping there were some antipsychotic meds available. Here is my story today…at the time of this post, I went to the Barbie Collection website to grab the link for their waiting room protocol. You can’t get to the product page but you can get to a “waiting room” page complete with countdown clock. How did I get to the waiting room page you ask? Well…not through clicking the active link on the BC Buzz page. Here is the Buzz page. I have highlighted the Blush Beauty active link that you would click on.
If you click on that product link, you will find quickly enough that it is a broken link.
This is the message I got when I tried to click on the link. Notice the highlighted error message…”make sure the web address http://http is correct. Well…I have limited programing experience but I can tell you that is not appropriate protocol for a link. Somebody didn’t check the link for errors before putting it on the website. This is programming 101 people. If this were a class in high school or college, you just missed an easy one on the test. The CORRECT link is here. Your best bet to find the sales page right now is to Bing or Google it LOL…you won’t find it on the actual site until they fix the link. I hope Mattel ends up with happy collectors feeling the first blush of love with this new Silkstone. I hope they don’t experience the heated blush of embarrassment over a poorly functioning website on sale day.
Little Red Dress
My fabulous dealer Barb of Windy City Dolls sent this lovely lady to me last week and I finally had a moment to get her out of the box and in front of the camera. She does not disappoint. The fabric of the dress is nice and soft. Very feminine.
I had heard some concerns from other collectors regarding her hair. The promo shots showed an elaborate updo. The question was…how will this translate to actual production ? Will the hair look like the promo shot or will it be “one hot mess” when it arrives? I opened the box and am happy to report that the hair does in fact closely mimic the promo shot, or at least mine does. I also love the honey highlights in this hair.
And really the best side of this coiffure…
I am not going to lie, I had to make one little adjustment to the hair. One of the curls in the back was not as tight as it could have been and it stood up too high for me. I solved it with some hair gel and a pin. If I were braver, I would give her a little bit of a bang trim too. There are visible rubber bands in this coiffure …not a particular favorite of mine… but given the ornateness of the design, I am willing to live with it.
The grey eyes with a hint of yellow are fabulous! The smoky eye liner goes very well with the red lipstick, hat and gown. I ADORE the fact that there are earrings with this one. Perhaps the last set of earrings we will see on a Silkstone ( or so it would seem by the promo shots)
I am very pleased with this latest BFMC effort by Robert Best. I mean come on…how can I not love a Silkstone in a Dior inspired dress . Photos below are both 1950’s Dior dresses. 
source: http://hellomydearblog.blogspot.com/2010/03/j-dior.html
source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/110197522106507198/
-Rebecca
Inside the Fashion Doll Studio 