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/
NBDCC 2012 Day Three …White Russian
No, not the drink. The convention theme is “World Tour” and Friday’s evening event was in St. Petersburg, Russia. It was requested that everyone wear white. We entered the grand ballroom and saw a beautiful centerpiece ( and no…didn’t win that one either 
) Each person at the table received a stunning table doll from our host with the most Jim. Thank you Jim!!
The fabulous faces of table 73
Some amazing OOAK dolls were auctioned off for charity and we all received a fabulous Dressmaker Details outfit as a gift from the convention.
LOVE IT!!
NBDCC 2012 Day Three….A Couture Paris Experience
Friday dawned and we all attended a breakfast in Paris. The tables had the most adorable centerpieces
I was so excited when my friend Deanna had her number chosen to take this lovely piece home. It will be so appreciated and perfect in her collection.
We were also greeted with another amazing table setting my our table host Jim . We had another Christmas in July experience. We even had champagne for our orange juice…mimosa anyone? Jim you are the host with the most!
The table dolls were by our host Jim. When we arrived at breakfast we also noticed that two new dioramas had been added to the Grand Ballroom. The city of Paris….
And….The Atelier shop!!!!!
Ahhhhhhh! I DIE. Words cannot express how grateful I am to the convention committee and Mattel for bringing us this opportunity to see these amazing dioramas and having the opportunity to photograph them. Unreal!
Aside from all the amazing table gifts from my table mates, we also received a Dressmaker Details exclusive convention fashion.
After breakfast, we sat back and enjoyed the convention fashion show. I will share photos of that later when I get home and process the photos from my other camera. I needed the serious camera, flash and monopod for that one.
NBDCC 2012 …..London Calling
The second official day of the National Barbie Doll Collectors Convention started with luncheon with a London theme. Mattel sponsored the event and it was absolutely fabulous ( yes..pun on the British show intended). We entered the event and the tables were all set up with mod centerpiece dolls
All around the perimeter of the room, there were the most amazing dioramas that Mattel had brought and set up to photograph. There was the train set from the recent photos of the Russian dolls and the Metro station set from Sunday Best and City Smart photos as well as the church from the William and Catherine photo shoot. I just about fainted when I saw them all. I had to call my husband up in our room and say “ I need the good camera NOW!!” Here are some quick point and shoot shots….good camera shots will be out later. There were prototype dolls too! Oh my word….I DIE.
And why I love convention so much….. Me, Deanna and Hilda. Geeeesh, do you think we could fit any more cell phones on that table LOL!
Oh and we received the most AMAZING gift !!
A Barbie steamer trunk. Again….I DIE. I think my squeal of delight is still hanging over L.A. as I type this. We are also going to receive a giftset doll ( pictured below) called Pink Passport. Unbelievable! The convention gifts just in this event alone are blowing my mind.
NBDCC 2012–First official day of convention
The National Barbie Doll Collectors Convention did not officially begin until Wednesday. Many people show up days early ( yes people like me) to partake in the fantastic room shopping experience as well as OOAK parties. These, however, are pre-convention events. Wednesday begin for many with registration and a special gift from the Barbie Fan Club if you are a member. I attended an informative seminar on doll photography…learned a few new techniques. The evening Bon Voyage was the big kick off event and for once there was enough seating for everyone yippeeeeee! I had so much fun running around to different tables reconnecting with Barbie friends and meeting new ones.
This year, conventioneers were given 20 golden tickets in their registration packet. They could be used to enter 20 different lotteries for OOAK dolls. You could put one ticket in each lottery or split it any way you wanted amongst the 20 different dolls. Here were some of the amazing donated OOAK dolls that we all were hoping to win.
Of course…I did not win anything { cries quietly in the corner}. But for those who did, a huge “ Congratulations!” It was a fabulous first official day of convention. We left the ballroom with a special pin to put in our passport books and a handful of new Barbie memories from the evening.
NBDCC 2012….A Day of OOAK Extravaganza
Tuesday was a packed day of OOAK parties. First up was Artist Creations
This is their auction doll
Next up was Ninimomo These are quick shots with my point and shoot. I was given the extreme pleasure of photographing the show before it opened to the public and will have those shots up later this week. Thank you Nick and Marie!!!
Ninimomo’s auction dolls
And their raffle dolls
The last show of the day was Magia2000. They staged an honest to God fashion show for the dolls. While very long, the show was fun. They also handled purchasing differently this year. You put your name in a lottery if you were interested in a doll and if your name was selected, you had the chance to purchase the doll. I was not lucky enough to win the chance to purchase but many others were!
Ones I would have given a kidney to purchase….okay not really but still LOL!
Magia2000 raffle doll
Magia2000 Auction doll
More photos available on my flickr. Today is the official start to the convention. Things will be super hectic from here on out so blogging will be more difficult. If I don’t post in the morning….it means I was up too late the night before and I won’t even go into why that would be LOL! The blog post will come I promise…just perhaps not so reliably.
NBDCC 2012–Room Shopping Day Two
Perhaps one of the most enjoyable things about Barbie convention for me and many others is the room shopping experience. Many sellers will set up wares in their room days before the official convention starts and many many collectors will come early just to shop the room sales. You might think that people come for the deals to be found and the shopping. I believe that many come for the social aspect of room shopping as well. This is a time where you meet new fellow enthusiast friends and reconnect with the ones you have made in the past. Generally, we Barbie collectors are a sociable and happy crowd and we LOVE to talk all things Barbie. It is amazing to me that I have friends from all over the world and I came to know them through this fabulous hobby and these conventions. Barbie and the love of this hobby has done that. How cool is that?!!
So….day two of room shopping was highlighted by a OOAK ( One of A Kind ) party by Matt Sutton and Matt Trujillo. We lined up early for this one folks…about two hours before. I think just waiting for the show and talking with my fellow collectors was one of the best parts of my day.
And a rare thing for me….someone took my picture! Thanks Deb!
Now….time for the show. Matt certainly did not disappoint! He never fails to blow our socks off. This year, you took a number according to where you were in line and they let a few in at a time. No mad rush to get to the dolls. This made for a very enjoyable and wonderful selection and buying experience.
Yes….the pink one in the center went home with me 
After the fun of picking out a doll and purchasing ( some managed to snag two…yes Barb and Mary…I’m talking to you), we had our annual “ buy a Matt Sutton and go get a cocktail” meeting.
I am posting an album with these photos. ****A special note to all you pinners on Pinterest. Please, please, please don’t grab the photos from the album and pin them. They will link back to my skydrive and not the blog. If you want to pin them, grab them off this page or go to flickr.***
NBDCC 2012….The journey continues
I feel like my blog post titles are starting to look like movie titles LOL! I guess that is completely appropriate given we are in the hometown of the movie making business. I spent most of the day at Disneyland yesterday as a few of my flickr photos can attest to but managed to hit a few room sales in the evening and of course snapped a few photos. First and foremost, Steven Frasier, opened his room to sales and he showed off the convention exclusive fashion. It is called Petal Perfect and boy is it ever.
Another must see for me was Debra of MashauDe’ (room #579 for those at convention). She had the most amazing pink dress on her advertisement and I saw a must see purse lurking in that advertisement as well
And you know these had to come home with me…. Love ya Debra!!!!
Sandi Holder(room# 675 for those at convention) of The Doll Attic ( www.dollattic.com) opened her room and boy did she have some Silkstone holy grails to sell. They were gone in a matter of minutes but I managed to snag some photos. A lovely Barbie friend was able to purchase the platinum Trace of Lace and she let me take some photos. This doll could not have gone to a nicer collector so it was a pleasure to see.
More for the vintage collectors too…
Now….I can neither confirm nor deny that the red headed platinum edition Joyeux may be headed to Inside The Fashion Doll Studio. I guess you will have to stay tuned to find out 
One other room I had to visit was Rack10 ( room # 558 for those at convention). They have had these Barbie print sheaths for the last couple of conventions and I had been meaning to get one for the last two. Finally made it a reality. I know many are interested in information on these dresses. Here is the contact email rack10@comcast.net. Tell them Inside The Fashion Doll Studio sent you .
More room sales photos tonight. Convention room shopping is definitely in full swing starting today. Most sellers who wish to sell have arrived and are open for business today. Matt Sutton’s OOAK unveiling will be later today and I will be there for the festivities and perhaps a purchase too. I will post later tonight with an update. Check my flickr for the most up to date photos.
NBDCC 2012….The journey begins
I arrived in L.A. yesterday afternoon expecting to relax and settle in for a day before all the excitement began…..NOT. One thing I have learned about Barbiecon is that once you get there, you hit the ground running. I was very glad to see that many friends decided to arrive early so it was an afternoon and evening of hugs and quick catch-up on our lives conversations. There was also room shopping and of course I had to take my camera along and see what the goings on were. The Hyatt Orange County is a lovely hotel with some amazingly friendly and helpful staff.
It was time to catch up with Barbie buds…my friends Sheree and Susan
Then it was time to shop
And for all you vintage collectors out there….
It looks like my instant upload of photos is working! I have been able to instant upload to my flickr fairly consistently so I am encouraged it will continue to work well. I have to send out a HUGE “thank you” to my husband and in house technical support for getting this up and running for me. It was not the easiest thing to do and we had many trial and error moments yesterday
Here is a picture of the adorable key cards convention attenders receive
The pace will be fast and furious from here on out but I will try to blog everyday and multiple times a day if I can. If you want up to the minute photos without writeup, you should check my flickr. Will be enjoying the sites and sounds of the Magic Kingdom today but will be back with you all for an update this evening. More room shopping photos are available on my flickr account for those who are interested.
Live from L.A. …..it’s NBDCC 2012!!!!
And so it begins. When this blog post hits the internet, I will be grumbling and shuffling my way through security at the airport. I HATE getting up for early morning flights. But then, I would do anything for Barbie so there you go. I will have my trusty laptop for blogging from convention and a new toy this year….an IPad. I have hopes of using the IPad as my internet hotspot so my photos will upload directly from my point and shoot to my flickr account. I am hoping to get some great shots of the OOAK parties and fashion show. I should be able to post from the events too but will have to see how this new technology really works. It all sounds great but I have learned that many times it just doesn’t work that well in an actual setting. I will have my laptop so at worst, I upload photos at the end of the evening…just like last year. I will have more to share from L.A. later today.
Inside the Fashion Doll Studio 