Happily Ever After

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Dolls Arrive at Doll Museum

Dolls from different countries have made their way to the doll museum at Thycaud.
The tiny tots of Kerala State Council for Child Welfare here have got a new bunch of friends now. They come from all over the world and carry the essence of ethnic cultures from far off lands. The gleaming new dolls in the renovated doll museum at the Council are sure to be a big draw with all the young ones who visit the Council main office at Thycaud here. Recently inaugurated by Social Welfare Minister P.K. Sreemathy, the museum has on display more than 2500 doll.

“We have collected dolls from different countries for this museum. There are dolls from Africa, Japan, the US and Europe. The museum has dolls from different parts of India as well. We also have contributions from the Shankar's Doll Museum in New Delhi,” said museum designer Najeem Sultan.

The dolls in the Council museum have been neatly arranged in different categories, depending upon their place of origin or theme. You can find beautifully decked up dolls under categories like ‘Brides of India', ‘Tribes of India', ‘Traditional dancers of India', ‘African Tribal Dolls' etc.
There are separate sections for soldier dolls, monk dolls and celebrity dolls which includes dolls modelled on famous personalities like the Presidents of the US and popular characters like Charlie Chaplin and Laurel and Hardy.

All these dolls have been made from different materials like porcelain, wood, cloth, glass, metal and terracotta.

You can even find dolls made of shells and conches. The museum also has a section dedicated to puppets and masks. The audio and text descriptions given with every category of dolls makes a visit to the museum both entertaining and informative.

“Apart from the dolls we have also arranged at the doll museum a section showcasing innovative and interactive toys that we developed like the talking Santa and Ulta Pulta chair. But the speciality of this renovated doll museum is that we have brought the dolls out from behind the glass cases to make it more appealing to the children,'' Mr. Sultan said.

New Micahel Jackson Line

The dolls will feature Jackson in some of his best-known poses. Photograph: Kevin Mazur/Sony Pictures Releas/PA
A new range of Michael Jackson dolls aimed at fans and collectors is set to hit the UK market in time for Christmas as toy makers become the latest industry to cash in on the King of Pop's posthumous appeal.
The Character Group, listed on London's junior market Aim, today announced a collection of official Michael Jackson figurines in some of the singer's best-known poses.
"As would befit the 'King of Pop', they will be made to the highest specification and fully articulated with each figure being numbered and displayed in commemorative packaging," the company said.

The collection will be made by Playmates Toys and distributed in the UK by Character Group's subsidiary, Character Options.
Sales of Jackson's music soared after his sudden death last June and audiences later flocked to a feature film of his final rehearsals as well as to tribute shows. Just four months after his death, his afterlife earnings had already reached $90m (£56m), according to Forbes' annual list of Top-Earning Dead Celebrities.

Character Group's chairman Richard King is expecting a wide audience for the new dolls.
"We are confident that the dolls will be highly sought after by fans and collectors alike, and we look forward to launching the full range in time for Christmas sales this year. These sales will be mainly reflected in our 2011 financial year," he said.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Now These Are Models!

Craftster user gorgaus, as an art installation, put on a fashion show in which the women participating wore enormous plastic sleepy-eye doll heads.
They are made from fibreglass. They are quite light, they have a stem at the back of the neck that leads down to the waist where there is a back brace so all the weight is on their hips. The wigs are heavier than the heads, especially the geisha style one. They used dancers instead of models cause they thought they might have more strength and balance.
More pictures at the link. And in the comment thread, gorgaus provides detailed technical descriptions.
Link via Matthew Caverhill

Friday, January 22, 2010

1980's

These aren’t quite the techiest dolls around, but they’re so unique that we must mention them. The Barbie Ladies of the 80s series includes the Debbie Harry Doll and the Cyndi Lauper Doll. The Debbie Harry Doll comes with a mic and is the first doll in the 80’s collection. It’s scary to think that while we were playing Barbies, these singers were just starting their career- and now they are the Barbie Dolls! Both dolls retail for $34.99 each and are available soon.

Debbie Harry took her band from the Bowery to superstardom with her tough and pretty persona, beautiful voice, and witty, ironic music. Mixing new wave, reggae, rap, and disco, she created an unforgettable landmark of pop culture.

“Girls Just Want to Have Fun”… especially Cyndi Lauper! Cyndi is one of the foremost female singer/songwriters who left her mark on pop culture, and this Cyndi Lauper Barbie Doll really displays the popular singer’s trend-setting fashion sense and spunk. She’s part of the Barbie Ladies of the ’80s collection. Have some fun of your own as you gaze admiringly at her “Time After Time”!

Jason Wu

ONE YEAR AGO this week, a white gown dotted with milky flowers elevated 27-year-old Jason Wu from up-and-coming designer to fashion star. Michelle Obama's inaugural ball gown isn't yet enshrined in the Smithsonian alongside the other first ladies' finery, but the Taipei-born, New York-based Wu has definitely become a part of fashion history.

EXPRESS: Did your life change overnight after the inauguration
WU: It was pretty dramatic. Things definitely haven't been the same since that night. For a brand that's just three years old to be internationally recognized - that often takes 20, 30 years. And for an immigrant who came here to do fashion to suddenly be a part of American history, it's an incredible experience.

EXPRESS: Even my mom knows who you are now.
WU: My name was suddenly broadcast to every house in the world that owned a television set. I was crossing the street one day soon after, and a truck driver pulled up, rolled down the window and said, "Hey, you're that guy Jason who designed the inauguration dress." I never for one second thought a truck driver would know who I am.

EXPRESS: Were your parents thrilled?
WU: My parents have always been supportive, but my extended family is very business-oriented and never quite understood what I did. So, finally, they got it.

EXPRESS: Has life gotten easier for you since the inauguration?
WU: Things have gotten much harder, because now I have a lot more work. But I love it.

EXPRESS: How would you describe your designs?
WU: My line is just three years old, so it's young for a fashion brand. But from the start, it's had a very specific aesthetic of a refined quality with an American sportwear spin.

EXPRESS: Can you give an example?
WU:In the spring collection, there's a sweatshirt and sweatpant look — but it's a midnight blue cigarette trouser and a hoodie done in a suiting fabric. We mixed a tracksuit with a lady's suit. It's my response to the way we're progressing as a society - there's a very casual way of dressing, but you can still look dressed up.

EXPRESS: Your pieces cost thousands of dollars. What justifies the price?
WU: Many times, if you look at a picture, you can't tell the difference between a $200 dress and mine, which might be $1,200. But it's the feel of the material, the weight of the buttons, the detailed trim inside the lining that only the wearer might see. These are things that make a designer garment. It's not just a higher price — I think that's a huge misconception.

EXPRESS: If you had more time, what would you like to do?
WU:I'd love to go to a proper culinary school. I love eating; I love the way food looks. I think a French macaron is just so beautiful.
Photo Courtesy Jason Wu