Doug James - Artist

This post originally appears on the website of Happily Ever After

Doug James – JDJ International, Inc.

Doug James is the owner and creator of the C.E.D. and “S” Series lines of 19-inch fashion dolls and the 16 inch Somers and Field line including Willow and Daisy and Violett and Gabby fashion dolls now in resin.

Doug’s entry into the fashion doll world was completely unexpected. . .

He graduated from Eastern Michigan University with a degree in Theatre Arts; the study of acting, directing, costume and set design. At the time he assumed any design work would be in a larger scale rather than smaller.

Moving to Manhattan after graduation Doug used a variety of his many talents. He worked at the Julliard School of the Arts in the costume department as well as for the Brooks-Van Horn Costume Co. He spent two seasons as Artistic Director for the Shady Lane Playhouse, a professional theatre company outside of Chicago.

Back in New York Doug created millinery (and still does) for the Broadway stage for such plays as: Phantom of the Opera, Will Roger’s Follies, Guys and Dolls, Nine, Candida, Streetcar Named Desire, St. Joan, Beauty and the Beast, and recently for Aladdin.

For several years Doug worked with John Noble at the Museum of the City of New York restoring antique French fashion doll clothing. He made four one-of-a-kind dolls that were exhibited there. He taught theatrical millinery for graduate and undergraduate students at Rutgers University for over ten years.

Doug works on film as a costumer and milliner. Among his movies are Mona Lisa Smile with Julia Roberts, Kevin Costner’s Wyatt Earp, Wolf with Jack Nickolson, Guarding Tess with Shirley Maclaine, Sabrina, A Muppet Christmas Carol, Muppet Treasure Island, Muppets from Space, The Good Shepherd with Angelina Jolie and Matt Damon, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty with Ben Stiller, The Muppets with Jason Segel, and the recently released Muppets Most Wanted with Tina Fey.

Doug is an Assistant Wardrobe Director on Saturday Night Live and regularly works on PBS’s Sesame Street, plus the Late Night show with Seth Meyers, and The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. He is a two-time Emmy award winner for his work in television.

In the fashion doll and collectible doll world, Doug has produced award-winning designs for the Gene doll for the Ashton-Drake Company. He has also designed for the Madam Alexander, Knickerbocker, Horsman, and Integrity doll companies.

Doug’s company is called JDJ International, Inc. JDJ International came into being over 14 years ago. It has a rich, prolific and award-winning history. JDJ International has two divisions. Learn more about the beginnings of the Fashion Doll Division. Learn more about our Theatrical Millinery Division.

At this point, Doug has created over a dozen fashion doll characters in well over sixty different “editions” in four different fashion doll lines accompanied by a vast assortment of costumes and accessories plus a variety of fashion doll one-of-a-kinds.

Along with solid U.S. sales, he has also developed an active international market. Some dolls have been award-winning. Both C.E.D. and “S” Series fashion dolls have appeared in unique venues like the Bloomingdale Holiday Windows in New York. C.E.D. doll Claire graced a CD album cover for a popular techno-rock musical group.

UFDC Convention, Baltimore, Maryland, 2021 Part I

 

This post contains photographs and some text about my first, and probably last, experience in Baltimore, MD at the United Federation of Doll Clubs' 2021 convention which took place from July 18-23. The event was held at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront. It was their first convention since the Covid lockdown began in 2020. Personally, I do not think they were completely ready. The food was pretty awful in their "restaurant" and at the meal events. The best thing served at a meal was a delicious piece of cheesecake. 

It was the largest convention I ever attended as a registrant. There were more than 750 people there and it sounded like you might imagine. Doll collectors are notoriously talkative. 

You may wonder why I said it was probably my last UFDC convention. The focus is on antique and vintage dolls. There are some contemporary artist-made dolls as well. This fact was very noticeable in the competition categories.  I was very happy that many members of my doll clubs were in attendance and I met several interesting women but the thrill wasn't there.  

How does Loki know that mommy is going somewhere? Look at that sad face!

All loaded and ready to leave on the trip. It was only 2 hours 15 minutes. I drove straight through. 

Self-parking was just around the corner. I shot a pic of my location, just in case. 

Parking was $25 per day!!!  But it was covered and safe. 

To my surprise, I was upgraded to a harbor view room on the 27th floor. The room was lovely but freezing. Most of the time I did not keep the a/c in cooling mode. 

I had a fabulous view. This is the first picture I shot in the room.

Below is a very early morning view. The moon hasn't yet set and the sun is rising. 

See the sun's reflection in the tall building on the right.

And a few more around the hotel:

  

  

Right down the street is a striking statue/fountain. You can read the text to find out what it memorializes. Click on the image to enlarge it.

Registration on Sunday

Reborn Dolls is not one of the UFDC categories but that doesn't stop collectors from bringing theirs to share with others.

The more I looked at this little doll, the more real it got to the point where I saw it breathing.  Freaky!

There were several hundred entries into competition. Depending upon the number of entries in a category, one could win first, second, third, fourth and possibly some other ribbon. The winners get ego boosts, oohs & aahs and then go home to plan next year's entries. 

Some of the judging is based on age, rarity and condition, so, if you have enough money, buy the oldest, rarest and best condition thing you can find, you might get a blue ribbon to put in your wallet.

Helpers are items that are donated for the benefit of UFDC.  It's a gigantic raffle event and the merchandise is really good. The competition is stiff. I did not win anything and I did not expect to but I would have liked it a lot, especially a tiny bjd on a rocking horse. I'm not sure why, but she really appealed to me. Sigh. 

Shown in the photos below is but a fraction of the donations. 

I wanted this gorgeous handmade doll, too. 

The UFDC has a store, of course, online all year round. During the convention, they bring a load of merchandise from the store. There are also bargain tables. Below you see the line waiting for the boutique to open.  One can find dolls from prior conventions.